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Exercises and worksheets for highschool students.

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Worksheet 7: Suggesting a law change to a Select Committee of Parliament

How laws are made and how New Zealanders get to have their say

  1. Discuss with your teacher which problem you think Parliament should have a law on. Decide which 'law reform' you will prepare to discuss with the 'Select Committee'.
  2. Divide the class into two.
  3. (10 min) One group will prepare to act as MPs, from all parties in Parliament, on the 'Select Committee'. It will consider the law reform topic you have chosen.
  4. (20 min) The other group divides into small teams. Elect a chairperson. Elect a secretary. Discuss ideas you want to propose on the law reform topic you have chosen. Help your secretary and chairperson write your submission for the Select Committee.

    For further reference
    See also:

    How laws are made
    How a bill becomes an act
    Reforming the law

  5. Your Select Committee meets. Each small team, in turn, presents its submissions to the Select Committee. The Select Committee members may ask questions which teams may answer.
  6. (10 min) The Select Committee chairperson leads discussion amongst committee members and sums up the consensus, or takes a vote, to report to Parliament on the proposed law reform.