Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN (Leader of the House) Link to this
Next week in the House priority will be given to the remaining stages of the Judicial Retirement Age Bill, the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Amendment Bill, the Customs and Excise Amendment Bill (No 2), and the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Bill. The first readings of the Te Roroa Claims Settlement Bill and the Statutes Amendment Bill will be held on Thursday. The Committee stage of the Appropriation (2005/06 Financial Review) Bill, which is a 4-hour debate, will be held on Wednesday afternoon.
GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam) Link to this
I thank the Leader of the House for that indication of next week’s programme. But I note that the Order Paper at the moment is extremely thin, and that most of the bills on it are very non-controversial—bills on which the Government will find it relatively easy to have a majority. I wonder whether the Leader of the House might indicate, under these new circumstances where the Government is able to hold office but not particularly to govern, whether we can expect a revision to the year’s sitting programme in order that the Government will not be embarrassed by its very light work programme.
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN (Leader of the House) Link to this
I note that in the last 6 months the minimum majority on a third reading was eight, that the Government’s majority on confidence and supply is secure, and that the Government is, therefore, extremely capable of governing. I look forward to continued rational treatment of the House’s programme for the remainder of the year, and I can promise the member that there will certainly be some exciting measures that will no doubt work the National Party up into a frenzy of temporary anger, before it later supports them.