Urgency

I move, That urgency be accorded the remaining stages of the Water Services Legislation Bill; the Crown Minerals Amendment Bill; the Water Services Economic Efficiency and Consumer Protection Bill; the Taxation Principles Reporting Bill; the Land Transport Management (Regulation of Public Transport) Amendment Bill; the Local Government Electoral Legislation Bill; the Fuel Industry (Improving Fuel Resilience) Amendment Bill; the Resale Right for Visual Artists Bill; the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Community Participation) Amendment Bill; the Legal Services Amendment Bill; and the Land Transport (Road Safety) Amendment Bill.

The House is now in the final sitting block before the election. This motion follows the longestablished practice of giving the House extra time in this period in which to complete its programme. When we rise on 31 August, we will not sit again for two to three months with the summer break, then close.

The emergency motion now before the House includes a range of legislation that is important to pass in order to complete the work of the very busy 53rd Parliament in the limited time remaining. The two bills that will complete the reform of water services are prime examples. They are the work of this Parliament, particularly the Finance and Expenditure Committee, the members of which spent hundreds of hours listening to submissions. It is right that the current Parliament should see its work through to a conclusion, and that the decades of waiting for action over our deteriorating water infrastructure can come to an end.

A common feature of many of the bills in this motion is that they bring about significant change in their sector and a delay in their passing would mean that preparations for their implementation would be frustrated by those awaiting the changes. The Land Transport Management (Regulation of Public Transport) Amendment Bill is a good example of this. The passing of the Local Government Electoral Legislation Bill will give more time for changes that result from it to be put in place before the next local government elections. The passing of the Resale Right for Visual Artists Bill meets New Zealand’s obligations under the Free Trade Agreement with the United Kingdom, expertly negotiated by my colleague Damien O’Connor. It is important to enact this bill as soon as possible in the interests of getting the very best out of this key agreement for New Zealand.

Earlier today, the Government requested that the Business Committee agree to hold oral questions at 2 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, as is normal. I thank the House for its consideration of the motion.