Labour MP Chris Hipkins crossed swords with the Assistant Speaker today when he refused to stop talking about the Sky City Convention Centre deal during a debate on a gambling bill.
Speaking in the third reading debate of the Gambling Amendment Bill (No 2), Mr Hipkins was discussing the growth in gambling opportunities given to Sky City under the deal to build a convention centre.
Assistant Speaker Lindsay Tisch ruled this was outside the gambit of the bill and therefore out of order. Mr Hipkins disagreed and said Mr Tisch was wrong. Mr Tisch said Mr Hipkins should stand and apologise for saying the Assistant Speaker was wrong. If he did not apologise then the Labour MP would be asked to leave, Mr Hipkins said “I will leave”.
The bill which was introduced in 2007 completed its third reading by 109 to 11 with NZ First opposed.
The bill makes small policy amendments and many technical amendments to the complex and prescriptive Gambling Act 2003.
MPs then returned to the third reading of the Parole Amendment Bill.
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