ACT leader David Seymour says prisoners can't just "jizz in a cup" and expect to become fathers.
Mr Seymour has come to the defence of Trevor Mallard, after the Labour MP presented a petition to Parliament from a convicted murderer wanting to donate sperm so he could father a child from behind bars.
Karl Teangiotau Nuku's petition asks "that the House pass legislation providing prisoners with the opportunity to make seminal donations to registered agencies, so as to father a child".
"He's going to get beaten up for introducing this petition," Mr Seymour told The AM Show.
"Can't stand the guy myself, but Members of Parliament get petitions that they may not want to bring themselves - they may not believe in them, but I've done it myself."
Mr Seymour said allowing a convicted murderer the opportunity to be a parent is not fair.
"My whole generation is filled with people who are waiting, saving and sacrificing to have kids... This guy seems to think you can bash someone's head in with a hammer, be convicted of murder, go to jail for 18 years, but hey - there's no consequence. Just jizz in a cup and you're good to go. I'm sorry mate, it doesn't work like that."
Nuku's petition also asks for the opportunity to register for, and to make, organ and blood donations.
"If the best donor for a particular person is a prisoner, there's no reason why that shouldn't happen," Mr Seymour said.
"In principle, if they want to actually do a good thing and donate an organ... no problem."
The petition was presented to Parliament on April 13 by Mr Mallard, who told The AM Show he believes every citizen has the right to petition Parliament, and he deliberately chose not to know about Nuku's conviction.
"It's an interesting methodology for getting Parliament to look at an issue, although there is no obligation. This will go to a committee and the committee will decide whether or not they want to consider it."
He says his role is effectively to be a "postman" and he only heard from Nuku in writing.
Nuku was jailed for life with 18 years' non-parole for the murder of Dean Stuart Browne at Wellington's Oriental Bay in 2010.
He was part of a group that bashed Mr Browne to death with a hammer in the bedroom of a friend's flat, and dumped his body in another woman friend's garage in New Plymouth.
"If prisoners want to repay their debt to society by donating blood and their organs, then they're welcome to do that," Family First director Bob McCoskrie says.
"But fatherhood is not a right - it's a privilege based on the person's ability and commitment to being an active and responsible dad for that child."
Newshub.
