Points of Order — Urgent Debates—Leave Sought

I seek leave for the House to hold an urgent debate on the resignation of Pauline Kingi from the position of chair of the independent inquiry into the appointment of Wally Haumaha as Deputy Commissioner of Police, in light of the fact that this was brought to the House’s attention just moments ago in question time. There was no time, of course, to mount an urgent debate in the normal way to you through correspondence.

Well, I think my understanding is the normal way of doing that is to get a letter to me. I have actually written such letters; I don’t think I’ve ever had one accepted during question time. But it is a matter of leave. I’m not going to make a habit of this because it will be disorderly, but in these circumstances I will put the question to the House. Is there any objection? There is objection.

While we’re on that matter, I want to make an apology to the House: I did not pick up the member’s spelling error in his question.