Senate approves NaRRA bill amid continued oversight concerns

The Senate has approved the controversial National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) bill, with the Government using its majority to reject Opposition amendments targeting additional oversight.

Government members rose to their feet and banged the desks, following a marathon sitting that ended about 8:15 p.m. The opposition did not call for a divide, which would have allowed for the recording individual votes. 

The bill establishes the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority as a special purpose vehicle to design and fast-track major recovery and infrastructure projects.

Opposition senators argued that the bill still grants sweeping powers without sufficient safeguards and proposed several amendments aimed at strengthening accountability, independent oversight, and project management controls. 

They claimed the proposed authority concentrates too much power within the CEO and the responsible minister, who among other things, will have the power to override regulatory bodies.

Government senators defended the legislation as necessary to speed up reconstruction and improve coordination in the aftermath of the hurricane. They rejected claims about a concentration of power in the executive and maintained that the legislation contains adequate accountability mechanisms. 

The Government moved no amendments. 

Several steps are to follow before the bill becomes law, including being signed by the governor general.   

The legislation had previously passed the House of Representatives after a lengthy and at times tense sitting that ran from Tuesday, April 28, to the early hours of Wednesday morning.

During debate in the House, the Government successfully introduced several amendments it said were intended to improve transparency and governance, including provisions for periodic stakeholder consultations, reporting obligations to Parliament, and conflict-of-interest safeguards involving senior officials.

However, Opposition lawmakers argued those measures did not go far enough.

The NaRRA bill has faced intense scrutiny since its introduction, prompting public criticism from more than 28 civil society groups and governance advocates. 

More details to come. 

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