A silly bill

The Government has introduced a bill to recognise that English is an offical language of New Zealand. Of course English has been a de facto official language of NZ since 1840. The fact the bill is in English shows why it is not needed.

Māori and sign language are de jure official languages. That needed a law to state they are official because they previously were not. English does not need such a law. There is no problem that needs fixing. Parliament has better things to do than debate such a law.

But this was in the coalition agreement with NZ First, and it is important the Government does what it agreed to do. What I would suggest is that at first reading they ask for leave of the House to pass it through all three stages without debate.