Estimates Debate — In Committee

Members, the House is in committee for further consideration of the Appropriation (2024/25 Estimates) Bill. The Business Committee has determined to organise the debate by portfolio, so there will be no sector-specific debates. All votes are available for debate, but only specific Ministers will be available each day to speak to the indicated portfolio. The Government has indicated that the Minister for the Environment, the Minister for Social Development and Employment, the Minister of Transport, and the Minister for Māori Development will be available today. The Business Committee has also determined that any member may commence the debate on a portfolio despite Standing Order 348(3).

This debate expires after 11 hours, at which point questions will be put that the votes stand part of the schedules and on the provisions of the Appropriation (2024/25 Estimates) Bill. There are four hours and 26 minutes remaining in this debate. New Zealand National has one hour and 57 minutes. New Zealand Labour has one hour and three minutes. The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand has 29 minutes. ACT New Zealand has 15 minutes. New Zealand First has 28 minutes. Te Pāti Māori has 24 minutes. Darleen Tana has five minutes.

The Estimates debate should be relevant to the Government’s current spending plans, as contained in the Estimates of Appropriations. A compendium of the reports of select committees on the votes is available on the Table.

The question is, once again, that the votes contained in the Estimates of Appropriations for 2024/25 stand part of the schedules. Members, we start with the Minister for the Environment. The Minister is available to speak to that portfolio from 4 p.m. until 5 p.m.

Environment