The Day In Parliament (Press, 13 December 1985)

On 13 December 1985, Dr Wall, the Speaker of the House, addressed a ruling regarding the validity of a vote taken the previous week, which had been conducted while one of the chamber doors was unlocked. During the parliamentary session, Leader of the House, Mr Palmer, announced that the Government did not anticipate the need for Parliament to convene again the following week. He indicated that Parliament would be prorogued until 26 February for an opening ceremony to be conducted by the Queen. Mr R. N. McClay, the National Party member for Waikaremoana, presented a petition signed by J. L. Thompson and 94 others from the Rangitikei district, urging the Government to maintain free bus services for rural children. In this session, reports from the Tourist Hotel Corporation and the Controller and Auditor-General were also tabled, and Ministers addressed 18 questions. The Minister of Finance, Mr Douglas, delivered an economic statement that attracted comments from opposition leaders, including Mr McLay, Mr Ian McLean (spokesman for agriculture), and Mr G. T. Knapp (Democratic Party deputy leader). Mr W. P. Jeffries, chairman of the Communications and Road Safety Select Committee, reported on driver retests for those aged 70 and above, plus a proposal regarding cycling on footpaths. Subsequently, Mr Palmer brought forward the report of the Privileges Committee related to a publication by the newspaper "Truth," proposing that the Speaker send a formal reprimand to the news outlet’s editor and reporter. He then moved for urgency in passing five Government bills and concluding the session to facilitate the Christmas recess, with this motion being approved via a voice vote. The Health Service Personnel Amendment Bill was split into two separate bills and both received a third reading. The Statutes Amendment Bill (No. 2) proceeded similarly, being divided into 71 bills that were subsequently read three times. The State Services Amendment Bill (No. 2) moved through all stages without amendments. The second reading debate for the Defence Amendment Bill was initiated before being adjourned for dinner at 5.30 p.m., after which it resumed, successfully passing through its second, committee, and third readings. Further, the Armed Forces Discipline Amendment Bill was read for the second time and underwent a similar split into two bills before both were read three times. New legislation was introduced by various Ministers, such as the Income Tax Amendment Bill (No. 7), the Video Recordings Bill, and the New Zealand Horticulture Export Authority Bill. The House then took urgency for the final stages of the Auckland Aotea Centre Empowering Bill and the Mount Smart Regional Recreation Centre Bill, which were debated and passed. The Leader of the House proposed forwarding a list of bills to the following session, including the controversial Homosexual Law Reform Bill. An attempt to remove this bill from the list was defeated, and the original motion was passed. The House concluded its business for the day and formally rose at 11.55 p.m.

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