Appointments — Assistant Speakers

I move, That Jennifer Salesa be appointed Assistant Speaker.

Jenny Salesa is the member of Parliament for the new seat of Panmure-Ōtāhuhu, having previously been member for Manukau East since 2014. She’s served as a Minister in the last Government as Minister for Building and Construction, Minister for Ethnic Communities, and Minister of Customs, as well as being an Associate Minister of Education, Associate Minister of Health, and Associate Minister for Housing and Urban Development. She brings many perspectives to this role. I’m sure her cheerful manner and her commitment to the people of her electorate will make her a popular choice amongst members of the House. She will, I’m sure, be diligent, liked, and respected in the role of presiding officer.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. National is pleased to support the nomination of Jenny Salesa to this august position. As well as what the Leader of the House has noted, as someone who has been a former Minister but also a member of a variety of select committees in her time in Parliament since 2014, Jenny Salesa will bring a range of different experiences to the role from her time as a member of select committees, as a Minister, and, of course, as an electorate MP, and as the new electorate MP for Panmure-Ōtāhuhu. Thank you.

Motion agreed to.

I move, That Jacqueline Isobel Dean be appointed Assistant Speaker.

Jacqui Dean is one of the most experienced members of the House, having been an MP since 2005, first for the Otago electorate and, since 2008, for the renamed Waitaki electorate—one of the biggest electorates in the country. She was previously a councillor and has been Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and Minister for Small Business in the Government of the Rt Hon Bill English. A diligent member of select committees, she’s demonstrated a willingness to work on issues on a cross-party basis. Some may argue that her experience in broadcasting would set her up very well for the role that she is about to undertake, and I commend and warmly support her choice by the National Party for the role of presiding officer. I believe it completes a very strong team.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. National is equally very keen to support Jacqui Dean as another Assistant Speaker to complete the quartet that the Leader of the House has outlined along with you, sir, Mr Speaker. As the Leader of the House has noted, Ms Dean is a very experienced parliamentarian. In fact, reading back through her biography, it’s quite an astonishing list of select committees that she has had the privilege of serving on, everything from the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee; the Education and Science Committee; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade; Government Administration; Health; Justice and Electoral; Law and Order; Local Government; Environment—in fact, I think there’d be very few select committees in the Parliament that Jacqui Dean has not served on. And, along with being a very diligent member, as the Leader of the House notes, on select committee—something that I can attest to from having served on a committee with her—she’s also been a Minister of a variety of portfolios in the last Government. She brings to the Chair, brings to the presiding officer role, dignity and grace and mana, and we’re pleased to support her.

Motion agreed to.