Business Statement

Legislation to be considered next week will include the first reading of the Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-ā-Rua Claims Settlement Bill; the second readings of the Plant Variety Rights Bill and the Animal Welfare Amendment Bill; and the remaining stages of the Crown Pastoral Land Reform Bill, the Retail Payment System Bill, and the Maritime Powers Bill. On the morning of Thursday, 12 May, there will be an extended sitting for special debates on the exposure draft of the Natural and Built Environments Bill and New Zealand’s first emissions budget under the Climate Change Response Act 2002, and further Government bills to be discussed through the Business Committee.

I thank the Leader of the House for the update. I was wondering, in light of the fact that the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act is coming to the time at which it needs to be either extended or amended, if the Leader of the House could give the House an indication as to what the Government’s intention is with relation to the Act.

As I’ve indicated to the member last time he asked this in the House, I do think a further extension of the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act is going to be required, because, at the moment, many of the aspects of the COVID response are still based on that legislation. The legislation does have a sunset provision within it, so it will ultimately expire, but, at the moment, it is still being used. So it is the Government’s current intention to bring a further motion to the House to extend the Act.

I just wonder what progress the member would be able to talk about with regard to the Organic Products Bill, since we talk about that each week.

Heaps!