Business Statement

When the House resumes on Tuesday, 6 March, the Government will progress a number of bills on the Order Paper, including the Committee stage of the Search and Surveillance Bill, the Building Amendment Bill (No 3), the Customs and Excise (Joint Border Management Information Sharing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill, and, time permitting, the Crown Pastoral Land (Rent for Pastoral Leases) Amendment Bill. By agreement of the Business Committee, the House will take extended sitting hours on Thursday, 8 March. This is to progress the Committee stages of the Ngāti Manawa and Ngāti Whare Claims Settlement Bill, the Nga Wai o Maniapoto (Waipa River) Bill, the Ngāti Pāhauwera Treaty Claims Settlement Bill, and the Ngati Porou Claims Settlement Bill, and the first readings of the Rongowhakaata Claims Settlement Bill, the Ngati Whatua Orakei Claims Settlement Bill, the Ngati Manuhiri Claims Settlement Bill, the Maraeroa A and B Blocks Claims Settlement Bill, and the Maraeroa A and B Blocks Incorporation Bill.

I am sorry but I missed the very first part of the Minister’s comments. But I am not going to ask him to read the whole thing again! The question I have got, though, is I am seeking an assurance that the Search and Surveillance Bill will not proceed to its Committee stage until we have had the Supplementary Order Paper for at least 48 hours. I think there is general agreement across the House that it would be good if we could have at least a bipartisan approach on this matter, rather than have legislation that only just goes through. Because I know that there is still a bit of a gap between the views of the major parties, I would like an assurance that we will have at least 48 hours to look at it before the bill does come back in.

One of the new requirements under the Standing Orders that apply to this Parliament and beyond is that the Government does indicate ahead of time bills that possibly could come up for their Committee stage. I am sure that any undertakings that have been made, any understandings that relate to any of these bills, will be honoured.