Chaos in House as National tries to adjourn Parliament after Labour caught not knowing what it was debating

Minister Jo Luxton was caught out during question time. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The Government was caught scrambling in the House to find the right speech, as it moved to pass a new legislation to crack down on fleeing drivers.

Labour’s duty minister in the House Jo Luxton was caught without a speech, appearing not to know what the House was about to debate. When she was told, she incorrectly motioned for the House to debate the bill a first time.

The mess-up appears to have come because Labour’s whips did not have the correct speech with her in time.

The bill was up for its second reading, not first.

Seeing Labour was caught on the hoof, National tried to have the house adjourned until 2pm, when the next sitting day officially begins. That would block, for the moment, progress on the bill.

Assistant Speaker Jenny Salesa, after advice from the Clerk, gave Luxton one more chance to get it right, which she did.

The bill has had a messy path to its second reading. It had been the responsibility of former Associate Transport Minister Kiri Allan.

But after she resigned following her arrest after a car crash last week, the responsibility for the bill passed to Damien O’Connor.

O’Connor was not in the House for the bill. Responsibility fell to the Government’s duty minister in the House, Luxton.

The House was sitting on Thursday morning as the Parliament aims to get through a busy legislative agenda.

After the Government successfully shepherded an education bill through its second reading, Assistant Speaker Jenny Salesa asked whether a member move that the House debate the bill.

“Is there an honourable member that would move this bill,” Salesa said.

Labour’s junior whip, Shannan Halbert, raised a point of order when no member came forward.

“Madam Speaker we are just... um... locating the Minister’s Speech for this one,” Halbert said.

National’s Chris Penk tried to bring debate to a close, by putting the matter to a vote.

After a couple of minutes, Luxton eventually found her speech but motioned the bill be read a first time - rather than a second time.

“The words have to be precise, minister,” Luxton said.

National’s Tim van de Molen rose to his feet to raise a point of order.

“Clearly we are in a situation where the Government is not prepared to continue business and on that basis, surely the House must stand adjourned for the rest of this extended sitting and then recommence at 2pm for the conduct of normal business,” he said.

Salesa did not get the opportunity to consider that point of order before Luxton was on her feet again.

Another of Labour’s whips, Camilla Belich can be seen sitting in the seat next to Luxton and handing her some paper, while Labour’s chief whip sits nervously behind her.

“Madam Speaker, I move the Land Transment [SIC]... Transport (Road Safety) Amendment Bill be now read a second time,” she said.

Van de Molen asked Salesa to rule on the point of order, which she did, saying the Government was on its last chance.

“The advice I was given by the Clerk is I give one more opportunity for the bill to be moved,” Salesa said.

Even then, Luxton was caught out, motioning the House consider the bill, but not actually giving a speech on it.

“Would the minister like to speak to the motion of the bill,” Salesa asked.

“So would you like to make a speech on the bill?” she said.