Parliamentary ruling sought

Press, 10 February 1982, Page 10

Parliamentary ruling sought

PA Wellington The Acting Speaker, Mr J. F. Luxton, will be asked by the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) to rule on an Opposition claim that it has the right to. endorse choices of Government MPs for Parliamentary select committees.

Mr Muldoon said the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling) was not prepared to agree on committee choices unless the Government gave the Opposition a certain number of chairmanships. The Prime Minister said Mr Rowling was claiming that the House of Representatives resolution on the matter, taken literally, “meant these appointments were to be made jointly, and

unless he agreed to the appointments I made of Government members they were not properly appointed.” Mr Muldoon said the Clerk of the House (Mr Charles Littlejohn) had stated it was possible to “read the resolution in that manner — and equally possible to read it in the manner in which it has been carried out in past years.” “I do hope that because the numbers are closer than they were in the last Parliament they’re not going to try this kind of funny business during the Parliamentary session.” the Prime Minister said.

“They won’t achieve anything — just bring Parliament into disrepute.”