Select Committee Business

From 29 November to 6 December 2002

Committee meetings

There were 17 committee meetings, all in the parliamentary complex. In addition the Health Committee held several meetings in Australia as part of the annual committee exchange.

Reports presented

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

Business

- Recommended sitting programme for 2003

Government Administration

- Government Superannuation Fund Amendment Bill (No 2) (223-2)

- 2001/02 financial review of the Ministry of Culture and Heritage

- 2001/02 financial review of the Parliamentary Service

Justice and Electoral

- Prostitution Reform Bill (66-2)

- 2001/02 financial review of the Crown Law Office

- 2001/02 financial review of the Parliamentary Counsel Office

Law and Order

- Land Transport (Street and Illegal Drag Racing) Amendment Bill (216-2) and Petition 2002/16 of Hon Nick Smith and 351 others

Primary Production

- Animal Welfare Amendment Bill (5-2)

- Wine Makers Amendment Bill (8-2A) (formerly Part 5 of the Wine Bill)

- Hop Industry Restructuring Bill (206-2)

- 2001/02 financial review of the Ministry of Fisheries

Standing Orders

- Remuneration Authority (Members of Parliament) Amendment Bill (229-2)

Transport and Industrial Relations

1. 2001/02 financial review of the Department of Labour

Bills referred to select committees

The Wellington City Empowering and Amendment Bill was referred to the Local Government and Environment Committee. This is a local bill.

The Masterton District Council (Montfort Trimble Foundation) Bill was referred to the Local Government and Environment Committee. This is a local bill.

The Road Traffic Reduction Bill was referred to the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee. This is a member’s bill in the name of Jeanette Fitzsimons.

Committee notes

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

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

The committee met on Thursday, 5 December to conduct hearings of evidence on the 2001/02 financial reviews of New Zealand Post Limited and Industry New Zealand. The committee will next meet on Thursday, 12 December.

The committee is inviting submissions on two bills: the Anglican (Diocese of Christchurch) Church Property Trust Bill (closing date 10 January 2003) and the Rotorua District (Easter Sunday Shop Trading) Bill (closing date 20 December 2002). For details of how to make a submission, consult the Office of the Clerk website.

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

The committee met twice this week. On Tuesday, 3 December it considered its inquiry into the implementation of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA). On Wednesday, 4 December the committee heard evidence in the 2001/02 financial reviews of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology.

The committee is next scheduled to meet on Wednesday, 11 December, when it will continue its consideration of the NCEA inquiry. The committee will also conduct public hearings of evidence in the 2001/02 financial reviews of the National Library of New Zealand and the Education Review Office.

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

The committee considered the Reserve Bank monetary policy statement, and the Taxation (Annual Rates, Maori Organisations, Taxpayer Compliance and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill. Next week it will hear remaining evidence on the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Amendment Bill.

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

The committee met this week to hear evidence on its financial reviews of the New Zealand Defence Force and the Ministry of Defence. The committee intends to hear evidence on the financial review of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade next week. The committee will also schedule consideration of the Volunteers Employment Protection Amendment Bill next week.

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

The committee meets next Thursday to hear evidence from Hon George Hawkins, Minister of Internal Affairs, on the inquiry into the weathertightness of buildings in New Zealand.

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

The committee has met in Australia all of this week as part of the joint committee exchange with the Commonwealth of Australia Parliament.

Next week the committee will continue 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. It will also commence consideration of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Bill.

The committee will hear evidence from the Ministry of Health on the petition of David Nelson and 8550 others, which asks that recognition be given to the increasing level of care needed for frail elderly citizens at rest homes, dementia units and hospitals. This will be from 9.30 am to 10.30 am in Room G.002, Parliament House, and will be open to the public.

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

The committee met on 4 December, primarily to hear evidence on its financial review of the Ministry of Justice for 2001/02. The committee heard from the Ministry of Justice, the Human Rights Commission, the Police Complaints Authority and the Privacy Commissioner. The committee continued to hear evidence on the Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Bill and the Clean Slate Bill, using video-conferencing facilities. It also reported on its financial reviews of the Crown Law Office and the Parliamentary Counsel Office for 2001/02.

The committee’s next meeting will be on 11 December and will be held in Room G.003, Parliament House. The meeting will be open to the public from 9.30 am to 11.00 am to hearing evidence on the Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Bill and the Clean Slate Bill. The committee will also consider the Retirement Villages Bill.

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

On Friday, 29 November, the committee reported on the Land Transport (Street and Illegal Drag Racing) Amendment Bill, which included a report back on the petition of Hon Nick Smith and 351 others.

The committee met this week to consider the Criminal Investigations (Bodily Samples) Amendment Bill and the 2001/02 financial review of the Serious Fraud Office. Unfortunately, the scheduled hearing of evidence on the 2001/02 financial review of the Serious Fraud Office had to be postponed as bad weather prevented witnesses from being able to travel from Auckland to Wellington. This item is to be rescheduled for consideration in 2003.

The committee is scheduled to next meet on Wednesday, 11 December. The meeting will be open to the public from 9.00 am to 11.00 am while oral submissions are heard on the Criminal Investigations (Bodily Samples) Amendment Bill. From 11.00 am to 1.00 pm the meeting will be closed to the public while the committee considers the 2001/02 financial reviews of the New Zealand Police and the Department of Corrections.

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

The committee continued to meet regularly to consider the Local Government Bill. The committee is required to report on the bill by 10 December.

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

This week the committee considered the Ngati Ruanui Claims Settlement Bill and the 2001/02 financial review of Te Puni Kokiri. Next week the committee will hear evidence on the Maori Purposes Bill (No 2) and further consider the Ngati Ruanui Claims Settlement Bill and the 2001/02 financial review of Te Puni Kokiri.

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

The committee met on Thursday, 5 December to make progress on various items of business. The committee heard evidence on the 2001/02 financial review of Animal Control Products Limited and received a briefing from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on the proposal to amend the Bovine TB pest strategy and the ministry’s response to the proposal. It also considered the Reserves and Other Lands Disposal Bill, the inquiry into the scampi fishery, and the 2001/02 financial reviews of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Landcorp Farming Limited and Timberlands West Coast Limited.

Next week will see the committee give further consideration to the Reserves and Other Lands Disposal Bill, the inquiry into the scampi fishery, the 2001/02 financial reviews of Land Information New Zealand, Animal Control Products Limited and Quotable Value New Zealand Limited.

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

The committee met on Wednesday, 4 December. It will next meet on Wednesday, 11 December to continue its regular scrutiny of new government regulations. It will also consider a number of Civil Aviation, Land Transport and Maritime Rules.

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

The committee met on Thursday, 5 December and heard evidence on the financial review of the Accident Compensation Corporation. The committee presented its report on the 2001/02 financial review of the Department of Labour. This report can be viewed on the website.

The Road Traffic Reduction Bill was referred to the committee. The aim of the bill is to require the Minister of Transport and regional councils to develop targets, timetables and measures for the reduction of motorised road traffic. The committee has invited submissions with a closing date of 28 February 2003. Next week the committee will hear evidence on the financial review of Transfund New Zealand.

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)

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)

Transport and Industrial Relations

Road Traffic Reduction Bill (28 February 2003)

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, 6 December 2002

© Scoop Media