Introduction of Bills

I understand it is the intention of the Government to introduce two bills.

Crown Minerals Amendment Bill, introduction

Local Government Official Information and Meetings Amendment Bill, introduction.

Those bills are set down for first reading. I declare the House in committee for further consideration of the Water Services—

💬 Hon Gerry Brownlee: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Just a clarification: so the urgency motion yesterday—there was a Crown minerals bill in that motion. Is this a different bill?

💬 Hon Chris Hipkins: No, it’s the bill that was in the motion.

💬 Hon Gerry Brownlee: Well, if it’s introduced under urgency, what have we now got—why is it now being introduced? Is it not on the Table at the present time?

The Government can introduce a bill at any time.

💬 Hon Gerry Brownlee: The point is, Mr Speaker, with all due respect—

Is it a new point of order?

💬 Hon Gerry Brownlee: Well, it’s the same point because the urgency motion is, effectively, an introduction of the bill, so we’re, effectively, doing that twice.

💬 Hon Chris Hipkins: Speaking to the point of order, Mr Speaker. When the member, the Hon Gerry Brownlee, was the Leader of the House, it was usual for the Government to pass an urgency motion that would have the words “and other bills to be introduced by the Government”. The Standing Orders were changed, some Parliaments back, to require that the Government be more specific in terms of which bills would be considered under urgency. There is not a requirement for those bills to have been introduced at the time that motion is moved; so the motion moved yesterday included some bills that had yet to be introduced, two of which have now been.

It’s Standing Order 292 for members. I declare the House in committee for further consideration of the Water Services Entities Bill.