Select Committee Business
From 6 August to 13 August 2004

Committee meetings

Fifteen committee meetings were held this week, 14 in the parliamentary complex and one in Christchurch. There was one site visit.

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

Education and Science
-Petition 2002/0097 of Emma Korewha, Donna Thompson and 940 others
Fisheries and Other Sea-related Legislation
-Maori Fisheries Bill (90-2)

Government Administration
-Statutes Amendment Bill (No 4) (102-2)

Local Government and Environment
-Petition 1999/0191 of Jon Muller
-Petition 1999/0192 of Jeanette Fitzsimons
-Petition 2002/0075 of Susan Grimsdell and 55 215 others

Primary Production
-Fisheries Amendment Bill (No 3) (109-1)

Social Services
-Parental Leave and Employment Protection Amendment Bill (136-2)
Transport and Industrial Relations
-Railways Bill (65-2)
Bills referred to select committees
The Transport Legislation Bill was referred to the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee with a report due 29 October 2004.

Changes in committee membership

Business Committee
Simon Power replaced John Carter
Education & Science
Simon Power replaced Dr Wayne Mapp
Foreign Affairs, Defence & Trade
John Carter replaced Simon Power
Health
Judith Collins replaced Dr Lynda Scott
Primary Production
Tariana Turia to be a member of the Primary Production Committee (SO 186(1)).
Regulations Review
Hon Clem Simich replaced John Carter
Standing Orders
Hon Clem Simich replaced Gerry Brownlee
Simon Power replaced John Carter
Transport and Industrial Relations
Dr Wayne Mapp replaced Gerry Brownlee (deputy chairperson)

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

Education and Science (Kirtsin Lambert, SC-ES@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met on 11 August when it considered Petition 2002/106 of Jill Hounsell and 2268 others and Petition 2002/58 of Clare Wood and 2141 others. The committee also considered and deliberated on Petition 2002/97 of Emma Korewha, Donna Thompson & 940 others. This report can be viewed at:
http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/Content/SelectCommitteeReports/espet0297.pdf
The subcommittee on the Inquiry into Teacher Education met following this meeting.

Finance and Expenditure (Peter Hurndell, SC-FE@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met this week to consider the Taxation (Annual Rates, Venture Capital and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill and to meet with the New Zealand Business and Parliamentary Trust.
The committee is not scheduled to meet next week.

Fisheries and Other Sea-related Legislation (Miles Reay SC-MA@parliament.govt.nz,)
The committee met on 10, 11 and 12 August to hear evidence on the Foreshore and Seabed Bill. The Chairperson has issued the following press release, on behalf of the committee, about the hearings process.
Foreshore and Seabed Bill
The Fisheries and Other Sea-related Legislation Committee has agreed to meet in Auckland and Christchurch as well as Wellington to hear evidence from submitters on the Foreshore and Seabed bill. Currently the Committee intends to meet as follows:
Auckland 23, 25, 26 August
6, 8, 9, 27-30 September
Christchurch 15-16 September
Wellington 24, 30, 31 August
1, 2, 13, 14 September

Submitters whom we wish to hear from will be contacted as soon as possible. We apologise that those submitters who will not be invited to appear before the committee will not be contacted individually.
Russell Fairbrother
Chairperson
Fisheries and Other Sea-related Legislation Committee.

Government Administration (Lesley Ferguson, SC-GA@parliament.govt.nz)
On 10 August the committee reported to the House on the Statutes Amendment Bill (No 4). The bill provides for unrelated and non-controversial amendments to a number of existing Acts. One of the key amendments proposed in the bill is to the Government Superannuation Fund Act 1956 to provide for contributors to the Government Superannuation Fund Police sub-scheme to elect to cease to be contributors to it and to transfer to the Police Superannuation Scheme.

Currently, the Government Superannuation Fund Act provides for police officers who entered service before 30 June 1992 to be members of the Government Superannuation Police sub-scheme, whereas the Police Superannuation Scheme was set up for police officers who entered service after that date. Another amendment to the Sale of Liquor Amendment Act 2004 will clarify that new statutory conditions provided by enactment of that Act apply to any off-licence in existence at the commencement of those conditions.

The committee also considered the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Amendment Bill and the international treaty examination of 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 committee next meets on 26 August.

