The week in the House

Press, 10 June 1978, Page 2

The week in the House

Budget debate flat in early stages

By

CEDRIC MENTIPLAY

This has been Budget week — and we might have expected some sharp, analytical speaking on either side. Actually we have had ■very little. The Leader of; ■the Opposition (Mr Rowling)', I showed very well in a style. ' which he has improved in • speeches throughout New! Zealand. He also developed; his economic alternative to, the Muldoon system as laid! out in the Budget. Surely this should have honed both sides to high de-[ bating efficiency. Unfortu- I nately, this has not been the) case. Too often the Budget), debate speeches had a well) remembered ring about! them. This was because, in some cases anyway, they , were merely slightly expanded versions of the i A d d r e s s-in-Reply efforts, , which themselves were a projection of the party-poll- , tical argument. < With the Budget document ■ now public property, and ’ with the estimates volume i available for the detailed in- i spection of members, it i might have been expected 1 that members would be i

more analytical. Instead, it is) becoming more and more, [obvious that in the eyes of, ■many members the business! |of the House is a somewhat [wearying diversion from the main’ task of “putting the [other fellow down.” There is a very strong need for it to be clearly [stated and maintained that i while Parliament is sitting it !has the priority, to the ex- ! elusion of all else. Without 'this clear understanding, the [business of Parliament itself !is a boring confrontation, !and even the daily prayer [tends to lose its eternal ring iof truth. I It seems that the Budget [debate will be disposed of, if not as quickly as the Address-in-Reply debate, at least in a similarly dedicated manner. With the exception of formal business, and with the provision of discussion of private members’ business on Wednesday afternoon, the whole of the coming week will consist of Budget debate speeches. It must be hoped that some, at least, will show more concentration on the Budget than did this week’s crop.

The Speaker (Mr Harrisjson) continues to keep con-; ’jtrol of the oral-question sit-; nation. In addition, he show-) : ed some interest this week in enforcing rules to control | ' the parade of fatuous' notices of motion. For a I long time it has seemed ob- ■ vious that on presentation : each notice should be examined. It is equally as obvious • that, if a motion is found to : be unsuitable, it should be ■ “returned to sender” for ; amendment. Too many) • notices of motion are arriv- ' ing in the House with doubt- : fui repair-work still showing. : Generally, the Order Paper I is building up, and all select! ! committees are fully com-' mitted. If there is to be a) “working recess” to enable) some of the committees, no-i tably the Public Expenditure) Committee, to get up with; their work, the need is not! yet showing. Some cynics suggest that , there will be a recess late in) July — if only to mark the National Party conference in) Wellington.