Urgent Debates Declined — Hon Clare Curran—Ministerial Resignation

I have received a letter from the Hon Simon Bridges seeking to debate, under Standing Order 389, the resignation of the Hon Clare Curran as Minister. This is a case of recent occurrence and it does involve ministerial responsibility. Last week, the House debated Ms Curran’s removal from Cabinet. I allowed that debate because a Minister had been removed from Cabinet for conduct involving questions from this House, and because of the public interest in ministerial probity. Ms Curran announced her resignation on Friday. Given that the substantive issues have recently been debated, I’m not convinced of the need to set aside the business of the House to debate this matter again today. It could be raised again in the general debate tomorrow, and I do not think that waiting an additional day to address it is likely to diminish the nature of the debate. Therefore, the application is declined.

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Do we take it from your ruling that, in fact, the resignation of a Minister is of less interest to the House, and consequently the public, than the simple reassignment of a Minister by the Prime Minister?

No, I think all one takes into account is that the issues had been debated in the House, and between Tuesday and when I received the letter, there was not enough that occurred for a further debate.