Urgent Debates Declined — Police—Former Commissioner

I have received four letters seeking debates under Standing Order 373. A letter from Rodney Hide seeks to debate the Prime Minister’s actions relating to Peter Doone. The Prime Minister’s actions occurred over 5 years ago, but this application results from the release of statements of evidence concerning the recent defamation action. I am not persuaded that the release of the statements overcomes the requirement that, for an urgent debate, the matter be a particular case of recent occurrence. That is not to say that with an existing situation there may not be a new development of sufficient importance to justify a debate—see Speaker’s ruling 153/5. But that is not the case here. In these circumstances I cannot accept this application.

National Certificate of Educational Achievement—Scholarship