Select Committee Business

From 11 to 18 October 2002

Committee meetings

There were 19 committee meetings: 18 in the parliamentary complex and one in Auckland.

Reports presented

(available at http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/cgi-bin/select-reports)

Commerce

- 2002/03 Estimates for Vote Economic, Industry and Regional Development

Education and Science

- Petition 1999/241 of Graham Crawshaw and 1695 others

Finance and Expenditure

- 2002/03 Estimates for Vote State-Owned Enterprises

- 2002/03 Estimates for Vote Finance, the Fiscal Strategy Report and the Budget Economic and Fiscal Update

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade

- Climate Change Response Bill (212-2)

Health

- Petition 1999/150 of Gayleen Carol Braddick and 1155 others

Law and Order

- 2002/03 Estimates for Vote Serious Fraud

Bills referred to select committees

The Reserves and Other Lands Disposal Bill was referred to the Primary Production Committee with a reporting date of 14 April 2003.

The Marine Reserves Bill was referred to the Local Government and Environment Committee with a reporting date of 14 April 2003.

The Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Bill was referred to the Health Committee with a reporting date of 14 April 2003.

The Pitcairn Trials Bill was referred to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee with a reporting date of 19 November 2002.

The Wine Bill was referred to the Primary Production Committee with a reporting date of 3 December 2002.

Changes in committee membership

Education and Science

Hon Dr Nick Smith was replaced by Simon Power

Justice and Electoral

Simon Power was replaced by Lindsay Tisch

Local Government and Environment

Linsday Tisch was replaced by Hon Dr Nick Smith

Social Services

Dr Wayne Mapp was replaced by Judith Collins

John Carter was replaced by Katherine Rich

Committee notes

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

Commerce (Clare Sutherland, SC-Commerce@parliament.govt.nz)

At its meeting on Thursday, 17 October, the committee continued its consideration of the Consumer Protection (Definition of Goods and Services) Bill and the Crown Minerals Amendment Bill, and considered the 2002/03 Estimates for Vote Energy and Vote Economic, Industry and Regional Development. It also heard evidence on Petition 2002/6 of John Andrew Dickson.

The committee will not meet again until Thursday, 7 November.

Education and Science (Angela Van Dam, SC-ES@parliament.govt.nz)

At its meeting on Wednesday, 16 October, the committee considered the National Library of New Zealand (Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa) Bill, the Education (Limiting Number of Universities) Amendment Bill, and the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind Bill.

The committee agreed to conduct an inquiry into the implementation of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) and to hear evidence from certain organisations. The terms of reference for the inquiry are to:

- identify problems associated with the implementation of Level 1 of the NCEA in 2002

- evaluate the response of the Minister of Education and officials to these issues

- assess preparations for the partial implementation of Level 2 in 2003, with reference to the operation of Level 1 in 2002

- consider any other matter

- report back by 15 November 2002.

The committee also reported to the House on Petition 1999/241 of Graham Crawshaw and 1695 others on Thursday, 17 October. This report can be viewed at the Office of the Clerk website.

Finance and Expenditure (Fay Paterson, SC-FE@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met this week on Wednesday, 17 October, and continued hearing submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates, Maori Organisations, Taxpayer Compliance and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill. Submissions were heard from Te Ohu Kai Moana (the Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission), the Federation of Maori Authorities, the Office of the Maori Trustee, and the New Zealand Maori Council. A submission from the Dunedin Community Law Centre was heard by videoconference.

The committee has reported to the House on the Fiscal Strategy Report, the Budget Economic and Fiscal Update, and the 2002/03 Estimates for Vote Finance and Vote State-Owned Enterprises. These reports are available from the Office of the Clerk website at www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/cgi-bin/select-reports.

The committee will next meet on Wednesday, 30 October, when it will conclude the hearing of evidence on the taxation bill. Hearings of submissions will be open to the public.

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (David Sanders, SC-FD@parliament.govt.nz)

The House referred the Pitcairn Trials Bill to the committee yesterday, with a report back date of 19 November 2002. The closing date for submissions to the committee is 1 November 2002.

