Points of Order — Emissions Trading Scheme—Availability of Amending Legislation Tabling of Document—Description  
Points of Order — Emissions Trading Scheme—Availability of Amending Legislation Tabling of Document—Description  
[Volume:657;Page:6779] 
Wednesday 23 September 2009 
Mr Speaker 
 took the Chair at 2 p.m. 
Prayers 
. 
Points of Order 
Emissions Trading Scheme—Availability of Amending Legislation 
Hon DARREN HUGHES (Senior Whip—Labour) 
: 
 I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The arrangements for the House for the rest of the week are slightly peculiar as you will be aware. Yesterday at this same point I asked the Leader of the House about the availability of the emissions trading scheme amendment bill because the House will go into urgency tomorrow to consider it. It has had no public scrutiny and there has been no chance for members of the House to look at it and no chance for the media to review it. The Minister continues to say the bill will be made available yet here we are right before we are to go into consideration of it and it is still not available at this time. 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Leader of the House) 
: 
 It is not usual for someone to be invited to respond to a point of order that is actually not a point of order. I inform all members of the House that the Hon Dr Nick Smith will be conducting a briefing for all parties in his office this evening at 7.30—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: A point of order is actually being heard. 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: —and the bill will be made available. I think that is well adequate time for the Opposition parties to consider the aspects of this bill. 
Tabling of Document—Description  
CHARLES CHAUVEL (Labour) 
: 
 I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Yesterday the Minister for Climate Change Issues sought and was granted leave to table a document in the House which he described as a document from Treasury analysing the costs and benefits of the emissions trading scheme. I wonder whether you would like to ask the Minister whether he would like to correct the description of the document that he tabled. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No. A member cannot litigate that kind of thing by way of a point of order. That is nothing to do with the order of the House right now. The document is now on the Table and members can make their own conclusions about that document. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister for Climate Change Issues) 
: 
 I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. For the member’s benefit I note that the numbers were prepared by Treasury and the piece of paper was produced by the Ministry for the Environment. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I do not believe that we need to take this matter further. As I understand the situation leave was sought to table a certain document. On the face of it the document that was tabled appeared to be consistent with that leave. In terms of the detail of it I cannot be the judge of that. The important thing is that it appeared to be consistent with the leave that was granted. I do not think the House should take further time on it now. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Labour—Hutt South) 
: 
 I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I have heard what you have just said. Leave was sought to table a complete document not a page from a document. It is very clear from what was tabled that the document is not a complete document as well as not being a Treasury document. To be fair I accept the member’s word if in fact it said in the document which has not all been tabled that the figures were prepared by Treasury as opposed to the ministry. One cannot tell that on the face of it. If the member had done as he said he would do and tabled the whole document it would be clear to all of us. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That is the end of the matter. I have no further comment to make on the matter.