Davidson Marama; Peters Winston; Brownlee Gerry; Turei Metiria; Clendon DavidPOINTS OF ORDERLeave to Move Motion Without Notice—Australia RefugeesMARAMA DAVIDSON (Green): I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I seek leave to move a motion without notice or debate—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Can I just interrupt the member for a minute. Has the member done as the Business Committee agreed and tested this with the other parties and got agreement before we proceed with the putting of that motion? MARAMA DAVIDSON: Yes we did yesterday. Mr SPEAKER: OK then on that basis I will certainly put the leave. Can I just hear briefly—[Interruption] Order! If the member could briefly describe the motion she is seeking I will see whether there is any objection.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First): I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. [Interruption] Mr SPEAKER: Order! I now have an additional point of order from the Rt Hon Winston Peters. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: There seems to be some doubt as to whether what you are being told is in fact the state of affairs. I would like some clarity on that because it is New Zealand First's view that we did not agree to that. Mr SPEAKER: Let me see if I can assist. To give these motions the respect that they deserve—and the Business Committee has discussed it on numerous occasions—it has been agreed at the Business Committee that any member wishing to move a motion will take the opportunity of assuring that it has the support of other parties. I asked the member whether that has been done and the member assured me that it has been done. Even if there was not support from all parties the member still has the right to move the motion—that is something that is available to all members—but if support has not been given by all parties it will not surprise me if leave is then denied and what we then see is a situation where I do not think motions are given the respect they deserve in this Parliament. So the member has given me assurance that she has taken the motion around to the other parties and that they have agreed to it. We will now have a brief description of it. I must take the member at her word. We will now have a brief description and if there is no objection we will proceed. Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Leader of the House): I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I appreciate very much your ruling. It is exactly as it should be and all members of the House would accept that. One of the reasons—I think it is worth getting it on the Hansard record—for the Business Committee asking parties to adopt the process that you outlined is that when a member stands up and reads a motion that other parties may not agree with all they can do is object to it. Therefore they leave themselves without any explanation for that objection when in many cases—and indeed it will be the case today—there is good reason for that objection. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First): Just to clarify the matter it is our position that we did not signify agreement. METIRIA TUREI (Co-Leader—Green): This is just a question of clarification as to the Business Committee view. Is it the Business Committee's view that a motion should—it still can but it should be put to the House only if it has the guaranteed support of the whole House or as I understood it if the motion has been discussed with members and there is some support across the parties but not necessarily full support? Mr SPEAKER: The decision of the Business Committee was quite clear that if members intended to put a motion they would take it to all parties and make sure they agreed to it so that we would not be in an embarrassing situation of putting leave and then someone having to object. However the rules still allow the member to put the motion if she wants to. I am now in a situation where she has assured me she has got agreement. We have had one party that says she has not got agreement. I cannot clarify that any further. The way forward—if the member wishes to move the motion I will allow her now to give a brief description of the motion she seeks to move. I will then put it to the House as to whether there is any objection to that course of action and we will move from there if there is no objection for the member to then read the full text of her motion. DAVID CLENDON (Green): I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My apologies. I believe Marama Davidson was responding to your question—has permission or approval been sought from other parties. That is the question to which she answered yes not whether it had been approved by all parties. Mr SPEAKER: I appreciate that point and I think that may well be the confusion. I will allow the member now if she still wishes to proceed to very briefly describe her motion. I will seek leave from the House. MARAMA DAVIDSON (Green): Thank you Mr Speaker. I seek leave to move a motion without notice or debate that has the support of the cross-parliamentary Parliamentary Human Rights Network calling on the Government of Australia to withdraw legislation banning refugees who arrive by sea from entering Australia. Mr SPEAKER: Right. Is there any objection to that course of action being followed? There is objection.