Select Committee Business

From 23 July to 30 July 2004

Committee meetings

Eighteen committee meetings were held this week, all in the parliamentary complex.

Reports presented

(available at http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/Publications/CommitteeReport)

Finance and Expenditure

- 2004/05 Estimates for Vote Arts, Culture and Heritage

- 2004/05 Estimates for Vote Immigration

- 2004/05 Estimates Vote Revenue

- 2004/05 Estimates Vote State-Owned Enterprises

- Fiscal Strategy Report, Budget Economic and Fiscal Update 2004 and 2004/05 Estimates Vote Finance

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade

- 2004/05 Estimates Vote Customs

- 2004/05 Estimates Vote Defence and Vote Defence Force

- 2004/05 Estimates Vote Foreign Affairs and Trade and Vote Official Development Assistance

Justice and Electoral

- Lawyers and Conveyancers Bill (59-2)

Law and Order

- Courts and Criminal Matters Bill (41-2)

- Petition 2002/0051 of Chyrisse Williams and 142 others

- Petition 2002/0052 of Chyrisse Williams and 142 others

- Visit of the Law and Order Committee to Australia 7 to 13 March 2004 (I.8A)

Maori Affairs

- 2004/05 Estimates Vote Mäori Affairs

- 2004/05 Estimates Vote Treaty Negotiations

Social Services

- Briefing on the Department of Child Youth and Family Services Waiting-List of Unallocated Cases

Bills referred to select committees

The Identity (Citizenship and Travel Documents) Bill was referred to the Government Administration Committee with a report due 8 November 2004.

The Children, Young Persons, and their Families Amendment Bill (No 4) was referred to the Social Services Committee with a report due 15 November 2004.

Changes in committee membership

Maori Affairs

Nanaia Mahuta to fill a vacancy (SO 185(3)).

Committee notes

(for further information on an item, please contact the committee staff noted in brackets)

Commerce (Michelle Malyon, SC-Commerce@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee did not meet this week and will not meet next week.

Education and Science (Kirstin Lambert, SC-ES@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on 28 July to hear evidence from the Ministry of Education on a number of petitions regarding school mergers and closures. It also heard evidence from the petitioners on the Petition of Fleur Fitzsimons and Andrew Kirton.

The committee meets next week on 4 August, when it will further its consideration of the above petitions.

Finance and Expenditure (Peter Hurndell, SC-FE@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met this week to consider the Public Finance (State Sector Management) Bill.

The committee is next scheduled to meet on 4 August when it is due to consider a petition by Michael Burns and meet with a visiting budget delegation from the Republic of Indonesia.

Fisheries and Other Sea-related Legislation (Miles Reay SC-MA@parliament.govt.nz,)

The committee met on 27, 28, and 29 July to consider the Foreshore and Seabed Bill. The committee will continue consideration of the Maori Fisheries Bill on 30 July.

Government Administration (Lesley Ferguson, SC-GA@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on 29 July to consider the Statutes Amendment Bill (No 4) and the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Amendment Bill. At this meeting, the committee also resolved to conduct an inquiry into whether censorship of material that vilifies certain groups would be a justified limitation on the rights and freedoms affirmed by the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990.

Next week the Ministry for Culture and Heritage is to brief the committee on its international treaty examinations of New Zealand’s intent to accede to both the UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (1970) and the Organisation for the Unification of International Law Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects 1995. The briefing will be open to the public.

Health (Catherine Parkin, SC-Health@parliament.govt.nz)

This week the committee considered a number of items of business, including its inquiry into the health effects of Agent Orange. It also met with a delegation from the United Kingdom Parliament.

Next week the committee will hear evidence on a petition that requests the House to legislate that Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder be recognised as a notifiable disability. This will be open to the public from 10.45 am to 11.30 am, in room G.011, Parliament House. The committee will also receive a briefing on benzodiazepines from the Ministry of Heath, which will be open to the public from 11.45 am to 12.15 pm. The committee will also consider other items of business.

The committee is inviting public submissions on two petitions relating to caregivers’ wages. The closing date for submissions is Friday 3 September 2004. The first petition requests the House of Representatives to address concerns regarding the level of home carer wages. The second requests that funding be made available so that caregivers’ qualifications can be recognised in their wages.

Submissions should be addressed as follows:

Catherine Parkin

Health Committee Secretariat

9.12 Bowen House

Parliament Buildings

WELLINGTON

Justice and Electoral (Angela Van Dam, SC-JE@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on 28 July to consider the Sex Offenders Registry Bill, Petition 2002/55 of Lynley Hood and Dr Don Brash, and Petition 2002/70 of Gaye Davidson. The committee also received a briefing on human rights from the Ministry of Justice.

