Urgent Debates Declined

Mr SPEAKER Link to this

I have received a letter from the Hon Darren Hughes seeking to debate under Standing Order 380 the Government’s appointment of the Hon John Carter, Associate Minister of Local Government, as chair of the Auckland Governance Legislation Committee. Standing Order 380 requires that the matter for debate be a particular case of recent occurrence involving the administrative or ministerial responsibility of the Government. The appointment of the chairperson of a select committee is a matter for the committee when it first meets. There can be no ministerial responsibility for such a decision. Furthermore, the committee has not yet met and elected its chairperson. The ministerial comments relate to actions that are likely to occur in the near future. There is therefore no particular case of recent occurrence that would be grounds for a debate. The application for an urgent debate is consequently declined.