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- Engage-in-Brief: 30 June 2025
Engage-in-Brief: 30 June 2025
Holly Bennett
June 30, 2025
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TWO TRICKS TO TRY
Want to know what a bill might do? Check out the RIS. A regulatory impact statement (RIS) summarises the problem being addressed, possible options, the consultation undertaken, and how changes might be implemented if the bill passes. If you’re thinking about making a submission, there aren’t many better places to start than by reading the RIS.
If you’ve got a concern or an issue, you can email your electorate MP about it. If it’s a local issue, it’s their job to help you, but even if it’s a higher-level issue, you can still reach out. It’s important for an electorate MP to know what’s important to their constituents, and they might put you in touch with their party spokesperson for the issue — who may be able to help you, or give you more info. You can find MPs’ contact info here.
ONE THING YOU NEED TO KNOW
It sometimes feels a bit like everyone’s making submissions these days. During the 53rd Parliament, a total of just under 300,000 were received. This Parliament (the 54th) received more than that on the Treaty Principles Bill alone.
But despite huge numbers of people now engaging with the process, there still seems to be a bit of mystery around what the point of making a submission actually is.
If a Government bill makes it to select committee, odds are pretty good that it’s going to be passed into law. So a submission that says “I hate this bill, don’t pass it” probably won’t have much impact — and neither will one that just says “this is a great bill, two thumbs up!”. Much more helpful is one that engages with the text of the legislation, and points out things that might have been overlooked.
Submissions that say “This bill will have an unintended consequence, and here’s why” or “This bill fails to address this significant issue, so the committee should change it in these ways” are going to be more effective. Recommending a specific change — and explaining why you think the change needs to be made — is going a lot likelier to influence the committee than just saying you don’t like what they’re doing.
So next time you write a select committee submission, ask yourself “if the bill is going to pass regardless, what change would I recommend to make it work better?” You might be surprised at how much difference a single submission can make!
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FROM OUR TAUIRA
"Engage offers a programme relevant to anyone dedicated to growing their business whilst connecting with their wider stakeholder group. Holly's expertise in this area is impressive to say the least. We were very fortunate to have so much time with her."
ONE FUNNY THING
Want to learn some fun facts about Parliament? Check out Members of Parliament - Longest, shortest, oldest, youngest at the Parliament website.
Do you know who the oldest ever Member of Parliament was? How about the youngest? How about the longest serving MPs currently? No prizes for guessing the current oldest member, though.
All this info, and much more besides, is maintained by Parliament’s library. More than just a place for MPs to pick up the latest political biography, the library publishes research papers, prepares information for select committees, and produce ‘Debate Packs’ to help MPs understand bills before the House.
(And rumour has it that the old parliamentary library building is haunted!)
That’s it for this edition of Engage-in-Brief. Remember, you have a voice and you can use it! If you need training to support your advocacy efforts simply reply to this email.
Mauri ora!
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