select committee business From 22 November to 29 November 2002

Committee meetings

There were nine committee meetings, eight of which were in the parliamentary complex. One meeting is in progress today in Christchurch.

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

Education and Science Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind Bill (209-2)

Finance and Expenditure 2001/02 financial review of the Earthquake Commission 2001/02 financial review of Public Trust 2001/02 financial review of the Government Superannuation Fund Authority

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade International Treaties Bill (67-1) Pitcairn Trials Bill (7-2)

Health 2001/02 financial reviews of the Bay of Plenty District Health Board, the Southland District Health Board, the Wairarapa District Health Board and the West Coast District Health Board Petition 1999/204 of Honourable Ruth Dyson

Regulations Review Subordinate Legislation (Confirmation and Validation) Bill (1-2)

Social Services War Pensions Amendment Bill (No 2) (187-2)

Bills referred to select committees

No bills were referred.

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

Commerce (Ethan Tucker, SC-Commerce@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee’s next scheduled meeting is on Thursday, 5 December, at which public hearings of evidence on the 2001/02 financial reviews of Industry New Zealand Limited and New Zealand Post Limited will be conducted. The hearings of evidence will be from 11.00 am to 12 noon for New Zealand Post Limited, and 12 noon to 1.00 pm for Industry New Zealand Limited. The meeting will be in Room G.011, Parliament House.

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

The committee is next scheduled to meet on Tuesday, 3 December, when it will continue consideration of the inquiry into the implementation of the NCEA. It will also meet on Wednesday, 4 December for hearings of evidence on the 2001/02 financial reviews of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology. The hearings will be from 10.00 am to 12 noon for the Ministry of Education, and 12 noon to 1.00 pm for the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology, in Room G.010, Parliament House.

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

The committee has presented reports on the 2001/02 financial reviews of the Earthquake Commission, the Public Trust and the Government Superannuation Fund Authority. It heard evidence from the Governor of the Reserve Bank on the Monetary Policy Statement at its meeting this week.

At its meeting on 4 December the committee is continuing with consideration of the Taxation (Annual Rates, Maori Organisations, Taxpayer Compliance and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill.

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

The committee presented two reports this week. The first was the report on the Pitcairn Trials Bill. A majority of the committee recommended that this bill proceed with amendment. The second was the report on the International Treaties Bill. A majority of the committee recommended that this bill not proceed. Both reports are available in full on the website.

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

The committee is currently meeting in Christchurch on the inquiry into the weathertightness of buildings in New Zealand.

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

The committee met on Wednesday, 27 December and continued its consideration of the Smoke-free Environments (Enhanced Protection) Amendment Bill and Supplementary Order Paper 148, and the 2001/02 financial review of the Ministry of Health.

The committee will meet in Australia next week as part of the annual joint committee exchange with the Commonwealth of Australia Parliament.

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

The committee met on 27 November to consider the Prostitution Reform Bill and to begin hearing evidence on the Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Bill and the Clean Slate Bill.

Submitters generally support the Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Bill and the Clean Slate Bill, although some expressed serious concern about legislation that could be said to encourage people to lie about their past. The New Zealand Police Association submission supports the Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Bill, on the basis that after ten conviction-free years, minor convictions should not continue to affect people’s lives. Business New Zealand argued that employers should know about past convictions if considered relevant to the work for which a prospective employee is applying. The Commonwealth Press Union submitted that the bills are contrary to the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990’s section 14 (which is to do with seeking and imparting information). The submission from the National Council of Women pointed out that ‘covered slate’ might be a more appropriate term than ‘clean slate’, given neither of the bills propose to expunge past convictions but rather to conceal them.

The committee’s next meeting will be on 4 December, when it will consider its financial reviews and hear evidence on the financial review of the Ministry of Justice for 2001/02. The committee will also consider inquiries and continue to hear evidence on the Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Bill and the Clean Slate Bill. The meeting will be in Room G.002, Parliament House. It will be open to the public from 9.30 am to 11.30 am for the hearing on the financial review of the Ministry of Justice, and from 11.35 am to 12.35 pm for the hearings on the Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Bill and the Clean Slate Bill.

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

The committee met this week to consider the Land Transport (Street and Illegal Drag Racing) Amendment Bill. The committee next meets on Wednesday, 4 December, from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm, to consider the Criminal Investigations (Bodily Samples) Amendment Bill and the 2001/02 financial review of the Serious Fraud Office. The Director of the Serious Fraud Office, Mr David Bradshaw, and the Assistant Director Investigations, Mr Gib Beattie, will give evidence on the Serious Fraud Office, from 10.00 am to 11.00 am, which will be open to the public.

Maori Affairs (Carol Rankin, SC-MA@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee will meet on Thursday, 5 December from 10.00 am to 1.00 pm. The hearing will be open to the public. The committee will consider the Ngati Ruanui Claims Settlement Bill. It will also consider the 2001/02 financial review of Te Puni Kôkiri. It will now hear evidence on the Maori Purposes Bill (No 2) the following week, not 5 November as notified earlier.

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

On Monday, 25 November the committee presented its report on the Subordinate Legislation (Confirmation and Validation) Bill. The committee will meet on Wednesday, 4 December to continue regular scrutiny of new government regulations.

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

The committee did not meet this week. Next week the committee will hear evidence on the financial review of the Accident Compensation Corporation. The meeting will be held on Thursday, 5 December 2002 and will be open to the public from 10.25 am to 12.15 pm.

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

Commerce Anglican (Diocese of Christchurch) Church Property Trust Bill (10 January 2003) Rotorua District (Easter Sunday Shop Trading) Bill (20 December 2002)

Law and Order Criminal Investigations (Bodily Samples) Amendment Bill (29 November 2002)
Local Government and Environment Marine Reserves Bill (31 January 2003)

Primary Production Inquiry into the administration and management of New Zealand’s scampi fishery (20 December 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:

Carol Rankin Senior Parliamentary Officer ph: 471 9534, fax: 499 0486, or at carol.rankin@parliament.govt.nz

Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk, 29 November 2002

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