Former TVNZ presenter Tāmati Coffey and partner Tim Smith welcome their second baby five weeks early

Rotorua-based MP Tāmati Coffey and his partner Tim Smith have welcomed their second child into the world!

Announcing the news on Instagram, the proud dad wrote: "And here she is.

"Made with love (and a little bit of science!) Mum and support crew doing well. Baby girl weighed in just under 3kgs and surprised us by being about 5 weeks early."

His daughter, whose name is not yet known, was born via a surrogate.

He continued: "Another acknowledgment of the mana of our wahine who choose to give couples, like me and my partner Tim, the gift of life.

"More and more couples are having kids this way, so the law still needs to be changed to streamline the process. As a lawmaker, those changes are my priority this year - now more than ever.

"Welcome to the world my little princess."

Coffey, a former TV host, proposed to Tim Smith between Christmas and New Year 2010, in Rotorua.

They became civil union partners in 2011.

The couple's son, Tūtānekai Smith-Coffey, was also born via surrogate in July 2019.

In 2019, Coffey submitted his first member’s bill, the Improving Arrangements for Surrogacy Bill.

The bill aimed to simplify surrogacy arrangements, ensure information recorded on birth certificates is complete, and provide a way to enforce surrogacy arrangements, in case an intending parent chooses not to take custody of the child.

Under current laws, intending parents of a child born via surrogacy are not offered automatic rights to custody of the child, meaning a formal adoption process is required to complete the arrangement.

"Having observed the process and been through the process ... I recognise lots of things needed to change," he said at the time.

The bill was introduced to Parliament in September last year, passing its first reading in May.

It is at the select committee stage, with a report being prepared for the House, including recommended changes to the bill.