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

The committee met on Wednesday, 16 October, and received a briefing about the National Ethics Advisory Committee. It also continued its consideration of the 2002/03 Estimates for Vote Health, and consideration of the Smoke-free Environments (Enhanced Protection) Amendment Bill, and Supplementary Order Paper 148. The committee will not meet next week, with its next meeting scheduled for Wednesday, 30 October.

Inquiry into the proposal to establish a trans-Tasman agency to regulate therapeutic products

The committee is inviting public submissions on its inquiry into the proposal to establish a trans-Tasman agency to regulate therapeutic products. The closing date for submissions is 13 November 2002. Further information is available at www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/programmes/committees/submissions/hettanq.html

Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Bill

The committee is also inviting public submissions on the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Bill. The closing date for submissions is 27 November 2002.

The bill provides a framework for the regulation of health practitioners. It includes mechanisms to assure the public that a registered health practitioner is competent to practise. It also includes consistent procedures across the professions for handling complaints against health practitioners. The bill repeals 11 existing regulatory statutes.

Copies of the bill can be purchased from Bennetts Government Bookshops.

The committee requires 25 copies of each submission. Those wishing to include any information of a private or personal nature in a submission should first discuss this with the clerk of the committee, as submissions are usually released to the public by the committee. Those wishing to appear before the committee to speak to their submissions should state this clearly and provide a daytime telephone contact number. For further guidance on making a submission, our publication Making a Submission to a Parliamentary Select Committee can be found on our web site.

Submissions should be addressed as follows: Catherine Parkin, Health Committee Secretariat, Parliament Buildings, Wellington.

Justice and Electoral (Louise Sparrer, SC-JE@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on Wednesday, 16 October, to continue its consideration of the Retirement Villages Bill. The committee’s next meeting will be on Wednesday, 23 October, when it will continue to consider two bills: the Retirement Villages Bill and the Prostitution Reform Bill. The committee’s meeting on 23 October will not be open to the public.

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

The committee met this week to consider the 2002/03 Estimates for Vote Courts, Vote Corrections, Vote Serious Fraud and Vote Police. Consideration of Vote Police included a public hearing of evidence from the New Zealand Police, attended by the Police Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners Steve Long and Lyn Provost.

The meeting was also open to the public during three hearings of evidence on the Land Transport (Street and Illegal Drag Racing) Amendment Bill. First to submit was Sir Barry Curtis, Mayor of Manukau City Council, followed by Malcolm Hunt on behalf of the New Zealand Institute of Environmental Health and Robert and Catherine Bowley on behalf of Nelson East residents.

The next committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, 30 October, from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm. The committee will be further considering the 2002/03 Estimates for Vote Courts and Vote Police, and the Land Transport (Street and Illegal Drag Racing) Amendment Bill.

Local Government and Environment (Marie Alexander, SC-LGE@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on three days this week to further consider the Local Government Bill and to hear evidence on the 2002/03 Estimates for Vote Environment and Vote Energy – Energy Efficiency and Conservation. The committee has also agreed to take up the Prime Minister’s suggestion to conduct an inquiry into the alleged accidental release of genetically engineered sweet corn plants in 2000 and the subsequent actions taken. The inquiry is expected to be the first item the committee will consider next year. The terms of reference for the inquiry are not yet finalised.

Maori Affairs (Julian Kersey, SC-MA@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on Thursday, 17 October. It heard evidence from Hon Margaret Wilson on the 2002/03 Estimates for Vote Treaty Negotiations. It also heard evidence from Hon Parekura Horomia on Vote Maori Affairs. The committee will meet on Thursday, 24 October, to consider Vote Treaty Negotiations and Vote Maori Affairs. It will also consider the Te Whanau-a-Taupara Trust Empowering Bill and its inquiry into the Crown Forestry Rental Trust.

The committee is currently calling for submission on the following bills:

Ngati Ruanui Claims Settlement Bill

The Ngati Ruanui Claims Settlement Bill was referred to the committee on 3 October. The committee is required to report to the House by 19 December 2002. The aim of the Bill is to give effect to a Deed of Settlement between the Crown and Ngati Ruanui in respect of the Ngati Ruanui historical claims under the Treaty of Waitangi. The Deed of Settlement also records the acknowledgments and the apology given by the Crown to Ngati Ruanui. The committee is calling for submissions, the deadline for submissions is 1 November 2002.

