Speaker’s Rulings — Select Committees—Official Business

Last Thursday a point of order was raised before this House about Hone Harawira, a non-voting member of the Justice and Electoral Committee, absenting himself from meetings of the committee in Melbourne to pay a private visit to the Northern Territory. I undertook to look into the matter once I had received a report from the Clerk.

First, there is the question of party votes. The Māori Party cast party votes on 8 August, on the assumption that Mr Harawira was at the select committee that day. It is now clear that he was not. Party whips have, nevertheless, assured the Clerk that the party had three members in the precincts during that day, and it was therefore entitled to cast a proxy for Mr Harawira. The party votes cast for the Māori Party on 8 August are therefore all confirmed.

That still leaves open issues relating to expenditure in respect of Mr Harawira’s visit to Melbourne, when he fulfilled less than half of the committee’s programme and, indeed, the obligation of members generally when they are receiving public funding to attend to the business in respect of which that funding has been provided. Ordinarily, where members travel to, and whether they attend select committee meetings, are entirely matters for them. But in this case the committee’s visit to Melbourne was part of the official travel programme, and members attending it have received public funding to participate in its meetings. I believe that they are therefore under an obligation to participate in the committee’s programme as a condition of receiving that funding.

As Mr Harawira participated in less than half of the committee’s programme of business, I consider it to be appropriate that he refund half of the airfare that was paid out of public funds on his behalf. I will be writing to him accordingly. I will also be raising the matter of select committee travel with the Business Committee today.