Carter John: Prostitution Reform Bill — In Committee 
Carter John: Prostitution Reform Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:608;Page:5739] 
JOHN CARTER (Senior Whip—NZ National) 
: 
 A number of members may not have been advised of some of the discussion that took place in the Business Committee. I wonder whether members would bear with me so I can advise them of its thoughts on how the Committee on this bill might progress tonight. First the Business Committee was hopeful that we might get to the stage of starting to vote tonight in which case the Committee needs to understand that provided there is no closure motion we can pause at 9.55 p.m. and continue the voting on the next members’ day. So nobody needs to fear that we will be here until midnight if we commence the voting close to 10 p.m. That is the first point. 
The second point is that some discussion took place and the member in charge of the bill with the assistance of the Clerks and one or two members such as Stephen Franks has put around a schedule of the voting procedure. The Business Committee recommended that be done. That recommendation has been followed its purpose being to get some sequence in the voting; otherwise we would be putting the question on all the Supplementary Order Papers then going back and voting on the bill and that did not make any sense. So there is still an opportunity for members who are interested to comment on it if they want to between now and when we vote. I have had a glance through the sequence and it is common sense. It will follow an order and some groupings have been done. 
Finally there was a suggestion that part of the problem we are having with the debate given that we have 5-minute speaking slots is that after members have spoken for 5 minutes someone else takes the call and then a member who has previously spoken and who does not feel that he or she has made a big enough contribution wants to make a further call and seeks another 5 minutes. So progress is not being made and it was suggested that it might be useful if members were able to take more than one 5-minute call so they could make their contribution without feeling bound to get up and make another speech. It was suggested that that might also facilitate the progress of the bill. I indicated last time that even though it would be in 5-minute slots and members would have to call the Chair again to get the call—and of course it is in the hands of the Chair as to whether they do—it may well be to the advantage of the Committee to let members who are speaking add on to their 5 minutes so they do not have to repeat what they said previously because of getting on to a new Part. 
I therefore seek the leave of the Committee to give itself the authority that if a member on his or her feet seeks another 5-minute call at the end of his or her 5-minute speech then the Chair has the right to allow that member to have a further 5 minutes— 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: A second call? 
JOHN CARTER 
: A second call and if necessary a third. I do not think the Committee would want to go much beyond that quite honestly. I am seeking that at the discretion of the Chair a member can have one 5-minute call followed immediately by a second which would be a 10-minute contribution and then if the member felt it necessary and the Chair decided there could be a third call added on to that speaking slot. But the maximum time should be no more than 15 minutes. I seek leave for that to happen. 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Before the member seeks leave for that I wish to advise the Committee from the Chair that some members have already had three calls.