Mr KELVIN THOMSON (5:14 PM) —Mr Speaker, section 28 of the Constitution provides that the House of Representatives may continue for three years from the first meeting of the House and no longer. My understanding is that the first meeting of this House was on 10 November 1998. I draw to your attention, as we rise for the break, that the parliamentary sittings schedule shows that we are scheduled to sit this year in the week commencing 19 November, the week commencing 3 December and the week commencing 10 December. I request that you investigate whether this is indeed the case and, if it is the case, that you contact the Leader of the House and, if he is in agreement, that you ask the government to issue a revised set of sitting dates which is not unconstitutional for the rest of the year.

Mr SPEAKER —Insofar as the sitting day schedule is concerned, I do not intend to take any action. This House never has and never would sit in an unconstitutional way. Furthermore, I would have thought that the provision of additional sitting days merely anticipates that there will be a government throughout 2001 and that the government of the day will determine its appropriate sitting time.

Mr Reith —Mr Speaker, may I, by way of indulgence, just answer that question further.

Mr SPEAKER —The Leader of the House may think that the question was addressed to him, although I hope I have wound the matter up.

Mr Reith —I just want to say that we have followed the precedent of all previous governments. It is otherwise a trivial point.