National MP Amy Adams is telling the Justice Minister to stop letting his "ego" get in the way of bipartisanship work on the proposed "Mark Taylor law".
The Terrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Bill, a proposed law that would allow for control orders on Kiwis coming home after joining terror groups like Islamic State, had its first reading on Thursday.
The law would put restrictions on foreign fighters and people with terrorist links like Mark Taylor, the "Kiwi Jihadi" in Syria, who wants to return to New Zealand.
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The Bill's first reading was delayed, after a stoush between Labour and National descended earlier this week into name-calling and bitterness between Justice Minister Andrew Little and National leader Simon Bridges.
Little said on Tuesday he has felt "a little dicked around" by the National Party, after it offered unconditional support for it, but later put forward a number of recommendations that would "strengthen the legislation".
Last week Bridges outlined the changes National wanted, including extending control orders beyond six years and lowering the age limit from 18 to 14 years old.
Little told Parliament on Thursday he felt the proposals put forward by National were "unnecessarily Draconian", meaning excessive or harsh.
Adams fired back on National's behalf, claiming Little never intended to work with National in the first place, and said it was "all about the politics, all about covering his backside, all about his ego."
"He didn't want to build a consensus, bipartisan, strong solution; he wanted to play politics, and that is shameful. It is an utterly shameful abdication of his responsibility to keep New Zealanders safe."
Adams slammed the Justice Minister for making changes to the Bill that the Greens asked for, but refused to make the changes National wanted.
"The truth is he has weakened this legislation to pander to the Greens to get his votes, because his ego wouldn't let him sit down and work constructively with the biggest, the most popular political party in New Zealand."
Green MP Golriz Ghahraman said earlier that day her party would support the Bill after successfully ensuing foreign convictions and deportations will not be accepted without "proper scrutiny".
The Greens have also "ended the use of secret evidence without an advocate", meaning evidence against a suspect will not be secret and a lawyer would be able to see it.
With the Greens and New Zealand First on board, the Justice Minister will be able to pass the legislation in Parliament without the National Party's support.
Adams defended the changes National wants in the Bill, such as lowering the age limit from 18 to 14 years old for control orders, saying young people "will be targeted for radicalisation".
"It happens in Australia, it happens in New Zealand, it happens around the world, and yet Mr Little apparently knows more than all of those people and doesn't even want to discuss the potential need to have control orders in place for those in their late teens."
Adams also defended extending control orders beyond six years.
"[Little] says six years is all we'd ever need. Well, the day one of these terrorists acts in a way that hurts New Zealanders after six years and two months; Mr Little is going to need to look himself in the mirror."
Little said it is "unfortunate that there has been what I think is, frankly, blatant party politicking in relation to this issue".
He said his message to all parties in this Parliament that "this is an issue of national security", and there "is the possibility of at least one person who poses a serious risk to the community in this country returning in the immediate future".
"To the National Party, they wish to be in Government one day. They must exercise that responsibility. But as another large party in Parliament, I say it is their duty to show that responsibility at all times."
Newshub.
