Points of Order — Prisons, Private Management—Tabling of Contract

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Under section 199I of the Corrections Act 2004, within 12 days after a prison management contract is entered into the Minister must present a copy of that contract to the House. According to news reports, Serco Group plc advised the London Stock Exchange 12 sitting days ago of its entry into such an arrangement with the New Zealand Department of Corrections. I wondered whether I might ask the Minister of Corrections, through you, Mr Speaker, about her intentions to table the arrangement with the consortium of which Serco is a member, given the statutory requirement that I have cited.

I am prepared to invite the Minister to indicate a response to that if that is possible.

My understanding is that the Department of Corrections has been working with the Clerk on the presentation of that, and I understand that it is imminent.

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. May I ask the Minister, again through you, whether “imminent” implies that the contract will be presented, as the law requires, by the end of the sitting day? [Interruption]

Order! The thing is that what Charles Chauvel is referring to is what the law actually requires, and it involves this House in that the contract is meant to be presented as a non-parliamentary paper. That is why, I believe, it is relevant to the House. I believe that the member is raising a relevant issue. If the Minister does not have that information, I would ask her to look into the matter as soon as possible, because it is required by the Corrections Act. That is, I think, as far as the matter can be taken right now.