GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam) Link to this
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. This question is set down to the Minister for Immigration. That Minister was in the House until just moments ago. It appears that he has had to scurry off somewhere, and therefore is not available to answer this question in the House. Although I am sure you will refer us to Standing Orders and Speakers’ rulings that make it clear that a Government can have whomever it likes answer a question, in the circumstance where the Minister himself has a number of things that he should answer, it does lead to the suggestion that such a practice may well be trifling with the House.