Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months’ Paid Leave) Amendment Bill

Tēnā koe, Mr Speaker. Kia ora tātou. Mō taku hē, mō taku hē. I seek leave for the votes of the Māori Party on the second reading of the Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months’ Paid Leave) Amendment Bill to be changed to 3 votes for the Ayes; the result of the vote to be adjusted to Ayes 61, Noes 60; and for the bill to be read a second time, reinstated on the Order Paper, and set down for its Committee stage next sitting day.

Is there any objection to that course of action? There is none. The result of the vote will be changed accordingly. The Ayes are 61, the Noes are 60. The Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months’ Paid Leave) Amendment Bill will be read a second time.

Bill read a second time.

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. It is a simple matter. I think what we have seen here is a resolution of what was a difficult situation in some interesting circumstances. But it does seem that if it stands as a leave item, then it is a precedent that is new to the House. If you went back some time, when members cast their votes individually, if someone miscast a vote, that was it. It was all over—if they had made a mistake, gone to the wrong lobby, whatever. We have a different system now, and one that does allow for proxy votes to be cast. I wonder whether the circumstances of this might be a matter for brief discussion by the Business Committee, with perhaps reference then to the Standing Orders so that there can be a clearer process for when these circumstances occur, albeit none of us in this House would want them to occur with any degree of frequency.

I am happy for there to be a discussion at the Business Committee on this matter, but I want to note that the House has always been in control of its own destiny. It can seek leave to do what it wishes to do. I am informed by members who have been here significantly longer than I have that there have been occasions in the past, before party voting, when members accidentally voted on both sides, and leave was granted to correct that. But I am happy to have the discussion.

I appreciate both comments made by members. There is a frequency about which we seek leave to change or correct votes when they have been perhaps miscounted or delivered inadvertently by a party in the wrong way. Where this incident is significantly different is the ramification of this change in votes, so I would also appreciate the opportunity to have a discussion at the Business Committee. I will set it down as an item for discussion the next time the Business Committee meets.