Business Statement

Next week, legislation to be considered by the House will include the first reading of the Counter-Terrorism Acts (Designations and Control Orders) Amendment Bill, the second readings of the Te Rohe o Rongokako Joint Redress Bill and the United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement Legislation Bill, the remaining stages of the Fair Pay Agreements Bill, and the third readings of the Fisheries Amendment Bill and the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (Hazardous Substances Assessments) Amendment Bill. There will be an extended sitting on the morning of Wednesday, 26 October. On Tuesday, Soraya Peke-Mason will be sworn in as a member of Parliament, and for the first time, the majority of serving MPs in the House of Representatives will be women.

I thank the Leader of the House for that update. I notice from looking at the Order Paper that Government orders of the day is reducing rapidly, now down to 18, and the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill is making its way—by dint of bills being taken off—further up the Order Paper. Might we get it up to No. 1, 2, 3, or 4 this side of Christmas?

Of course, yesterday the member was proclaiming how the long Opposition were intending to take over progressing the other legislation that is a matter of priority for the Government. If he continues to facilitate the expeditious progress of the Government’s legislative programme, he might just get lucky.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Welcome back to the Leader of the House. The last time we traversed this, he said that there was some quite good news coming up on the Organic Products Bill, but it has been some time since he said that. I just wonder, do we have an update on what is now No. 15 on the Order Paper? It’s going in the opposite direction to some of the other legislation. Last time it was No. 8 on the Order Paper.

The member can live in hope, but I don’t have a particular update on that for him today.