Smith Nick: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Smith Nick: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:648;Page:17322] 
7.  
Hon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson) 
 to the  
Leader of the House 
: What is the Government’s timetable for passing the Climate Change (Emissions Trading and Renewable Preference) Bill; and will the second reading be held during this parliamentary session? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN (Leader of the House) 
: The Government’s timetable for this bill is for it to be passed in 2008. As this parliamentary session must end by 6 October by law we are aiming to hold the second reading and remaining stages before then. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: What changes is the Government prepared to make to the bill to address the major flaws that have been identified by the Green Party in order to secure its support? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: As Leader of the House I am responsible for the timetabling of the legislation; I am not responsible for its content. That is the responsibility of the Minister responsible for Climate Change Issues. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: My question was set down for the Minister responsible for Climate Change Issues. It is the Government that transferred the question to the Leader of the House. I thus seek leave to ask the same supplementary question which Dr Cullen says he is not able to answer it of the Minister David Parker who I am sure would be delighted to answer it. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought. Is there any objection? There is objection. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Why was the Finance and Expenditure Committee given only 3 days to consider over 1000 amendments to this important legislation on the basis that the Government urgently wanted it to be returned to the House when the bill has subsequently sat on the Order Paper for 7 weeks without any progress? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: The first part of that question of course is not the responsibility of the Leader of the House. It was a matter for the select committee. As to the second part of the question I am sure the member is aware that at this point the Government does not have sufficient support to pass the bill. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Will the Government agree to refer the bill back to the select committee given that it is obvious it is going nowhere before the House—because I think we all agree it is crucial for New Zealand that we get the best-designed emissions trading scheme possible—and furthermore given that over 1000 amendments were given and the select committee had only 3 days to consider them the select committee could well use this time to do the job properly? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: It is clear from the statements made by the National Party that it wants to pass a bill that does nothing does not affect anybody and makes no impact upon the economy but that can be said to do something about climate change. That is not the Government’s intention. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. My question to the Leader of the House was not about National’s view which is quite rational about climate change and emissions trading—[ 
Interruption 
] So those members can yabber during points of order Madam Speaker? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Please would the member make his point of order. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: My point of order concerned a specific question that asked whether the Government will refer the bill back to the select committee given that we had so little time to consider such major changes. All I got was a recital on a misrepresentation of National’s policy. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Does the Leader of the House wish to add to his answer? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: I wish to expand upon my fuller version of no. No. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: What assurance can the Minister give that given the importance of this legislation we will have the opportunity to have the second reading during the course of this 3-week sitting period? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: The Government has a considerable amount of work to do during this 3-week sitting not the least of which of course is that we have to finish the Appropriation Bill. The Leader of the House is particularly and acutely conscious of the need to finish the Appropriation Bill during this session. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Is the reason that the Prime Minister has been pussyfooting around the misconduct of Winston Peters that the Government is so desperate to get support for this bill? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: I have a very long political memory in the case of Prime Ministers and Parliament going back to November 1981. I do not recall her pussyfooting at any time during that period.