Hobbs Marian: Resource Management Amendment Bill (No 2) — In Committee 
Hobbs Marian: Resource Management Amendment Bill (No 2) — In Committee 
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Hon MARIAN HOBBS (Minister for the Environment) 
: 
 I just want to correct something and I would like the Leader of the Opposition to remain and hear it. There was no decision— 
Hon Bill English 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. The Minister may be a relatively new member but she should know that she must not refer to the presence or absence of members from the Chamber. 
Hon MARIAN HOBBS 
: Yes I accept that. 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: I remind the member that it is out of order to refer to the absence of members. 
Hon MARIAN HOBBS 
: I hope that applies to another member who made reference to my absence. 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: It certainly does. It is a longstanding convention in the House. 
Hon MARIAN HOBBS 
: Good. I will make my point very clearly and I will do it by reading as I did last night from the report from the Local Government and Environment Committee on the Resource Management Amendment Bill 1999. At page 7 it states: “Government and Green members recommend that the definition of ‘historic heritage’ be modified”. It goes on to state: “We also recommend including the phrases ‘spiritual qualities’”— 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. The Minister cannot have it both ways. The portions she is quoting are from the No. 1 amendment bill. That bill was dispensed with by that Minister. 
Members on this side of the Committee would love the opportunity to be able to debate the select committee report on the No. 1 bill but this Government prevented it. I seek leave to debate the select committee report on the 400 submissions on the No. 1 Resource Management Amendment Bill because it seems that the Minister wants to debate it. 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: The member’s original request was a debatable issue. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: No. 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Yes it was. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. The Standing Orders are very clear. We are debating Part 1 of the Resource Management Amendment Bill (No 2) so the Minister cannot suddenly start talking about the No. 1 Resource Management Amendment Bill or the select committee report just because it suits her. If the Minister would like to debate it I again seek leave to debate the select committee report on the No. 1 Resource Management Amendment Bill because it seems that that is what the Minister seeks to debate. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: It seems to me that in the House we frequently quote from a wide range of documents that have a bearing on the matter at hand. The report back of the Local Government and Environment Committee which considered the No. 1 bill is one such document. It should be clearly distinguished from the report of the committee on the No. 2 bill. But I cannot see how you can rule it out of order to quote from that document given that people quote from submissions that were made to a pretend select committee which actually had no status at all. 
John Carter 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. I would like to make two points. First of all the Hon Dr Nick Smith sought leave and that needs to be put. The second point is that a ruling was given by the Clerk to the select committee that the submissions heard by Mr Nick Smith’s select committee were quite in order. Indeed they were referred to in part of the report of the select committee on the No. 2 bill. So members are well within their rights to debate that aspect. If we are allowed to debate other bills and if we are to go that wide why do we not talk about the Ngati Tama bill or the Fair Trading Amendment Bill? The fact is we must generally stick to the bill that is before the House at the time. One cannot go to other bills; that is quite outside the Standing Orders. 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: I thank the honourable member. The No. 1 Resource Management Amendment Bill is not before the Committee. It is not within the Committee’s terms of reference to debate that bill. However members may discuss that bill to the extent that it is relevant to the provisions of this part. I know that the Hon Dr Nick Smith has sought leave but I am advised that as a result of the ruling he does not need to seek leave. However I will ask whether there is any objection to that course of action being taken. There is. 
Hon MARIAN HOBBS 
: The Leader of the Opposition made a comment that a decision was made in Cabinet and I point out that the decision was made in the select committee.