Points of Order — Building Industry Reforms—Document Not Tabled

I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I raise it under Standing Order 400(b). Earlier, Dr Nick Smith told the House that he had not tabled a document requested by Winston Peters because he thought he had been denied leave. Every member in this House knows that when one is granted leave, one is approached by a messenger who asks for the document. Yesterday we observed Dr Smith being asked for the document, after he was granted leave. I therefore ask you, Madam Speaker, to consider whether Dr Nick Smith has deliberately misled this House by raising that excuse for not doing what he had undertaken to do.

No. There are proper ways to raise that matter, and that is not one of them. But I also note that I accepted Dr Smith’s word in the House—that his memory was that that document had not been accepted.

I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. With respect, the facts are that Dr Smith sought to table a document. He was then approached, obviously, by an official of the House as to the tabling of that document. I myself observed that, and that is why I raise the issue of his not being prepared to hand that document to the House’s official. He was on notice therefore, and his excuse today does not hold up.

No. I am sorry. If members want to raise that matter there is a proper way to do it, and it is not in this House. I ask them to do it in that way. I have also said what my ruling was at the beginning, when the matter first arose. But the member is perfectly entitled to raise the matter with me in the appropriate way.

I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. Two members have challenged my word, and I would draw the attention of the House to the fact that I actually sought to table several documents yesterday. I have checked back through the records, and those tablings were either denied or accepted. The other point I wish to raise is that my word has been further questioned in respect of the issue today of the civil defence ministry. I wish to inform the House that Newstalk ZB advised me this morning that it had attempted to phone the ministry—that it had attempted to phone it several times between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m.—and it also informed me that it had attempted to phone the Minister directly and had received no response.

💬 Madam SPEAKER: I thank the member.