Business Statement

At the close of business today the House will adjourn for 2 weeks. When we resume on Tuesday, 13 October it is the Government’s intention to make progress on the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Bill, the Land Transport (Enforcement Powers) Amendment Bill, the Vehicle Confiscation and Seizure Bill, and other bills on the Order Paper.

I wonder whether the Leader of the House could update us on exactly what the plans are for the urgency motion this afternoon so members can be clear about precisely what we will be debating, and whether the evening sitting is indeed required, as he has planned for.

I also want to get some information about the emissions trading legislation itself, as I have raised with you, Mr Speaker, by point of order on 2 days already this week. There was a briefing for Opposition members last evening by the Hon Dr Nick Smith. He showed a draft version of the bill to Opposition members but was not able to give them a final copy of it. I understand that a final copy of the bill has been lodged but it is completely unavailable and has not been released to Opposition members. We are due to start debating it in a little over an hour. If the Leader of the House could facilitate the availability of that legislation to the country, it would be quite helpful. Also, I ask whether he could give us an indication as to what report-back time will be required on that bill, so that Opposition members can begin to make adjustments to their adjournment programme for that.

Finally, we have had urgency three times in 3 weeks. I wonder whether the Leader of the House could indicate to us whether that will be a continued feature of sitting periods between now and—well, that is a bit unfair. Could he just say whether we should anticipate urgency in the next sitting period.

The member asked a large number of questions. [Interruption]

💬 Mr SPEAKER: This is a point of order.

I will give several answers in a row. Firstly, it is the Government’s intention to make progress on bills in the urgency motion that will be moved shortly after question time. The order of the day will then become abundantly clear to the member. The member will also be aware that when it comes to the lodging of bills, bills are not normally made available on the Table until they are introduced. At this point the emissions trading scheme bill has not been introduced. When the bill is introduced it will be on the Table.

The other point the member raised related to urgency.

💬 Hon Darren Hughes: And report back.

The report-back date will also be made very clear by the Minister for Climate Change Issues when he gives his first reading speech—[Interruption]

💬 Mr SPEAKER: This is a point of order.

—and that is quite appropriate. I comment, though, that the concern expressed by the Opposition is somewhat surprising given that the contents of this bill are rather well known and have been considered publicly to quite an extent.

In regard to future urgency, this Government has difficulty in getting its extensive work programme through in the 13 hours available to it each week under the normal legislative calendar. I think it would be fair for all members of this House to expect that as hard-working New Zealanders doing what we can to lift productivity in the economy, we might in this House end up doing a few extra hours in the—

💬 Hon Clayton Cosgrove: That’s why we finished early yesterday, then.

💬 Mr SPEAKER: This is a point of order.

You see how upset they get about this sort of thing, Mr Speaker. They asked the question; I am giving the answer.

I ask the Leader of the House, when speaking to a point of order, not to be provocative. It is impossible to ask the Opposition not to interject, if the Leader of the House is being provocative. Has he finished his response? Very well.