A change of law could see litterers fined "from the current measly $400 to a serious $1000", says National MP Scott Simpson.
"It really annoys me seeing our beautiful natural environment ruined by the careless and thoughtless actions of lazy litterbugs," he said.
"It's sadly far too common to see people brazenly throwing litter from moving cars, to say nothing of others who dump their rubbish without a thought about the impacts."
The bill passed its first hurdle in May, with environmentalists welcoming the proposal.
In May, Be A Tidy Kiwi's Richard Leckinger said on TVNZ1's Breakfast that "right now you can be fined up to $7500 as an individual for littering or smashing a bottle, but you have to go through the courts".
However, he thought that councils were "in a bind" whether to take the issue to court or issue the $400 fine.
Mr Simpson's proposal would mean councils could impose on-the-spot fines of up to $1000, to send a "a clear message to those who litter that it is entirely unacceptable".
Be A Tidy Kiwi's Richard Leckinger said it would “make it easier for councils to get out there and enforce the law". (Source: Other)
"Combined with working with councils and changing people's attitudes I believe we can reduce the amount of litter left behind and ensure our environment looks better, our wildlife is better protected, and our clean, green reputation is upheld."
During the first reading of the bill , all parties except NZ First and ACT supported the change.
Jenny Marcroft of NZ First defended her party's stance, saying while it was in line with a focus on law and order, increasing fines were "an ineffective instrument for deterring littering".
Seven Sharp put people to the test in Auckland as to how they react when see a litterbug. (Source: Other)
She said there was no "buy-in" from many local councils on issuing spot fines, and instead more education initiatives should be implemented.
"Do we really want to drive a wedge between territorial authorities and the public, issuing thousand-dollar fines for littering?
"There's a real irony in the party that oversaw the degradation of our lakes, rivers and estuaries who now want to whack the average citizen with gigantic fines for littering," she said.
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