Business of the House

I move, That members’ order of the day No. 1 for the first reading of the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Deletion Bill be postponed.

I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. This is a non-debatable motion, of course, but I wonder whether the member could perhaps give us a brief minute of explanation as to why this should happen, given that this bill was New Zealand First’s policy at the last election. The bill has been on the Order Paper for weeks. The member is here, but suddenly he is not ready to proceed with the bill. It is a little bit baffling to those on this side of the House that after all this time—three fingers in the air, and this is one of them—the member cannot proceed with the bill.

No. That is not a point of order. This motion is non-debatable.

I realise that, and I do not want to offend against that.

We will be happy to vote for the member if he tells us why.

Motion agreed to.

I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I want to make this very clear, by way of an explanation. There is a matter on the Order Paper today, for example, that appeared out of thin air, and my party knew nothing as to why. The Privileges Committee report appeared on the Order Paper without being discussed with us.

💬 Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: The explanation is that the Standing Orders provides for that, the Clerk has advised.

I thank my colleagues for that vote, but I say that I had other things on tonight. I had people here this afternoon whom I needed in respect of this debate. I am sorry that members of the only party in this House to oppose my having leave, when they were put to the test tonight, did not bother even to open their mouths. They have wasted everybody’s time.

💬 Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member knows that that is not a point of order.