The day in Parliament

Press, 9 November 1984, Page 6

The day in Parliament

PA Wellington Mr G. E. Lee (Nat., Hauraki) presented the petition of Hendrik Cornells Zeeman sen., and 56 others calling for the continuation of voluntary membership of trade unions when Parliament sat at 2.30 p.m. yesterday. The Minister of Transport, Mr Prebble, presented the annual report of the Ministry of Transport.

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Mr McLay, unsuccessfully moved that the House return to discussion of private business.

Members gave 14 notices of motion.

The Minister of Labour, Mr Rodger, moved the introduction of the Wage Fixing Reform Bill. The bill was introduced with'the support of the Opposition and referred to the Labour and Education Select Committee.

Ministers answered 12 questions before Parliament adjourned for dinner at 5.30 p.m.

When Parliament resumed at 7.30 p.m., the Leader of the House, Mr Palmer, moved that urgency be given to the Appropriation Bill, the financial statement, the tabling of papers and the introduction and passing of Government

bills associated with it. The Opposition opposed urgency being taken but a division saw urgency carried by 55 votes to 34.

The Minister of Finance, Mr Douglas, moved that the Appropriation Bill be introduced. Mr Douglas moved the bill’s second reading and began reading at 7.43 p.m. after delivering copies of the bill to the Speaker, Sir Basil Arthur; the Prime Minister, Mr Lange; the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Palmer; the Leader of ■ the Opposition, Sir Robert Muldoon; and the Social Credit deputy leader, Mr Knapp.

Mr Douglas finished reading the Budget at 8.49 p.m. Mr Palmer successsfully moved that debate on the Budget be adjourned until 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday. Mr Douglas laid on the table the Financial Statement and Estimates of Expenditure to March 31, 1985. An Associate Minister of Finance, Mr Prebble, told Parliament that five bills would be introduced and passed last night. The Minister of Customs, Mrs Shields, moved the introduction of the Customs Acts Amendment Bill. The bill was introduced by 55 votes to 35. The Speaker, Sir Basil Arthur, told the House that the Governor-General, Sir David Beattie, had recommended that it make an appropriation of money for the bill. Debate on the second reading of the bill was continuing.