Source: New Zealand Parliament – Hansard
THURSDAY, 18 JUNE 2020
The Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.
Prayers.
BUSINESS STATEMENT
Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the House): On Tuesday, 23 June, the House will consider the second readings of the Racing Industry Bill and the Public Finance (Wellbeing) Amendment Bill, and the remaining stages of the Appropriation (2019/20 Supplementary Estimates) Bill. As notified to the Business Committee, after the general debate on Wednesday, 24 June, urgency will be moved and the House will sit through to Friday evening. This will make up some of the time lost while the country was at COVID alert levels 3 and 4. Legislation that will progress during that time will include the Education and Training Bill, the Electoral (Registration of Sentenced Prisoners) Amendment Bill, the Forests (Regulation of Log Traders and Forestry Advisers) Amendment Bill, the Greater Christchurch Regeneration Amendment Bill, the New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran’s Pension Legislation Amendment Bill, the Public Finance (Wellbeing) Amendment Bill, the Public Service Legislation Bill, the Racing Industry Bill, the Resource Management Amendment Bill, and the Taumata Arowai—the Water Services Regulator Bill.
Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National): I thank the Leader of the House for that update, and given the very long list of bills the Government intends to progress in urgency, can he just clarify that the House will lift on Friday regardless of the progress that has been made, or is there a scenario that sees the House sitting into Saturday.
Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the House): Of course, if the Opposition choose to filibuster and business takes longer than anticipated, that’s—[Interruption]
SPEAKER: Order! This is by way of points of order.
Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: That is a matter that the Government will take into consideration when deciding whether or not the House will continue to sit beyond midnight on Friday.
Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National): Thank you. Could the Leader of the House give a more accurate description of his definition of filibuster?
Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the House): Well, if legislation takes an unnecessarily long time.
