1. RODNEY HIDE (Leader—ACT) Link to this
to the Chairperson of the Commerce Committee
What is the committee’s timetable for consideration of the Regulatory Responsibility Bill?
GERRY BROWNLEE (Chairperson of the Commerce Committee) Link to this
This is a bill that has received a very large number of submissions—
Madam SPEAKERIt does not surprise me that the Government members over there want to make light of this question. It is an extremely important question and I know that the House wants to hear the answer. I know that an extraordinarily large number of New Zealanders have put in submissions on this bill and want to be heard by the select committee.
Hon David Cunliffe Link to this
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. Despite the banter from the other side of the House, it was quite clear to members over here who are eagerly awaiting the member’s response that, despite the very specific nature of the question, he did not even address it, let alone answer it.
Members should do Mr Brownlee the courtesy of allowing him to complete his answer. I will now rule. We will have the answer in silence. Would the member please address the question.
The committee will allocate plenty of time to consider this particular bill. The member asked what the timeline is. There are 190 submissions. A large number of those submitters have asked to be heard. Therefore, we will begin hearing those submissions tomorrow, immediately after we hear from the Ministry of Economic Development about its views on this particular bill. I say to the member that we had hoped that Treasury might also be able to give us its opinions on this bill, but unfortunately Treasury is too busy to deal with members’ bills; it is caught up entirely with Government bills at this stage.
I wonder whether the member could share with the House who will be giving submissions to the committee tomorrow morning at 10 o’clock?
Tomorrow morning the committee will hear firstly from officials from the ministry. Clearly, the Government is very interested in doing more with this bill, as indicated by the Minister in the House today. Tomorrow morning we will hear from the Law Commission. The Rt Hon Geoffrey Palmer will be giving a submission on this bill, although I understand that he will not be giving a submission on another bill on which he has been asked to submit. Further, we have a submission from the New Zealand Chambers of Commerce, from Mr Charles Finney. The member will be familiar with that gentleman, I am sure. The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions has not said who is coming, but one of its representatives is coming. Business New Zealand will also be heard. Further, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of New Zealand will be heard. All of these submissions are very substantial and they give a lead as to where the bill should go. The member should be extremely proud that he is now doing the Government’s business—the business that the Prime Minister said she wanted to get done as far back as 2001.