Bennett David; Verrall AyeshaHon DAVID BENNETT (National): I'd just like an answer to my questions. Is the Minister willing to let us know what the full intent of her direction will be or just give us a signal? Is the Minister going to answer?Kieran McAnulty: You don't have to Minister.Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL (Minister for Food Safety): I think I've already indicated that this bill that we're debating today is the bill for continuing to regulate dietary supplements up to the next five years. Beyond that the Government will have to make replacement legislation. I've given an indication today about the direction of our thinking.Hon DAVID BENNETT (National): So if this bill is the continuation of regulation does that Minister anticipate any changes in that regulation in the next few years? And Kieran—point of order Mr Chair. I think it's unfair for the senior whip to go to a Minister—CHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): Order! [Interruption] Order! Whips on both sides of the House are allowed to move freely around to speak to any member as required as often happens on both sides of the House. That is not a point of order.Kieran McAnulty: Mr Chair?CHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): Had you finished Mr Bennett?Hon DAVID BENNETT: No I hadn't actually. Thank you Mr Chair. Well it's obvious today that we've seen that this bill is part of a longer strategy that the Minister is wanting to employ and we're not actually going to be necessarily against that wider strategy because we see the importance of this industry and sector. There are a lot of people that want to see progress in this area. There are a lot of businesses that make their livelihood out of this area and they want certainty and they want to know that there's security in their business. And the public as the consumers want to know the products that they use are going to be exactly what they buy and suchlike. So there is a lot of public good that is behind this legislation and we're not in any way trying to circumvent the process or delay or anything like that. In fact we're voting for the bill and if you look at the first reading it was done in a very short period of time. And we have got somebody that I regard highly as the Minister and I know will do a very good job as the Minister and I think that she has indicated to us that this is part of a wider body of work. All we want to know is what that body of work could entail in very broad terms. You know we're not asking for—Kieran McAnulty: Well ask in select committee when there's legislation.Hon DAVID BENNETT: Well this is the committee of the whole House and this is the opportunity when the Minister can do that. And I think it's just prudent that she is given that opportunity and she isn't bullied by her whip into not saying anything in this House. In a democratic institution the Labour Party whip should not being telling a Minister—CHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): Order! [Interruption] Order! That means you sit down. Thank you. You can't make an accusation like that in the committee saying that the whip is instructing the Minister on what to say.Hon DAVID BENNETT: Point of order. He was. The defence of truth you can use in defamation but we were all here and Mr McAnulty won't deny it either. He's an honest person—CHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): That is not a point of order.Hon DAVID BENNETT: He's an honourable member of this House. He's not going to deny that he tried to instruct a Minister in his House and that's fine you know. We just saw it. That's how it works. I'm just saying—Kieran McAnulty: Point of order. I think it's highly unparliamentary that the Hon Dr Bennett would use his speech in such a manner to trivialise a ruling that you've just made Mr Chair. You were very clear that the point that he was making was out of order and now he's just spent the best part of a minute actually arguing with your ruling.Hon DAVID BENNETT: Point of order. I never would—CHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): No. I'm going to make a ruling on that one OK? Let's just all calm down. This bill has got five clauses three of which are the same as most bills and then two others. Come on we don't need to be having this kind of debate on two clauses.Hon DAVID BENNETT: Well point of order—CHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): I hope you're not going to relitigate anything.Hon DAVID BENNETT: No no I wouldn't. I just wanted to reaffirm your role and to say that we stand behind you in this situation. I think that it is probably quite sad—CHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): That's not a point of order either.Hon DAVID BENNETT: —that the senior whip of the Labour Party is trying to defend himself. But getting away from that issue because we all know that it's inappropriate for him to have done what he did but that's bygones be bygones. We just want to have the Minister given the time to answer a question and not feel that she has been obliged as a new member of this House to be instructed by an older member of this House as to what she can and can't say and I just would like her to be open with the public.