Hon David Parker
Conservation Spokesperson

27 August 2009 Media Statement

Desperate Government runs roughshod over rules to stifle ETS debate

The Government coalition is running roughshod over the rules of Parliament in a deliberate attempt to conceal debate over cracks in the coalition’s position on the Emissions Trading Scheme, says David Parker, a Labour member of the ETS Select Committee.

The Maori Party had written a minority report on the ETS, but tried to pull it from the Select Committee report this morning. David Parker tried unsuccessfully to table the minority report in Parliament today.

“Failure to print the report with the minority report is a breach of standing orders.

“The fact that a subsequent political deal may have been done between the National and the Maori Party cannot strip the Opposition’s right to the protection of standing orders.

“I have now written to the clerk of the select committee telling her that she had no authority to remove the minority report from the Maori Party from the report being printed and presented to the House.”

David Parker said the facts surrounding the committee’s deliberations and the writing of the report and the minority report were clear and could not be challenged.

“The committee deliberated. Following that deliberation the committee agreed to a deadline for parties that wished to write a minority report.

“It is clear from the clerk’s email that the Maori Party minority report was received. It also seems clear that it was incorporated in the report the clerk had proof read and was in the course of having printed,” David Parker said.

“The expectation of all committee members and the clerk of the committee was that without further resolution of the committee the report would then be presented to the House.”

David Parker said that has not happened, and he was prevented himself from doing so today.

ENDS

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