The committee’s next meeting will be on 4 August. It will consider the Civil Union Bill, and the Relationships (Statutory References) Bill, and will consider and begin hearing evidence on the Electoral Matters Bill. The meeting will be open to the public for the hearing of evidence on the Electoral Matters Bill from 10.30 am to 12.15 pm, and from 3.30 pm to 6.00 pm.

The date by which the committee will accept submissions on the New Zealand Sign Language Bill has been extended from 30 July to 27 August 2004.

Law and Order (Tracey Rayner, SC-LO@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met this week to further consider the Crimes Amendment Bill (No 2), Crimes (Drug Rape) Amendment Bill, and the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, their Parts, Components and Ammunition. The committee next meets on Wednesday 4 August to further consider these items.

The committee presented three reports this week, on the Law and Order Committee Visit to Australia 7 to 13 March 2004, Petitions 2002/51 and 2002/52 of Chyrisse Williams and 142 others, and the Courts and Criminal Matters Bill. On the bill the committee made the following key amendments to:

- limit the Crown’s exemption from liability to third parties in respect of actions taken in good faith that are not the result of gross negligence

- remove the monetary threshold in respect of any person owing any amount of money for reparation payments and for whom there is a warrant to arrest

- make amendments to the Summary Proceedings Act 1957 come into effect by Order in Council, or no later than 6 months after the Royal assent

- lower the monetary threshold at which a charging order may be imposed for one or more outstanding fines or reparations from $10,000 to $5,000

- allow the Registrar to issue a warrant for arrest and have the defendant brought before the Registrar for examination instead of referring the matter to a District Court Judge

- increase the Registrar powers to vary, suspend, or cancel a time-payment arrangements or attachment orders.

Submissions close on the Criminal Procedure Bill on 4 August 2004.

Local Government and Environment (Beth Watson, SC-LGE@parliament.govt.nz)

At its meeting on 29 July, the committee was briefed by the Office of the Controller and Auditor-General on two of its recent reports to Parliament: Local Government: Results of the 2002-03 Audits, and Local Authorities Working Together. It also continued its consideration of its inquiry into the alleged accidental release of genetically engineered sweet corn plants in 2000 and subsequent actions taken.

At its next meeting on 5 August the committee will consider a number of petitions.

Primary Production (Bob Bunch, SC-PP@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on 29 July gave further consideration to the Fisheries Amendment Bill (No.3).

The committee next meets on 5 August to further consider the Fisheries Amendment Bill (No.3). The committee will also consider Petition 2002/102 of Perry Spiller.

Social Services (Graham Hill, SC-SS@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on 29 July to further consider the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Amendment Bill and continue hearing evidence on the Charities Bill from Wellington-based sector organisations. At the next meeting on 5 August the committee will further consider the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Amendment Bill and the Social Security (Long-term Residential Care) Amendment Bill. Hearing of evidence from Wellington based organisations will also continue on the Charities Bill from about 10.00 am to 1.00 pm in Parliament House, Wellington. These organisations are the New Zealand Council of Social Services, the Salvation Army, the Churches Education Commission, the Bible Society, the Religious Society of Friends and several Roman Catholic Church related organisations. The committee encourages other interested submitters to attend the meeting in Parliament House, Wellington and listen to the evidence given by these organisations.

Transport and Industrial Relations (Kath Henderson, SC-TI@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on 29 July to further consider the Railways Bill. And to hear evidencethe on Petition 2002/94 of Graeme George Knowles and 5813 others. Next week the committee will consider the Railways Bill and then will be open to the public from 12.00 noon to 12.50 pm for the hearing of evidence on Petition 2003/36 of Clarence J Faloon.

Closing dates for submissions

Committees are receiving submissions on the following items with the closing date shown:

Government Administration

- The Identity (Citizenship and Travel Documents) Bill (closing date yet to be determined)

Health

- Petitions relating to caregivers’ wages (3 September 2004)

Justice and Electoral

- New Zealand Sign Language (27 August 2004)

- Electoral Matters Bill (30 July 2004)

- Civil Union Bill (6 August 2004)

- Relationships (Statutory References) Bill (6 August 2004)

Law and Order

- Criminal Procedure Bill (4 August 2004)

Local Government and Environment

- Wellington Regional Council (Water Board Functions) Bill (18 August 2004)

Primary Production

- Animal Products (Dairy Products and Other Matters) Bill (3 August 2004)

- Animal Products (Dairy Products and Other Matters) Bill SOP No 238 (23 August 2004)

Social Services

- The Children, Young Persons, and their Families Amendment Bill (No 4) (closing date yet to be determined)

Transport and Industrial Relations

- Land Transport Amendment Bill (11 August 2004)

General

You can find further information about select committees on our website at www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz. If you require additional information or have any feedback on the contents, please contact:

Louise Sparrer

Senior Parliamentary Officer
louise.sparrer@parliament.govt.nz

Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk, 30 July 2004

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