Urgency

I move, That urgency be accorded the introduction and first reading of the Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Bill and its referral to a select committee; the introduction and first reading of the Social Housing Reform (Housing Restructuring and Tenancy Matters Amendment) Bill and its referral to a select committee; the introduction and passing of the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Amendment Bill (No 2); the introduction and passing of the Crown Minerals Amendment Act 2013 Amendment Bill; and the introduction and passing of the Customs and Excise (Budget Measures—Motor Spirits) Amendment Bill.

This suite of bills is all part of the Government’s Budget as announced today. They each have a particular part in delivering on that Budget. The two housing bills are related particularly to areas where there is a great deal of shortage and, in particular, to the Auckland market, where the Minister of Housing has done a great deal of work with the Auckland Council to get some speed into the way in which some of the housing issues up there might be resolved.

The New Zealand Public Health and Disability Amendment Bill (No 2) clarifies the Government’s position on paying families who look after disabled adult children. There is $92 million set aside in this year’s Budget for that, and this bill will give effect to that expenditure.

We also intend to pass the Crown Minerals Amendment Act 2013 Amendment Bill through all stages. This is an amendment to the Crown Minerals Amendment Act. This bill makes necessary corrections to the amendment Act, before it commences on 24 May. It would therefore be appropriate that it go through all stages in this session of urgency. New Zealand, of course, does increasingly benefit from its petroleum and mineral resources.

Finally, the Customs and Excise (Budget Measures—Motor Spirits) Amendment Bill increases the petrol tax by 3c a litre for each of the next 3 years. These increases come into effect on 1 July, so it is important that we pass this small and technical bill through all stages this evening.

The bills to be considered under urgency are normally laid on the Table at the start of the urgency session. That will occur today, once the vote is taken, but I do want to make it clear that copies, or advance drafts, of those bills have been provided to all parties, so they have had some time, albeit short, to consider their positions.

💬 Phil Twyford: About 10 minutes.

Well, no. Actually, it was really almost 3 hours. We know that 3 hours is a long time in politics.