Urgent Debates Declined — New Zealand Troops—Withdrawal from Iraq

I have received a letter from Rodney Hide seeking to debate under Standing Order 373 the reported pulling out of New Zealand troops from Iraq. Newspaper speculation on a matter is not in itself a particular case of recent occurrence that would give grounds for a debate. In this case, the Minister of Defence is reported as having said that New Zealand is at the end of a commitment to provide aid and assistance to Iraq, and I am prepared to accept that that comment is a particular case involving ministerial responsibility. However, I do not consider that the drawing to a close of a commitment is in itself of sufficient importance to require a debate to be held on the matter today. The application is therefore denied.

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I ask you to reconsider, on the grounds that there is no more serious decision a Government can make than to send servicemen and servicewomen into harm’s way overseas. Likewise, whatever your view is, a decision to bring the troops home and not provide a replacement is also a very serious decision for any Government to make. This decision is going to be debated up and down New Zealand and around the world. It will become debatable, potentially, in terms of the Australian elections and, indeed, the United States presidential elections. We expect in a parliamentary democracy that the Government would come down to the House—

💬 Mr SPEAKER: Would the member come to his point tersely. The member is challenging my ruling. It does not need to be debated in the House today. That is my ruling.

All I am asking is: when does it get debated and under what circumstances? What we learn is from the Dominion Post newspaper. We read about it there and we do not hear about it in this Parliament.

💬 Mr SPEAKER: That is often the occasion. I am saying that this matter does not need to be debated in the House today.