The day in Parliament

Press, 3 July 1986, Page 8

The day in Parliament

PA Wellington The Minister of Agriculture, Mr Moyle, read a Ministerial statement on the farm package when Parliament sat at 2 p.m. yesterday. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Bolger, and the Democratic member of Parliament, for East Coast Bays, Mr G. T. Knapp, made speeches in reply. Mr Moyle also briefly replied to their speeches. Four annual reports were tabled, those of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Board, the Johnsonville Licensing Trust, the Mount Albert Licensing Trust and the Legal Aid Board.

Ministers answered 14» questions. The Speaker, Dr • Wall, granted an Opposition request for a snap debate on the farm package. The Opposition spokesman on agriculture, Mr J. H. Falloon (Pahiatua) began the debate.

The debate was interrupted when the House adjourned for dinner at 5.30 p.m. It resumed again at 7.30 p.m. jWhen the debate ended, A

Members began a general debate.

When that debate ended, the Auckland Improvement Trust Amendment Bill was passed through its committee stages. Members then began debating the committee stages of the Auckland City Council (Rating Relief) Empowering Amendment Bill.

The bill passed its committee stages. Both bills were then given third readings. The Speaker, Dr Wail, then called on the next item on the Order Paper — the third reading of the Homosexual Law Reform BiU.

Mr P. R. Burdon (Nat., Fendalton) then moved that the bill be referred back to its committee stages to consider amendments on the age of consent The motion was defeated, 63-22, in a division. Ms Fran Wilde (Lab., Wellington Central) then moved the third reading of the Crimes Amendment BUI (the amended title of the Homosexual Law Reform Bill).

A motion to have the debate closed off was defeated, 43-42, in a division. The House then rose at 11 p.m. with the bill’s 1 third reading yet to be