Speaker Trevor Mallard was simply fed up with Parliamentary time wasting, as he saw it, when at the beginning of question time today a notice of motion was moved to acknowledge the 70th anniversary of the UN recognising Israel as a state.
Before the first question was asked on the floor of Parliament today, a notice of motion was moved to recognise the 70th anniversary of the resolution of the United Nations recognising Israel as a state.
Although the motion was agreed to, Speaker Mallard rose directly afterwards to express his concerns with the nature of motions being raised this week.
"Reflecting on the motion we have just passed, and the series of motions we've passed this week across a variety of topics," Mr Mallard said.
"There have been at least two decisions of the business committee to tighten-up in this area and I frankly think 124th anniversaries of receiving the assent to particular bills, 70th anniversaries not of the recognition of a country, but of a UN resolution of a particular issue at the United Nations do not come within what I would consider to be the tight definitions required or expected of the business committee for even non-debatable motions.
"I just want to indicate if we get many more like this, and I will give the example to the Minister of Sport and Recreation.
"We had a motion for the Black Ferns winning the World Cup that may or may not have been within the rules.
"Having something a week or so later, because they win an award, is not in my view, a good use of house time and I'm just giving notice that even if no other member objects, I may."
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