Parliament

Press, 13 April 1989, Page 6

Parliament

PA Wellington Members presented nine petitions to Parliament when it resumed at 2 p.m. yesterday. Mr Maurice McTigue (Nat., Timaru) presented the petition of Janya Lobb and 20,000 others rejecting the Local Government Commission’s recommendations for a greater Canterbury region and seeking the formation of a central South Island region. He also presented the petition to Jenny Bloxham and 151 others asking Parliament to legislate for employment equity. Mr Richard Prebble (Lab., Auckland Central) presented two petitions asking that proposed frigate spending be abandoned and the funds directed to health, social welfare and education. Among the others presented were the petition of Les Dawson of Christchurch and others asking Parliament to ensure judges set sentences for drink-driving and violent offences which reflected the will of the people and of Parliament. Ministers answered 20 questions. Mr Prebble presented the report of the Privileges Committee in relation to a letter from a law firm to the member for Tauranga, Mr Winston Peters (Nat.), last September. After debate on the report, the Leader of the House, Mr Hunt, recommended Parliament appoint the M.P. for Invercargill, Mr Rob Munro (Nat.) to replace the M.P. for .Waikatn Mr Roh Storev

(Nat.) on the Parliamentary Service Commission. Parliament adjourned for dinner at 5.30 p.m. When Parliament resumed at 7.30 p.m. Mr Hunt moved that the Commerce and Marketing Select Committee be given power to recommend amendments to the Wheat Levies Bill and the Ministry of Energy Amendment Bill (No. 2). After this was agreed he moved the Foreign Affairs and Defence Select Committee investigate whether the defoliant Agent Orange was manufactured by Ivon Watkins Dow during the Vietnam War. The motion was agreed to. After brief debates, the Motor Vehicles Securities Bill and the Survey Amendment Bill were given their third readings. The House went into committee to consider the Reserves and Other Lands Disposal Bill, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Amendment Bill (No. 2), the Labour Department Act Repeal Bill, the Trade in Endangered Species Bill, the Government Superannuation Fund Amendment Bill (No. 3) and the Disorderly Assemblies and Restrictions on Association Bill. The first three were reported back to Parliament and were set down for third readings on the next sitting day. The other bills were reported back to Parliament and set down for further con&deration on the next sitting dav