Health (Catherine Parkin, SC-Health@parliament.govt.nz)
This week the committee considered a number of items of business, including hearing evidence on the petition of Dr Viola Palmer and 2,869 others that requests the House recommends an inquiry by the Health Committee into the effects of alcohol promotion, especially advertising and sponsorship.
The Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Amendment Bill (No 3) has been referred to the committee, for report to the House by 4 February 2005. The closing date for submissions is 24 September 2004. Copies of the bill are available from Bennett¡¦s Government Bookshops and the other usual key stockists.

The committee is also 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 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.
The committee will next meet on 25 August to consider a number of items of business.

Justice and Electoral (Angela Van Dam, SC-JE@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met on 11 August to start hearing evidence on the Civil Union Bill and the Relationships (Statutory References) Bill.
The committees next meeting will be on 18 August. It will continue to hear evidence on the Civil Union Bill and the Relationships (Statutory References) Bill. The meeting will be open to the public from 9.00 am onwards.
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)
This week the committee further considered 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 is not scheduled to meet in the adjournment next week.

Primary Production (Bob Bunch, SC-PP@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee will not be meeting next week. The next committee activity will be a site visit to AgriQuality Limited on 26 August.

Social Services (Graham Hill, SC-SS@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met on 12 August to consider further the Social Security (Long-term Residential Care) Amendment Bill and continue hearing evidence on the Charities Bill from Wellington-based sector organisations. At the next two meetings on 19 August and 20 August the committee will meet in Auckland to hear evidence from Auckland and Hamilton based organisations on the Charities Bill. The committee will be meeting at the Gateway Hotel, 206 Kirkbride Road, Mangere from 10.00 am to 5.15 pm on Thursday,19 August and 10.00 am to 5.00 pm on Friday, 20 August. These meeting are open to the public and the committee encourages all those interested to attend these meetings to hear what the submitters are saying.

The submitters on Thursday 19 August are Missions Interlink, the Catholic Diocese of Auckland, the Seventh Day Adventist Church, the Mission Aviation Fellowship, the Child Evangelism Fellowship of New Zealand, the Leprosy Mission, Serving in Mission, the Northland Urban Rural Mission, the Antara Association, Pax Christie, Thames Baptist Community Ministries, Grace Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, Kidcare Foundation, Child Poverty Action Aotearoa, Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind, Women¡¦s Health Action, Smokefree Pacific Action Network, Alcohol Healthwatch Trust, Heart Foundation, Action on Smoking and Health, Leukaemia and Blood Foundation, Muscular Dystrophy, Panacea Arts, Onehunga ladies Benevolent Society, Auckland District Council of Social Services, the Peace Foundation, the Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand, Auckland City Council, the Human Rights Foundation, Glen Innes Family Centre, Grey Lynn Neighbourhood Law Office, and the University of Auckland Charitable Trust.

The submitters for Friday 20 August are the National Association of ESOL Home Tutor Schemes Inc., the New Zealand Parent Teacher Association, the St Kentigern Trust Board, Oxfam, the Ngaruawhahia Resource Centre, Ngaruawhahia Tu Tangata Trust, Ngaruawhahia Community House, Western Community Association Inc., Auckland A and P and Industrial Shows Board, the Tindall Foundation, The Institute of Chartered Accountants, Manukau City Council, Lion Foundation, Care and Craft Centres, and Just Housing Trust.
Transport and Industrial Relations (Kath Henderson, SC-TI@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee reported the Railways Bill to the House on 9 August 2004.
On 12 August the committee met to consider the Employment Relations Law Reform Bill.

The committee will next meet on 26 August to resume consideration of the Employment Relations Law Reform Bill.
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 (10 September 2004)
-Inquiry into hate speech (1 October 2004)
Health
-Petitions relating to caregivers wages (3 September 2004)
-Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Amendment Bill (No 3) (24 September 2004)
Justice and Electoral
-New Zealand Sign Language (27 August 2004)
Local Government and Environment
-Wellington Regional Council (Water Board Functions) Bill (18 August 2004)
-Overseas Investment (Queen¡¦s Chain Extension) (20 September 2004)
Primary Production
-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) (6 September 2004)
Transport and Industrial Relations
-Transport Legislation Bill (15 September 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
ph: 471 9569, fax: 499 0486, or at louise.sparrer@parliament.govt.nz
Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk, 13 August 2004

ENDS

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