Business Statement

The legislation that the House will consider next week will include the second readings of the Secondary Legislation Bill, the Regulatory Systems (Transport) Amendment Bill, the Financial Market Infrastructures Bill, and the Fair Trading Amendment Bill; the committee stage of the Food (Continuation of Dietary Supplements Regulations) Amendment Bill; and the remaining stages of the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill. Five National Party members will make their maiden statements. Wednesday, 17 February will be the first members’ day of 2021, and will feature the first general debate of the 53rd Parliament.

Thank you to the Deputy Leader of the House for that update. Can I ask him whether or not the Government has any intention of introducing bills under urgency for first reading that have not lain on the Order Paper for three days, and referring them to a committee for a very shortened report-back time in the upcoming sitting period.

I note that we’re not considering those things, and that in respect of the report-back period, it’s considerably more—in fact, five days more than when that party took away voting rights in local government in Canterbury.