Business Statement

At the conclusion of business today the House will go into a 4-week adjournment. When the House resumes on Tuesday, 26 July, priority will be given to the Appropriations (2005/06 Estimates) Bill. The first Wednesday of that week will be a members’ day.

Noticing the controversy that has arisen in the last couple of days around access to the Australian market for New Zealand apples, I wonder what the Government’s intention is for item 19 on the Order Paper, the Conservation (Protection of Trout as a Non-commercial Species) Amendment Bill, given that this would appear to be one of the major blocks to allowing Australian apples into New Zealand. Could the Leader of the House perhaps tell us whether this bill would allow that particular problem to subside?

I think it is most unlikely the bill will pass before the election. I am not aware of any applications by Australian trout to enter our waters, but, of course, we are keen that people can have access up our waterways to get to the trout.

I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I remark that, given recent events in the Immigration Service that have been pointed out by others, I do not think the member can be at all sure of that.

💬 Madam SPEAKER: I thank the member for that comment.