Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) - New Zealand Parliament

3680 Local Government (Auckland Reorganisation) Bill 16 May 2009
only point back to the previous administration, which lacked the courage and ability to
take New Zealand forward. The Government today is endeavouring to address and work
through what will be the most efficient and practical solution for the candidates, the
citizens, and the arrangements that have existed in a dislocated fashion throughout
Auckland’s recent history. Whether it is Māori, Pasifika, or other ethnic groups that
need to be considered, let us move forward today. It is a goal to have one people and
one nation.
Hon DARREN HUGHES (Senior Whip—Labour): I move, That the question be
now put.
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Leader of the House): I raise a point of order, Mr
Chairperson. All morning, all afternoon—
Hon Annette King: That’s not a point of order.
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: —I am allowed, I am making my point—all last night,
all day yesterday, and right from the start of this debate, Labour members have said
“We want to debate this bill fully.” This afternoon, shortly after David Parker spoke,
those Labour members have been trying to shut down debate on what they are
describing as the most important bill for Auckland. My point is this—
Hon Members: What’s the point of order?
The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Rick Barker): I think the interjections are fair, in that
the member should come to his point of order. There is a question before the
Committee, which is that the question be now put. It is a relatively straightforward
question. I am more than happy to hear the member’s point of order, providing it is
about the question being now put.
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: My apologies. It is actually a point of irony.
HONE HARAWIRA (Māori Party—Te Tai Tokerau): I raise a point of order, Mr
Chairperson. On a proposal about whether Māori, Pacific Island, and Asian seats will be
put forward on to this council, why is Labour denying its own Pacific and Asian
speakers the opportunity to speak on this amendment? Or is it trying to bury this
proposal in order to try to dig its Māori MPs out of a hole for sacrificing the Māori seats
and downgrading the status of Māori to that of other ethnic groups in Auckland? It is
absolutely unacceptable.
The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Rick Barker): Members, we are in a very interesting
position here. We have had three closure motions put forward by National members that
the question be now put. We are in the remarkable position of having the Opposition
move that the question be now put. It is a procedural motion—
Hon Gerry Brownlee: I’d like to speak—
The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Rick Barker): I do not think there is anything to speak
about. The member may raise a point of order about the order of this matter, but not on
the substance of it.
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Leader of the House): I raise a point of order, Mr
Chairperson. We had two senior members of Labour giving impassioned speeches this
afternoon and asking for more time to be taken on this matter. We have not moved a
closure motion since those speeches. I think you need to consider whether the
generosity of the Government in allowing Labour the time it wants for this debate is
going to be abused. Or do we have confirmation that the entire attack from Labour is
trivial? On the one hand those members asked for extra time and got it, but now they
have decided they want to shut things down.
Hon DARREN HUGHES (Senior Whip—Labour): The proposition put to you by
the Leader of the House is not correct. Since we have returned from lunch, Mr
Macindoe sought a closure motion, and Mr King got two-thirds through a closure