Business Statement

Can I just offer my congratulations to both gentlemen, who have assumed their roles this week. It is a new era of Clerks’ advice to the House. When the House resumes on 28 July, the Government will look to continue the Committee stage of the Appropriation (2015/16 Estimates) Bill and make progress with the New Zealand Flag Referendums Bill.

Can I also offer the congratulations of the Opposition to both the new Clerk and the new Deputy Clerk. Can I ask the Leader of the House whether it is his expectation that the estimates debate will be completed during the course of next week, or does he intend for that to be interrupted by other Government business?

You never quite know how these things are going to play out. The Government is a very busy Government. It has got a lot of legislation that it wishes to get through. If there could be some accommodation reached with the Opposition, then that would be quite wonderful. The appropriation debate is a set-piece debate that runs for some 11 hours. The House, as people will be aware, sits for only 13½ hours next week, so it is most likely that it will be disrupted.