1. CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (National) Link to this
to the Chairperson of the Justice and Electoral Committee
How many submissions has the Justice and Electoral Committee received on the Electoral Finance Bill and how many of those submitters gave oral evidence to the Justice and Electoral Committee?
LYNNE PILLAY (Chairperson of the Justice and Electoral Committee) Link to this
The Justice and Electoral Committee received 575 submissions on the Electoral Finance Bill, and heard from 100 submitters on the bill.
Christopher Finlayson Link to this
Does the chairperson agree with her colleague the Hon Steve Maharey, who said: “I am looking forward, of course, to the Human Rights Commission getting a chance to talk through its submission with the select committee.”; if so, why did she ensure that the members of the Human Rights Commission were not able to present oral evidence to the committee, where no doubt they would have voiced their strong opposition to the bill?
Madam SPEAKERNo. The member has responsibility for the second part but not the first. Would the chair like to address that?
What the member said was simply not true. The member, as the deputy chair of the committee, should be aware that the scheduling of submissions was discussed by the committee, and that discussions relating to particular submitters are committee proceedings that are confidential to the committee.
Rt Hon Winston Peters Link to this
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I was somewhat alarmed to note that Mr Ryall got to his feet to say something but you sat him down. I want to know what it was, because he has been told not to say a thing unless he checks with Murray McCully, his new minder.