It couldn't have happened at a better time for New Zealand First.

MP Clayton Mitchell's anti-siphoning legislation – the bill which would return the All Blacks, the Kiwis and the Olympics, all sport of national significance, to live and free-to-air television – will have its first reading in the house next month.

'I know MPs who have been in the house 16 years and haven't had a bill drawn in the ballot,” says Clayton. 'We have been lucky.”

And even if it doesn't get support in the house, New Zealand First pledges to fight the issue through into the September 23 general election. 'Because it makes sense and it's standing up for all New Zealanders and not just the privileged.”

The bill aims to prevent pay television broadcasters like Sky from buying monopoly television rights to important and significant events before free-to-air television has a chance to bid on them.

That means the bill would return the All Blacks, the Kiwis rugby league team, the winter and summer Olympics and the Commonwealth Games to live and free-to-air for the mass audience.

There's a whiff of confidence about how the numbers will stack up in the house.

'While Labour's caucus has yet to sign off on it, they've indicated the bill has merit. I am sure of their support. The Greens have also said they will support it and so has the Maori Party.”

But the Government won't. 'It claims the bill will cause all our sporting heroes to travel off shore to seek more lucrative contracts because the sorting codes at home won't be able to afford them.”

Clayton says that's just 'unsubstantiated nonsense and petty politics”.

And all the evidence points to the reverse. 'If you have a culture of sports being promoted, you build pride in playing for your country and sportsmen are more likely to stay and take up domestic contracts.”

He cites the example of All Black fullback Ben Smith who passed over a fat deal in France because of 'the pride, the lifestyle and support at home”. So did Israel Dagg. 'That shoots down that Government theory.”

The Government will blanket block the Games of National Significance Bill, as will ACT and Epsom MP David Seymour. 'I had that chat with David but he's just there to toe the National line,” says Clayton.

So it could come down to United's Peter Dunne. If he plays along the bill could pass its first reading and then be off to a select committee for discussion and dissection. 'And that's exactly what we want. A full and transparent examination of the facts.”

New Zealand First ran a straw poll for the free to air bill in Red Square recently. They were there for one and a half hours and 65 people signed in support.

'We used to have live and free to air games of national significance, we enjoyed it and we want it back again.” There was also a poll on Newstalk ZB recently and 84 percent of listeners taking part were in favour. 'So it's well and truly supported,” says Clayton.

The reason some are shy to support the bill is because of the funding model.

'There are good examples of other countries who have similar legislation – England, Australia, Canada and even India.

'In Australia the free-to-air broadcasters get first right of refusal – free to the vast majority and it doesn't cost the taxpayer a cent.” It depends on how the model is implemented.

What about the people who pay Sky $1000-plus a year to see big sporting events live on TV.

'The plan doesn't include all sports and every event and Sky covers a lot of sport. We are only talking game of national significance. It wouldn't stop them having rugby and league in general.”

But it would mean that games New Zealand as a country is involved in, games that New Zealanders have invested millions of dollars supporting, would be available to them free and live.

But it wouldn't mean we would see the Lions in New Zealand later this year. 'This is not designed to be anti-Sky, it's designed to be pro-New Zealand. We would not arbitrarily take away the rights that Sky have already purchased.”

It would be phased in over time – probably in time for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

Clayton says he's not holding his breath on this one, but it would be blow, a sensible blow, for ordinary New Zealanders.And it's not going away anytime soon.