Points of Order — Select Committees—Official Business Signage in the Chamber—New Zealand Labour Party Select Committees—Official Business Signage in the Chamber—New Zealand Labour Party 
Points of Order — Select Committees—Official Business Signage in the Chamber—New Zealand Labour Party Select Committees—Official Business Signage in the Chamber—New Zealand Labour Party 
[Volume:641;Page:11029] 
Points of Order 
Select Committees—Official Business 
HONE HARAWIRA (Maori Party—Te Tai Tokerau) 
: 
 I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I seek the leave of the House to table a report of my trip to Alice Springs. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought. Is there any objection? Yes there is objection. 
GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam) 
: 
 I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I wonder whether the Justice and Electoral Committee members who travelled to Melbourne might be prepared to have their travel programme tabled in order that people might fully appreciate what a complete junket it was in the first place. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I thank the member but as he knows that is a matter for the select committee. 
RODNEY HIDE (Leader—ACT) 
: 
 I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I appreciate your ruling and the need for Mr Hone Harawira to refund half his travel expenditure. Given the nature of his trip I am sure he will be prepared to do that. But it raises a wider issue because the issue was first raised by New Zealand First. In actual fact the money that Mr Harawira might owe the taxpayer pales into insignificance when we compare it with the money that New Zealand First owes the taxpayer. So I do not see why Mr Harawira should have to pay his money back when New Zealand First gets away with it. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: As the member well knows that is not a valid point of order. If members have any other matters to raise in this respect would they please do it in the appropriate way—which is to contact me. 
GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam) 
: 
 I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I wonder given the strong ruling today which of course the House will accept why you cannot perhaps give us an indication of why New Zealand First has not been asked at this stage to pay up its contribution. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: As the member also knows that is not a valid point of order and that matter has been dealt with. 
Signage in the Chamber—New Zealand Labour Party 
GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam) 
: 
 I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I call your attention—as if you needed it—to the vast array of New Zealand Labour signage in the House this afternoon. Although it may be something that is necessary for that party to have as a disciplinary tool within its own party what are the arrangements for this sort of display? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I would appreciate it if the member would raise the matter at the Business Committee. I have noted that other parties have done a similar thing including the member’s own party and other parties who sit in other parts of the Chamber. 
GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam) 
: 
 I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I hope that the Business Committee will consider this from the point of view of the benefit that is perceived to be gained by the various members in putting up such a display. Also I wonder Madam Speaker whether it would now be appropriate for members when they rise to perhaps indicate where they got their suits their ties their shirts and even their shoes. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: As the member knows that is not a valid point of order. As I said there is an appropriate forum for such matters to be raised and that is in the Business Committee. 
Select Committees—Official Business 
Dr PITA SHARPLES (Co-Leader—Maori Party) 
: 
 I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. Tena koe. In relation to your ruling in respect of Hone Harawira has the same due diligence been applied to other members of the House on their trips when they were on formal business representing Parliament? From what I understand there have been all sorts of things including camel rides and rugby games on the various trips. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Certainly as they relate to select committee visits yes that same scrutiny has been applied for those trips that are under my jurisdiction. 
Signage in the Chamber—New Zealand Labour Party 
GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam) 
: 
 I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. You have made a request that the matter of the extraordinary display by the Labour Party—clearly by lost individuals uncertain of who they are—here in the House this afternoon should be brought up in the Business Committee. The Business Committee is an informal arrangement as I understand it to consider the business of the House—the legislative programme and the various other procedural matters that relate to the business of the House. This would be a matter that perhaps needs to be dealt with by the Standing Orders Committee which obviously does not meet all that often. In the meantime I think it would be appropriate if you gave some ruling as to whether these displays are appropriate. They are a bit like a peacock I suppose— 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I just note that the member is raising the same point of order upon which I have ruled. If he does that again it will be considered a matter of disorder. 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN (Leader of the House) 
: 
 I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I point out that the Maori Party has been doing this for some weeks—and very attractive it looks I may say on its members’ desks. I assume under the National Party that it will be one law for all—a law that applies to the Maori Party also applies to a party that covers the general electorates at the same time and that has fewer members of Parliament. I see National Party members at the back displaying National Party signs. I think that Mr Ron Mark and Mr Pita Paraone—New Zealand First—also have been displaying such signs for a considerable period. It appears to be only when the Labour Party does something that Mr Brownlee ventures into one of his rare exercises in energy and rises to his feet to raise a point of order. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I also raised the matter—that is I said I have seen similar displays from the National Party as well. So as I said all parties have from time to time exhibited a need to display their signage. It is a matter—[ 
Interruption 
] No I am sorry it is. This is a matter for the Business Committee. If the Business Committee feels it is a matter that should be referred to the Standing Orders Committee then so be it. I look forward to members’ contributions at that meeting later this afternoon. 
TARIANA TURIA (Co-Leader—Maori Party) 
: 
 I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I just point out to the House that the Maori Party signs were donated and did not have the parliamentary crest on them and that would imply that public money has been spent on the stickers. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I just note for members that that is yet another invalid point of order. I sincerely hope that it will be the last of them for the day.