Of deeply unpopular ‘waka-jumping’ law

won a provision in the coalition agreement to revive the law, and got it through Parliament with the votes of Labour and the Greens – despite the Green Party’s longstanding position against such laws.

National MP Nick Smith has picked up a member’s bill from retiring MP David Carter repealing the law. The bill got through first reading in the last months of the last Parliament with the support of the Green Party, who were happy to spit back up the proverbial ‘‘dead rat’’.

But after the 2020 election, any new bill will need the support of the Labour Party to pass through second and third reading.

Labour, who voted against the bill at first reading, no longer has a firm view on it – likely a result of NZ First no longer being in Parliament.

A spokesman for Justice Minister Kris Faafoi said the party would discuss its position on the bill in caucus. It would be interested in the process of the bill through the justice select committee, which met yesterday.

Smith told Stuff he was ‘‘hopeful’’ Labour would back repeal of the ‘‘pretty draconian legislation’’.

‘‘It is a stain on New Zealand’s otherwise very good international reputation for the standards of our parliamentary democracy,’’ he said.

‘‘When you have Labour members openly submitting in support of the change, it gives me some optimism that Labour might ditch the law and write it off as part of the chapter with NZ First, rather than a commentary on Labour’s view of electoral law.’’

National pointedly did not use the law on its own errant MP during the last term, Jami-lee Ross, and instead let him stay in Parliament and eventually lose at the election.

This fact was pointed out by Victoria University professors Claudia Geiringer and Elizabeth Mcleay, who submitted in support of repeal alongside 13 other prominent political science and legal academics.

‘‘This legislation is a solution in search of a problem. There is simply no problem with party defections in New Zealand,’’ Mcleay said.

Long-time Labour member John Anderson told the select committee he fully backed repeal of the ‘‘affront to democracy’’.

‘‘The Electoral [Integrity] Amendment Act 2018, is a convenience for some of the living. It betrays the dead, who put in place democratic safeguards for us, at some great cost in some cases.’’

The select committee is reporting back by April, meaning Labour is likely to have a position by mid-year.