What “Urgency” Means in Parliament - and Why We Should Care

We’ve been shining a light on a few kaupapa lately that have happened under the radar — and there’s one thing they all have in common: they were pushed through under “urgency.”

But what does that actually mean? Especially when the kaupapa doesn’t seem all that urgent?

Here’s our breakdown:

What does it mean when something is pushed through “urgency” in Parliament?

When the Government puts Parliament into “urgency,” it speeds up the usual lawmaking process. It means skipping steps — like public consultation, select committees, and proper debate — and rushing a bill through, sometimes within a day.

It’s supposed to be reserved for emergencies or time-sensitive issues. But lately, we’re seeing it used to fast-track controversial laws before the public can react.

Where did this even come from?

Urgency has been around for decades — it’s baked into the Standing Orders (aka the rulebook for how Parliament runs). It was designed to help the Government act fast in situations where waiting could cause harm.

And in some cases, it’s justified — like after the Christchurch earthquakes, or during the COVID-19 response. Even Budget-related laws sometimes go through urgency so changes can take effect immediately.

But when urgency is used for kaupapa that isn’t time-sensitive? That’s when we need to pay attention.

How does it happen?

Any Minister can move for urgency — and if the Government has a majority, it goes ahead. There’s no requirement to explain why something’s so urgent, or to prove that rushing it is justified.

Sometimes opposition parties support it — if they agree with the kaupapa, or if they’re trying to maintain relationships. But more often, they call it out. Still, if the numbers are there, the Government can do it anyway.

Why Is Urgency Controversial?

Because it skips the parts of the process designed to keep laws fair, transparent, and well-informed.
Critics like Bryce Edwards say it leads to “bad law” because there’s less scrutiny.^[1] David Farrar points out that it’s hard to justify cutting the public out of major decisions.
If experts are worried, we should be too.

Why are we bringing this up now?

Because it’s happening more and more — and the impacts are huge. Recent laws pushed through under urgency include:

The introduction of the Treaty Principles Bill
The return of the prisoner voting ban
The Wildlife Act

All rushed through. No submissions. No proper kōrero.

Our whakaaro

As a kaupapa Māori organisation, we believe the process matters. That’s how we protect equity, transparency, and tino rangatiratanga.

Urgency should never be used as a shortcut to silence dissent or rush decisions that deserve proper debate. If the kaupapa isn’t truly urgent, it shouldn’t be allowed to bypass the checks and balances that keep our democracy fair.

We need better rules around when urgency can be used — and a process that makes sure the public, especially Māori, aren’t shut out of decisions that affect us.

Urgency Needs Reform

Urgency isn’t a flaw in the system; it’s a built-in mechanism. But it must be used responsibly. The current rules are too weak, and when politicians use urgency for their own benefit, it damages the fairness of our whole system. What’s needed is a cross-party agreement to raise the threshold for urgency and commit to using it only in genuinely urgent cases — especially when lives, rights, and communities are on the line. This is where our voices can make a difference. Reforming the rulebook of parliament procedures won’t happen unless we speak up and demand change.

What you can do

Stay informed — we’ll keep breaking these kaupapa down as they happen.
Share this explainer with your whānau so more people understand what “urgency” really means.
Ask questions — when something’s pushed through urgently, ask why. Who decided that? And who got left out?
Call for change — urgency needs clearer limits. Demand a process that protects public input, not shuts it down.