1. JOHN BOSCAWEN (ACT) Link to this
to the Chairperson of the Commerce Committee
What progress has been made on the committee’s consideration of the Report from the Controller and Auditor-General on Electricity Commission: Review of the first five years?
Hon LIANNE DALZIEL (Chairperson of the Commerce Committee) Link to this
The Commerce Committee met on 6 August 2009 to consider this report and it agreed unanimously at that meeting to conclude its consideration of the report without report to the House. Standing Order 387(2) requires committees only to consider reports from Officers of Parliament; they do not have to report their findings to the House.
Can the chair confirm that the committee has received a letter from me regarding the recent increases in the price of electricity; and what options does the committee have?
Mr SPEAKERI do not believe that this question relates to a matter before the committee, and therefore I do not see how the chair of the committee can answer. If the chair indicates that I am wrong, I am very happy to sit down, but I believe that the chair of the committee can answer questions related only to matters before the committee. Whether someone has written a letter to the committee is not a matter before the committee. I stand to be corrected if the chair of the committee thinks that I am wrong.
Hon LIANNE DALZIEL Link to this
I am not sure that you are wrong. However, I wonder whether it would be in order for me to respond to the question, but not by referring to whether the letter has been received. Although it is not out of order for the member to say he has written a letter, it may be out of order for me to say that it has been received. Perhaps it would be of assistance for me simply to say what the options would be if such a letter had been received. I do not think that would be—
That may be helpful to the House. [ Interruption] I think we should stick with the proper procedures of the House. Members cannot ask questions about matters that are not before the committee. I regret that the supplementary question cannot be answered.
Hon Darren Hughes Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I think it might be useful to sort this matter out for future questions. I think the chair is saying that a letter has been received and it will be on the agenda for the next meeting of the Commerce Committee. [ Interruption] It is before the committee at the present time.
This is a matter of some interest. I am looking at Speaker’s ruling 149/2: “A question to a chairperson of a select committee can only be for information on a matter for which the committee has charge—that is, on a matter referred from the House or that the committee has resolved to inquire into.” On this occasion the matter has certainly not been referred from the House, and I do not believe that the committee has resolved to inquire into it. That is why such a question cannot be asked of the chair of a committee.