Points of Order — Business Committee Decisions—Right to Debate Motions

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Looking at the business of the day, at the Government orders of the day today, there are notices Nos 1 and 2, which refer to a motion without debate. The Business Committee has got one role in this Parliament, and that is to facilitate the business of Parliament. But when it proscribes debate and shuts down debate or a contest of ideas on the question of democracy and representation, that is entirely something else. We made it very clear at the Business Committee that we would not accept that, and we do not accept that motions Nos 1 and 2 should appear on the Order Paper with the prior notice that we would not be allowed to debate whether two electorates, for example, have representation in this Parliament remain until election day. We think that is wrong, and we want the right to debate it.

Mr Speaker, as you know, the Business Committee considered this twice in detail, and I would suggest that the question of whether or not there be a by-election is one that is the subject of the vote itself, not necessarily the debate on the motion. In particular, the Business Committee deals with matters on a principle of near-unanimity. When more than 90 percent of the represented members are in agreement on something, I would suggest that is near-unanimity, and if it is not, then we get into the situation where we have an effective veto such as, say, the UN Security Council, and I am sure we do not want to get to that point.

I appreciate the comments from the Minister and from Mr Peters. I refer members to Standing Order 79, “Business of the House”. It is the Business Committee’s role to determine the way this House operates. It made a decision on, from memory, 14 March, and it was done at the time that we set the time for valedictory speeches by two departing members of Parliament. It determined at that stage there would be no debate. It was further discussed at the Business Committee yesterday, and, by near-unanimity, the decision was made that those two motions would be put today without further debate. That is the resolution of the Business Committee.