By: Katie Bradford-Crozier | Friday, April 13, 2012 6:00 AM

Let's be honest, Labour's performance, or lack of it, over the past three years left the Government with plenty of wriggle room.

Until 2012 hit. The Government started the year with a bang, promising to implement its election policies as quickly as possible, from welfare reform to hocking off part of the state owned energy companies.

But they didn't count on Bronwyn Pullar, Nick Smith and ACC. In the last electoral term, Dr Smith's speedy resignation would normally have left John Key wiping his brow and then moving on.

Not this year. It's the scandal that just keeps on giving, with a new revelation every day.

And so we went into Easter recess with the Government breathing a sigh of relief, pleased to have a lengthy three-week recess in which it hoped the ACC saga, teapot tapes and MFAT restructuring botch up would be forgotten.

But it didn't count on the members ballot. Perhaps Labour actually did the government a favour by its lengthy filibuster of the Voluntary Student Membership bill last year - it meant no bills were pulled from the ballot.

In the last hours before the Easter break, when MPs and ministers are dreaming of holidays away with their families, there came a thorn in the Government's side - Labour MP Sue Moroney's parental leave Bill.

It's a winner. Guidelines say a mother should breastfeed for the first six months - and how do you judge the real costs of a mother (or father as the case may be) having more time with their baby?

We have one of the lowest paid parental leave schemes in the world. Australia may have been behind the game, only implementing the scheme a couple of years ago, but now they have it and once again, those who live in the lucky country get a better deal.

The Government's got one last move up their sleeve. Ministers will stamp their feet, throw their toys, and warn the other minor parties that there's no point in voting for the Bill, because if it gets to its third reading, they'll shoot it down anyway.

Bill English points out Labour used the extreme financial veto power numerous times when in government. Be it so, but the decision to stop the Bill in its tracks will not prove popular for National. There's no doubt that in tough financial times, restraint is needed - but there needs to be some lollies promised for voters when the books are back in the black in 2014 - and this would be an ideal sweet treat for many.

National might have thought that this is the end of it, but the debate won't be going away anytime soon.