Archive · 23 May 2025
New Zealand's Cookie Tin: A Quirky Way to Pass Laws
In New Zealand, the process of choosing which laws to talk about is a bit different.
Instead of the usual ways, they use a cookie tin!
When there's space to discuss a new law, the Parliament staff put numbers in a cookie tin.
Each number represents a bill.
Then, someone draws numbers from the tin.
The bills that get drawn are the ones that get discussed and voted on.
This system, which is quite quirky, allows any lawmaker to propose a law.
It’s a democratic way of doing things.
New Zealand Parliament uses a cookie tin to randomly select bills for debate.
The lottery ensures all legislators have a chance to propose laws.
The tradition began to replace lawmakers queuing overnight to submit bills.
Bills on marriage equality and voluntary euthanasia were selected via the cookie tin.
Two lawmakers' measures were selected from a recent ballot.
- Who
- New Zealand lawmakers and parliamentary staff.
- What
- A lottery where bills are drawn from a cookie tin to be debated in Parliament.
- When
- Every fortnight, during Parliament sessions.
- Where
- New Zealand's Parliament.
- Why
- To ensure all legislators have a chance to advance their proposed laws.
- Event
- Parliamentary bill lottery
- Location
- New Zealand Parliament
- Object used
- Cookie tin
- Bills drawn
- Members' Bills
- Frequency
- Every fortnight
- Purpose
- Select bills for debate