Business Statement

Next week in the House it is the Government’s intention to take urgency. The likely business to be included in this motion will be the debate on the performance and current operations of Crown entities, public organisations, and State enterprises, the Appropriation (2004/05 Supplementary Estimates) Bill, including a second reading of an Imprest Supply Bill, both of those being, of course, time-limited debates, and the remaining stages of the following bills: the Land Transport Amendment Bill, the Tariff (New Zealand - Thailand Closer Economic Partnership) Bill, the Taxation (Base Maintenance and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill (No 3), the Overseas Investment Bill, the Terrorism Suppression Amendment Bill (No 2), and the Courts and Criminal Matters Bill.

Noticing that the Order Paper is not all that deep at the moment, and that of the bills the Leader of the House has just mentioned, only a couple require passing before the 30 July deadline, and they could be taken through urgency in a very short time, can he indicate to the House whether he expects urgency next week to flow through to Friday; if so, what does he expect the need for that is, given the light Order Paper?

Government orders of the day are nearly 2 pages long. A number of the items—the time-limited debate, the land transport bill, the tariff bill, the taxation bill, and the misuse of drugs bill—are required to pass urgently. The terrorism suppression bill certainly has to pass before October; otherwise the designations of terrorist organisations will fail. Obviously, if the Opposition is indicating that the House may finish earlier, then we may look forward to an ordinary Thursday afternoon, which would please me no end.