Select Committee Business - From 10 December to 17 December 2004

Committee meetings Eight 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 Customs and Excise (Motor Spirits) Amendment Bill (173-2) 2003/04 financial review of Air New Zealand Limited 2003/04 financial review of Television New Zealand Limited Reserve Bank of New Zealand's Monetary Policy Statement, December 2004

Government Administration 2003/04 financial review of Department of Internal Affairs 2003/04 financial review of Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs 2003/04 financial review of State Services Commission

Health 2003/04 financial review of Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Capital and Coast, Hawke's Bay, MidCentral, South Canterbury, and Whanganui District Health Boards Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Amendment Bill (No 3) (165-2)

Intelligence and Security 2003/04 financial review of New Zealand Security Intelligence Service and the Government Communications Security Bureau

Social Services Charities Bill (108-2)

Bills referred to select committees The Securities Legislation Bill was referred to the Commerce Committee with a report due 15 June 2005. The Education Amendment Bill was referred to the Education and Science Committee with a report due 15 June 2005. The Overseas Investment Bill and the Taxation (Base Maintenance and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill were referred to the Finance and Expenditure Committee with reports due 15 June 2005. The Resource Management and Electricity Legislation Amendment Bill was referred to the Local Government and Environment Committee with a report due 15 June 2005.

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

Education and Science (Kirstin Lambert, SC-ES@parliament.govt.nz) The committee will next meet on 2 February 2005.

Finance and Expenditure (Lesley Ferguson, SC-FE@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met this week to consider and deliberate on the 2003/04 financial reviews of Television New Zealand Limited and Air New Zealand Limited, and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand's Monetary Policy Statement, December 2004. The committee's reports may be read at http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/Publications/CommitteeReport/Default.htm.

The committee has been referred the Overseas Investment Bill and the Taxation (Base Maintenance and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill for consideration, and has called for submissions on these bills, both with a closing date of 28 February 2005. In addition, the committee has also called for submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2005, which may be viewed at http://www.treasury.govt.nz/budgetpolicy/2005/, with a closing date of 4 February 2005. Submissions should be addressed to Clerk of Committee, Finance and Expenditure Committee Secretariat, Parliament House, WELLINGTON. The committee requires 25 copies of each submission.

The committee will not meet again until next year.

Government Administration (Nerina Bennett, SC-GA@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met on 16 December to consider its 2003/04 financial reviews of the Department of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs, and the State Services Commission. All three financial reviews were reported to the House. The petition of David John Kilpatrick and 1865 others has been transferred to the committee for consideration.

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

This week the committee met to consider a number of items of business. This was the final meeting for the year.

The committee has reported to the House on the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Amendment Bill (No 3). The committee’s recommended amendments to the bill include: using the simpler term “treatment injury” rather than the dual phrase “personal injury caused by treatment or treatment injury” clarifying the time limit for claim lodgement so that compensation will be calculated from the date when a health professional first considers a personal injury to be a treatment injury rather than when it was diagnosed as a treatment injury clarifying that the Accident Compensation Corporation must backdate an entitlement when it is found that the Corporation’s original decision to stop the entitlement was incorrect.

The committee’s report can be viewed at: http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/Content/SelectCommitteeReports The committee is inviting public submissions on Supplementary Order Paper 298, which proposes amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill (No 3). The closing date for submissions is 31 January 2005.

Justice and Electoral (Angela Van Dam, SC-JE@parliament.govt.nz) The committee did not meet on 15 December 2004.

Local Government and Environment (Beth Watson, SC-LGE@parliament.govt.nz) The Resource Management and Electricity Legislation Amendment Bill has been referred to the committee, with a closing date for submissions of 16 February 2005. The purpose of this bill is to improve the Resource Management Act 1991 and make amendments to the Electricity Act 1992. The changes focus on improving the quality of decisions and processes by increasing certainty and reducing delays, costs, and incorrect use of processes, while ensuring appropriate public participation and the meeting of environmental objectives. The next meeting of the committee is scheduled for 3 February 2005.

Maori Affairs (Miles Reay, SC-MA@parliament.govt.nz) The committee did not meet this week. The committee is calling for public submissions on the Ngati Tuwharetoa (Bay of Plenty) Claims Settlement Bill. The bill aims to record the acknowledgements and apology between the Crown and Ngati Tuwharetoa (Bay of Plenty) in the deed of settlement dated 6 June 2003 between the Crown and Ngati Tuwharetoa (Bay of Plenty), and to give effect to settlement of historical claims agreed by the Crown and Ngati Tuwharetoa (Bay of Plenty) in that deed. The closing date for submissions is Monday, 20 December 2004.

Regulations Review (Michael Wilkinson, SC-RR@parliament.govt.nz) This week the committee continued its scrutiny of new Government regulations, and further considered the complaint into civil court fees. The committee will next meet after the Christmas/New Year adjournment.

Social Services (Graham Hill, SC-SS@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met on 16 December to consider further the Charities Bill and the 2003/04 financial reviews of the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services, and the Ministry of Social Development. The committee will meet next on 3 February 2005 to consider further the financial review of the Ministry of Housing, and the Housing New Zealand Corporation. The committee will also consider further the Social Security (Social Assistance) Amendment Bill, and the Disabled Persons Employment Promotion (Repeal and Related) Matters Bill.

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

Commerce Securities Legislation Bill (closing date yet to be determined)

Education and Science Education Amendment Bill (4 March 2005)

Finance and Expenditure Overseas Investment Bill (28 February 2005) Taxation (Base Maintenance and Miscellanous Provisions) Bill (28 February 2005)

Government Administration Animal Welfare (Restriction on Docking of Dogs’ Tails) Bill (28 February 2005)

Health Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill (No 3) SOP 298 (31 January 2005)

Justice and Electoral Inquiry into the 2004 Local Authority Elections (25 February 2005)

Local Government and Environment Resource Management and Electricity Legislation Amendment Bill (16 February 2005)

Maori Affairs Ngati Tuwharetoa (Bay of Plenty) Claims Settlement Bill (20 December 2004)

Social Services Social Security (Social Assistance) Amendment Bill (31 January 2005)

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, 17 December 2004

ENDS

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