Select Committee Business
From 21 September to 28 September 2001
Committee meetings
There were three committee meetings this week. Two of these were in the parliamentary complex; the other was in Auckland.

Reports presented (1)
Law and Order
1. Police Amendment Bill (No 2) (145-1)

Bills referred to select committees
No bills were referred.

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

Commerce (Alan Witcombe, SC-Commerce@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee did not meet this week. Next week it will meet twice. On Tuesday it will start examination of the Commerce (Clearance Validation) Amendment Bill, which was referred to the committee last week under urgency. The bill is intended to reverse a recent decision of the Court of Appeal relating to a case concerning section 47 of the Commerce Act 1986 and associated transitional issues in respect of the effect of new business acquisition provisions.

The report due date is 8 October. The committee is scheduled to hear evidence and consider the bill on Tuesday. The committee will give further consideration to the bill on Thursday, as well as considering its review of the Radio New Zealand Charter and certain petitions.

Finance and Expenditure (Julian Kersey, SC-FE@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee is currently meeting in Auckland. It will hear submissions on the Construction Contracts Bill. The venue for these hearings is Jean Batten 3, Centra Auckland Airport, corner Kirkbride and Ascot Roads, Mangere. The meeting is open to the public and will finish at 2.00 pm.

The committee will continue hearing submissions on the Construction Contracts Bill on Wednesday, 3 October, in Wellington. The venue for these hearings is Room G.006, Parliament House. The meeting is open to the public and will commence at 10.00 am and finish at 1.00 pm.

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (David Sanders, SC-FD@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee did not meet this week. Next week it will meet to consider the Terrorism (Bombings and Financing) Bill and the International Treaties Bill. It will also have two briefings that will be open to the public. A briefing from the parliamentary delegation from Kuwait is scheduled for 10.00 am to 11.00 am. Another briefing from the Auditor-General on his report into the procurement of the light armoured vehicles is scheduled from 11.30 am to 12.30 pm.

Health (Matthew Andrews, SC-Health@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee did not meet this week. It will meet in Auckland next week to continue hearing submissions in relation to the cannabis inquiry. It will hear submitters between 10.00 am and 2.00 pm on Wednesday, 3 October, in the Montrose Room at the Gateway Hotel, 206 Kirkbride Road, Mangere, Auckland.

The closing date for submissions on the inquiry into the adverse effects on women as a result of treatment by Dr Parry was 24 September. The committee will hear from people who have indicated they would like to make an oral submission both in Northland and Wellington before Christmas.

Justice and Electoral (Wendy Proffitt, SC-JE@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee did not meet this week. Submissions closed on the Human Rights Amendment Bill today. Hearing submissions commences on Wednesday, 3 October, in Wellington in the afternoon and in Auckland on Wednesday, 10 October. The committee will also consider the Prostitution Reform Bill and the inquiry into the 1999 General Election on 3 October.

Submissions on the Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill are due by Friday, 5 October.

Please contact the Clerk of the Committee for further information about the committee’s meetings for the next month.

Law and Order (Tracey Rayner, SC-LO@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met this week to consider the Police Amendment Bill (No 2). The committee presented its report on this bill on Thursday, 27 September. The committee next meets on Thursday, 4 October, from 10.00 am to 1.00 pm, to further consider the Crown Organisations (Criminal Liability) Bill, and consider two petitions.

Local Government and Environment (David Bagnall, SC-LGE@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met on Tuesday to consider the inquiry into the role of local government in meeting New Zealand’s climate change target, and the Local Government (Rating) Bill. Submissions on that bill were heard from the Inter Church Working Party on Taxation, the New Zealand Golf Association and the Wellington City Council, and also from Mr Paul Guerin.

Further submissions on the Local Government (Rating) Bill will be heard next Wednesday. The committee will also continue to consider the Taranaki Regional Council Empowering Bill and the inquiry into the role of local government in meeting New Zealand's climate change target.

Maori Affairs (Marcus Ganley, SC-MA@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee will next week receive briefings from the Department of Corrections on the proposed Auckland Regional Prison and from the Labour Market Policy Group on employment issues relating to Maori.

Primary Production (Bob Bunch, SC-PP@parliament.govt.nz)
Next week the committee will commence consideration of the Biosecurity Amendment Bill and continue consideration of its inquiry into sustainable forestry management. The committee will also receive a briefing from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on progress to date with the proposed restructuring of the Wool Board. This briefing is open to the public and is scheduled to begin at 11.00 am.

Regulations Review (Andrew Fieldsend, SC-RR@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee did not meet this week, but will be meeting next Wednesday morning to scrutinise new regulations, consider regulation-making powers in the Local Government (Rating) Bill, and advance its consideration of two complaints relating to the Sharemilking Agreements Order 2001.

The committee may consider the regulation-making powers in a bill before another committee and report on it to that committee. Earlier this year the committee reported to the Commerce Committee on clauses 15, 61, 62, 63, 65 and 67 of the Telecommunications Bill. The Commerce Committee, in its recent report to the House, has recommended changes to the broad regulation-making powers contained in clause 67 of the bill as a result of the Regulations Review Committee recommendations. Clause 65 was recommended to be struck out and not replaced. The Commerce Committee reports it was unable to agree to any other changes in response to the Regulations Review Committee recommendations.

Social Services (Graham Hill, SC-SS@parliament.govt.nz)
At its meeting next week, the committee will hear evidence from the new Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development and his officials on the 2000/01 financial review of the Ministry of Social Policy.

Transport and Industrial Relations (Lyn Main, SC-TI@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee will next meet on Wednesday, 3 October, for a briefing on the truck crash inquiry recommendations (10.00 am to 11.00 am) and to hear evidence on a petition of Dr Muriel Newman requesting that passing lanes be built on the Ruakaka Waipu highway (11.30 am to 1.00 pm). Both items will be open to the public.

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

Justice and Electoral
Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill (5 October 2001)
Human Rights Amendment Bill (28 September 2001)

Maori Affairs
Inquiry into the operations and performance of the Crown Forestry Rental Trust (29 October 2001)

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:

Carol Rankin
Senior Parliamentary Officer
carol.rankin@parliament.govt.nz

Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk, 28 September 2001

© Scoop Media