Information on making a submission is provided below.

Maori Purposes Bill (No 2)

The committee is currently calling for submissions on the Maori Purposes Bill (No 2). The deadline is Friday, 25 October 2002. The bill has three major components. It:

- Amends the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975 to give the Waitangi Tribunal express power to replace members for reasons of illness or other circumstances that prevent them from carrying out their duties. The amendment will also clarify the position as to changes of Tribunal membership in three inquiries: the Wellington Tenths Inquiry (Wai 145), the Hauraki Inquiry (Wai 686) and the Kaipara Inquiry (Wai 674).

- Amends the Broadcasting Act 1989 to reflect a Cabinet decision in 2000 to transfer the responsibility for Maori broadcasting policy and Te Reo Whakapuaki (Te Mangai Paho) from the Minister of Broadcasting to the Minister of Maori Affairs.

- Amends the Maori Land Amendment and Mâori Land Claims Adjustment Act 1926 to increase the number of fishing licenses available to members of Ngati Tuwharetoa for Lake Taupo, from 50 to 200.

Copies of the bills can be purchased from Bennetts Government Bookshops.

The committee requires 20 copies of each submission. Those wishing to include any information of a private or personal nature in a submission should first discuss this with the clerk of the committee, as submissions are usually released to the public by the committee. Those wishing to appear before the committee to speak to their submissions should state this clearly and provide a daytime telephone contact number. For further guidance on making a submission, our publication Making a Submission to a Parliamentary Select Committee can be found on our web site at www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz.

Submissions should be addressed as follows: Julian Kersey, Clerk of the Committee, Maori Affairs Committee, Parliament Buildings, Wellington.

Officers of Parliament (Andrew Beattie, SC-OP@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee will next meet on Thursday, 7 November 2002.

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

This week the committee commenced its 2001/02 Financial Review process with a hearing evidence from the Ministry of Fisheries on its 2001/02 financial performance and current operations. The committee also considered all five votes it has been examining during the Estimates process (Vote Agriculture and Forestry, Vote Biosecurity, Vote Fisheries, Vote Food Safety and Vote Lands).

The committee next meets on Wednesday, 30 October, from 1.30 pm to 4.00 pm. For part of the meeting the committee will receive a briefing from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on its response to the report of the independent review of New Zealand's biosecurity surveillance.

Regulations Review (Michael Wilkinson, SC-RR@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on Wednesday, 16 October, and continued its regular scrutiny of new government regulations. It considered the Subordinate Legislation (Confirmation and Validation) Bill, and also decided to release to the public a report from the Department of Conservation regarding the Sports Fish Licences, Fees, and Forms Notice 2002 SR (2002/235).

The committee will next meet on Wednesday, 6 November, and will hear evidence on the Subordinate Legislation (Confirmation and Validation) Bill. The hearing will be open to the public.

Transport and Industrial Relations (Lyn Main, SC-TI@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on Thursday, 17 October, to consider the Health and Safety in Employment Amendment Bill. The committee is next meeting on Thursday, 24 October, to examine the 2002/03 Estimates for Vote Transport and Vote Accident Insurance. The meeting will be open to the public for the hearing evidence on Vote Transport from 10.30 am to 12 noon, and Vote Accident Insurance from 12 noon to 1.00 pm.

Closing dates for submissions

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

Finance and Expenditure

Reserve Bank of New Zealand Amendment Bill (8 November 2002)

Government Administration

Inquiry into the weathertightness of buildings in New Zealand (21 October 2002)

Government Superannuation Fund Amendment Bill (No 2) (21 October 2002)

Health

Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Bill (27 November 2002)

Inquiry into the proposal to establish a trans-Tasman agency to regulate therapeutic products (13 November 2002)

Law and Order

Criminal Investigations (Bodily Samples) Amendment Bill (29 November 2002)

Maori Affairs

Maori Purposes Bill (No 2) (25 October 2002)

Ngati Ruanui Claims Settlement (1 November 2002)

Primary Production

Hop Industry Restructuring Bill (11 November 2002)

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:

Ethan Tucker

Parliamentary Officer (Select Committees)

ethan.tucker@parliament.govt.nz

Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk, 18 October 2002

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