Business Statement

The House goes into adjournment from today for the next 2 weeks. When the House resumes on 21 July the Government will make progress on the first readings on the Order Paper, complete the Disputes Tribunal Amendment Bill, and advance the Committee stages of the Immigration Bill and the Building Amendment Bill (No. 2).

Could the Leader of the House tell us when he is likely to make time for the Minister of Health to make a ministerial statement updating the House on his management of the swine flu, given that he has discontinued his practice of nightly updates to the media now that he is unable to contain the swine flu, and given the concerning reports that greater numbers of people are being admitted to Wellington Hospital than are being admitted in the entire state of Victoria?

Although that request does not particularly relate to the business of the House, I can assure the member that the Minister of Health ensures that there are daily updates on the Ministry of Health website on the progress of the management of the swine flu. The matter of a ministerial statement, of course, is up to the Minister.