Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Members

Yes.

💬 Hon George Hawkins: How many more submissions are to be heard on the Resource Management (Simplifying and Streamlining) Amendment Bill?

From correspondence this morning, I understand that one submitter, whom we tried to contact by telephone but were unable to, is, I believe, being offered a further opportunity to be heard. Beyond that, I think that all submitters have been heard.

Resource Management (Simplifying and Streamlining)Amendment Bill—Report Back

2. Hon GEORGE HAWKINS (Labour—Manurewa) to the Chairperson of the Local Government and Environment Committee: What is the report-back date for the Resource Management (Simplifying and Streamlining) Amendment Bill?

The report-back date for this bill is 19 June 2009.

💬 Hon George Hawkins: Can the chairperson confirm that once the Resource Management (Simplifying and Streamlining) Amendment Bill has been disposed of by the committee, the committee will have an extremely light workload; if not, why not?

The Resource Management (Simplifying and Streamlining) Amendment Bill incorporates the biggest changes to the Resource Management Act in 20 years. The work on that bill will be completed by the committee, and considerable work is under way on processing the consideration of the bill. At the conclusion of that, we are conscious that we have a bill on phase 2 of the amendment of the Resource Management Act coming forward. The committee has one member’s bill, one private bill, and one local bill before it.

Minimum Wage and Remuneration Amendment Bill—Status

3. CAROL BEAUMONT (Labour) to the Member in charge of the Minimum Wage and Remuneration Amendment Bill: What is the current status of the Minimum Wage and Remuneration Amendment Bill?

The bill is currently before the Committee of the whole House, where the National Party is fighting tooth and nail to try to prevent all New Zealanders from having the right to a minimum remuneration.

💬 Mr SPEAKER: That was totally outside the Standing Orders, for an answer of a member in charge of a bill—and she will not do that again.

💬 Carol Beaumont: What further processes is the member expecting the bill to go through?

The bill needs to go through a third reading to be enacted. However, I understand that there will be difficulties in getting to that stage.

Minimum Wage and Remuneration Amendment Bill—S.O.P. 13

4. CAROL BEAUMONT (Labour) to the Member in charge of the Minimum Wage and Remuneration Amendment Bill: Why did she introduce Supplementary Order Paper 13 on this bill?

That Supplementary Order Paper amends the Minimum Wage and Remuneration Amendment Bill to provide for a schedule listing which political parties represented in Parliament support the Act. These provisions follow those in sections 72 and 73 of the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act 2001. The amendments also require the Minister, on introduction into the House of Representatives of a Government bill that proposes an amendment to the Minimum Wage Act, to bring to the attention of the House the consultation process that was followed in the formulation of the proposed bill.

💬 Carol Beaumont: Why was it necessary to introduce Supplementary Order Paper 13 on this bill?

Because in the past, former Governments have proved to have had no commitment to the minimum wage, and action so far from Government parties shows that they still do not.

💬 Hon Gerry Brownlee: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. You pulled up the member earlier for straying well beyond what is reasonable in answering questions to members. I think that the member has breached again, quite considerably, and should be terminated as an answerer.

Question No. 5 to Member

Mr Speaker—

💬 Hon Member: Oh, you are here today.

Thank goodness for Wayne Peters.

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I apologise to my colleague. I know there have been a number of Peters through this House, but I do not think that it was Wayne Peters who made that interjection. I wonder whether it is appropriate to refer to someone who is not in the House in that way. [Interruption]

💬 Mr SPEAKER: I do not need further assistance in this matter. I ask the Hon Shane Jones to just ask his question. Thank you.

Regulatory Responsibility Bill—Regulatory Impact Assessment Process

5. Hon SHANE JONES (Labour) to the Member in charge of the Regulatory Responsibility Bill: Does his bill increase the rigour of the regulatory impact assessment process that is conducted before Government legislation is introduced to the House?

Yes.