The controversial Electoral Finance Bill that some say is as clear as mud, is a step closer to becoming law, after a government majority voted it through another stage in the house.
And as expected, the debate on Thursday night was fiery.
Justice Minister Annette King is in the firing line over the bill. It began at Question Time with an attack from National saying the law is so complicated even the Electoral Commission doesn't understand it.
"That person has said they don't know what the law means. How stupid is that?," says Bill English, National deputy leader.
King told English to calm down and check out everything the commission is saying about the bill.
"Don't be Mr Angry, just keep calm, read the rest, read the rest."
The bill is designed to clamp down on lobby groups who want to buy an election with big bucks. But critics say the government is just using it as a way to gag its opponents.
And if King thought English was Mr Angry at Question Time, she had seen nothing yet.
"For this phifling, waffling, vague, partisan, disgraceful legislation who is this about, Labour. This is not about New Zealand, this is not about the public good," says English.
There was applause for that speech, but all the parties got a chance to debate, with those in favour asking why is it National are so against the bill.
"I just want to make sure people know how much the National Party spent at the last election and why there are concerns by the general public about where money comes from for political parties," says Doug Woolerton, New Zealand First list MP.
The Green Party says National has colluded with the Brethern religious sect.
"The Brethren's desperate attempt to keep their identify secret with National's collusion was a direct assault on the open democratic process. Every New Zealander should be horrified at that assault," says Meteria Turei, Green Party, list MP.
Drowning out the opposition, the bill passed it's second stage at 65 to 54.
There will be more debate in a few weeks.
Apart from the National Party, Act also loathes the bill. And one party member says he's putting more than $100,000 of his own money on the line, to try to stop it.
John Boscawen, who has organised several protest marches, says if the bill becomes law, New Zealand will become one of the most gagged countries in the world.
