Clarkson Bob: Standing Orders—Suspension 
Clarkson Bob: Standing Orders—Suspension 
[Volume:641;Page:10945] 
BOB CLARKSON (National—Tauranga) 
: 
 Unfortunately I do not have much time. We need to go and have our dinner because this Government would give us ulcers with what it does. 
Sitting suspended from 6 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. 
BOB CLARKSON 
: It is quite good. We have been and settled the ulcers after listening to that bunch over there—we have had a bit of a feed. So that is good as I said before. 
In talking to this motion or whatever people like to call it—all these things get a bit tricky here—I tell members that I am sick of coming into this debating chamber and hearing amendment after amendment on various bills. I had great trouble this morning trying to sort out which amendment this is. Is it to sort out the foul-up in 2002 when the bill first came to this debating chamber is it to fix the amendment in 2005 or is it to fix the stuff-up in 2007 that we are still trying to sort out? Maybe it is this new-deal Government Notice of Motion No. 1 with regard to the weathertight homes legislation—heaven’s me timber! 
I believe that the latest suspension of the Standing Orders will be a sad reflection on the Labour Government. I will need to talk to my senior colleagues on what is happening here. I believe it is true that the Labour Government wants to override the rules of Parliament. This shows that the Government is arrogant and heavy-handed. A good example of the arrogance of this Labour Government was the smacking legislation. That for example was a form of home invasion with bullying tactics and arrogance. It is time the Minister got the bill and the amendments correct. 
The original bill came to this House before I came to Parliament. In fact I was quite young when I came to Parliament and when this bill first came here and the Minister still has not got it right. A TV programme could be made about this bill and its multiple amendments. The programme would be called “ 
Believe it or Not”. 
 It would be as simple as that. With this Government it could be an ongoing TV series. But thank goodness that series would run out in 2008 when this Labour Party leaves Government. 
The whole Building Act weathertight homes legislation amendments more amendments extra amendments motions and suspensions of the Standing Orders is a mess. I am a new MP and I do my best to keep up with all those bills multiple amendments the going outside of the Standing Orders and all that stuff. But I would ask the Minister to number his bills and his amendments in the future because I just cannot keep up. 
Darren Hughes 
: That won’t help the member—he cannot count. 
BOB CLARKSON 
: Ha ha! I have to try to keep up to speed on which amendment is being altered and at what time. “Do it once do it right” does not mean much to this Minister. I ask him please to listen to Nick Smith and Bob Clarkson on how to fix these problems—they are great guys by the way and they know how to do it—it is quite clear that this public relations man Mr Cosgrove does not know how to fix the problems. 
The National Party will solve all these problems and will not go outside the Standing Orders to do it. The answer is “Look listen and learn.” The last time there was a suspension of the Standing Orders in England was in the 1800s. The Standing Orders were lifted to allow an amendment to the law in order to allow somebody’s head to be chopped off—the Minister is warned. 
Darren Hughes 
: You are misreading your notes. 
BOB CLARKSON 
: Yes but trying hard—trying hard! 
To finish off I say that this Government is quite happy to move away from normal standards. I can remember its corrupt act for example of overspending by $800000 in the election and then changing the law to legalise itself. Labour Government members are now legalised crooks. The Government that moves away from the normal rules is a corrupt Government and is heading towards becoming a dictatorship. God forgive and help this country if that happens.