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National | Parliament

Sunscreen, police dogs and parent-teacher interviews win at parliamentary biscuit tin lotto

Three new bills were pulled out of the famous biscuit tin today and one, in particular, has new MP Terisa Ngobi thrilled at the opportunity to give parents the chance to take leave with the Holidays (Parent-Teacher Interview Leave), Amendment Bill.

The purpose of the new subpart is to provide all employees who are parents with a minimum entitlement to paid leave to assist them to attend parent-teacher interviews.

This would be given to those whose children either attend or participate in an early childhood services and is under the age of 6 years, is enrolled at a registered school and is under the age of 19 years, or is enrolled in a special school and is under the age of 22 years.

The amendment would mean that an employee may take paid parent-teacher interview leave if the employee is a parent who needs to attend a parent-teacher interview during the employee’s normal working hours.

MP for Otaki, Ngobi says, she's excited about the bill and doesn't believe it will face much opposition.

She won't be the only one celebrating though. Former National Leader, Todd Muller had his members bill, Sunscreen (Product Safety Standard) Bill pulled out in the lucky draw too. The bill defines sunscreen products as any preparation (for example, creams, oils, gels, or sprays) intended to be placed in contact with human skin with a view exclusively or mainly to protect it from UV radiation by absorbing, scattering, or reflecting radiation.

The lucky last bill was put forward by Matt Doocey, Policing (Killing a Police Dog) Amendment Bill. It aims to increase the penalty for killing a police dog, from a maximum of 2 years to a maximum of 5 years imprisonment.