The Green Party has asked the Government to refer changes to the Matrimonial Property Amendment Bill (to be called the Property Relationships Bill) back to a select committee.

The bill is scheduled to return to the House on Thursday.

"While we strongly support the provisions in the bill, we want to ensure it works as well as possible, and there is a major issue of democracy here," Green Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said today. "Our reasons are the opposite of the National Party, which is trying to delay, and if possible stop, the legislation.

"We are pleased the Government has produced a supplementary order parper which takes into account the issues raised by more than 60 percent of submitters to the original bill.

"They argued that it should be possible to split matrimonial property unequally when an equal split would economically disadvantage one partner. "But people who made detailed submissions to the government administration select committee need to able to check that the redrafting adequately achieves their objectives

"The bill includes fundamental changes that could affect every relationship in the country."

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Jeanette Fitzsimons MP: 04 470 6661, 025 586 068

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