Select Committee Business From 7 February to 14 February 2003 Committee meetings

There were 18 committee meetings, all in the parliamentary complex.

Reports presented (available at http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/Publications/CommitteeReport) Health 2001/02 financial review of the Hawke's Bay District Health Board and Capital and Coast District Health Board Petition 1999/30 of Anna de Jonge and others Justice and Electoral 2001/02 financial review of the Ministry of Justice Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade 2001/02 financial review of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade 2001/02 financial review of the New Zealand Antarctic Institute 2001/02 financial review of the New Zealand Customs Service 2001/02 financial reviews of the Ministry of Defence and the New Zealand Defence Force Government Administration Petition 2002/28 of William Edgar Leach and 196 others

Bills referred to select committees

The Palmerston North Reserves Empowering Amendment Bill introduced during an adjournment and deemed read a first time on 28 January, pursuant to Standing Order 275. It was referred to the Local Government and Environment Committee.

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

Commerce (Kirstin Lambert, SC-Commerce@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee will meet on Thursday, 20 February to hear evidence on the 2001/02 financial review of Television New Zealand Limited, and to continue its consideration of the 2001/02 financial review of New Zealand Post Limited.

The committee will also hear evidence on the Rotorua District (Easter Sunday Shop Trading) Bill. The bill grants a partial repeal from the Shop Trading Hours Act Repeal Act 1990 to allow shops in the Rotorua District to open on Easter Sunday during the period 9.00 am to 5.00 pm.

Finance and Expenditure (Peter Hurndell, SC-FE@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met this week to hear evidence on the 2003 Budget Policy Statement and December Economic and Fiscal Update, 2002.

Next week the committee will meet on Wednesday, 19 February in Room G.002, Parliament House, between 10.00 am and 1.00 pm to consider further the Budget Policy Statement, and to consider the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Amendment Bill and the Auditor-General’s draft discretionary work plan for 2003/04.

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

The committee met this week to consider financial reviews. Reports of the review of the New Zealand Defence Force and the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the New Zealand Customs Service and the New Zealand Antarctic Institute have been presented to the House.

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

The committee meets next week on Thursday, 20 February in Wellington. It will hear evidence from Warren Salisbury, acting chief executive, on the financial and operational performance for the 2001/02 financial year of the New Zealand Lotteries Commission.

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

The committee met on Monday and Wednesday this week. On Monday it continued to hear evidence on the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Bill. On Wednesday it continued consideration of the Smoke-free Environments (Enhanced Protection) Bill and Supplementary Order Paper 148, and various petitions. On Thursday it presented its report on the petition of Anna de Jonge (about electro-convulsive therapy), and the financial reviews of the Hawkes Bay and Capital and Coast District Health Boards.

Next week on Wednesday the committee will continue to hear evidence on the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Bill. This will be from 9.30 am to 11.45 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 12 February to continue its consideration of the financial review of the Ministry of Justice for 2001/02, the Retirement Villages Bill, the Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Bill and the Clean Slate Bill.

The hearings of evidence on the Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Bill and the Clean Slate Bill were completed, with a single submission by videoconference from Dunedin. The committee also reported on its Ministry of Justice financial review for 2001/02. The committee congratulated the ministry on the success of its initiatives to counter high staff turnover, but indicated that it remains concerned about the Ministry’s role in the Justice Sector Information Strategy.

Submissions from the public on two further items before the committee can still be made. The deadline for submissions on the committee’s inquiry into the 2002 General Election is 17 March and for submissions on the Supreme Court Bill the deadline is 28 March. The bill has a report date of 16 June.

The committee’s next meeting will be on 19 February, when it will consider the Retirement Villages Bill and the Supreme Court Bill. Neither of these sessions will be open to the public.

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

The committee intends to meet next week on Wednesday, 19 February.

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

The committee met on 13 February to hear evidence from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment and the Ministry for the Environment on the 2001/02 financial reviews of those organisations. At 10.00 am on 20 February the committee will hear evidence on the 2001/02 financial review of the Department of Conservation. The meeting will be held in Room G.002 in Parliament House and will be open to the public.

The committee has extended the closing date for submissions on the Marine Reserves Bill until 28 February. Information about making a submission can be obtained on the website.

Maori Affairs (Miles Reay, SC-MA@parliament.govt.nz)

On 20 February the committee will further consider the Maori Purposes Bill (No 2) and the Te Whanau-a Taupara Trust Empowering Bill. It will also hear evidence from Te Mangai Paho (Maori Broadcasting Funding Agency) on its financial review.

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

The committee met twice this week. The first meeting was on Monday, 10 February, to consider and commence hearing evidence on the inquiry into the management and administration of the scampi fishery with the Ministry of Fisheries giving evidence in the afternoon session.

On Thursday, 13 February the committee received a briefing from the Controller and Auditor-General on its report on Department of Conservation: Administration of the Conservation Services Programme. It gave initial consideration to the 2001/02 financial review of ASURE New Zealand Limited and further consideration to the Wine Bill. The hearings of evidence on the inquiry into the management and administration of the scampi fishery continued with Dr Russell Ballard appearing in the morning session and Mr Ron Chadwick in the afternoon session.

The committee meets twice next week to hear evidence on the inquiry into the management and administration of the scampi fishery on Monday, 17 February and Thursday, 20 February. Both are all-day meetings. Witnesses to be heard on Monday are Barine Development Limited and Sealords Group Limited. On Thursday, Vautier Shelf Co. No.14 Limited, Pranfield Holdings Limited and United Fisheries Limited and a number of individuals will be giving evidence.

All hearings on the inquiry into the management and administration of the scampi fishery will be held in Room G.003, Parliament House.

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

The committee met on Wednesday, 12 February. It will next meet on Wednesday, 19 February to continue its regular scrutiny of new government regulations. The committee will also consider the regulation-making powers in the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Bill. The committee can consider any regulation-making power in a bill before another committee and report on it to the committee.

Social Services (Graham Hill, SC-SS@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on 13 February to consider the financial reviews of the Ministry of Social Development and the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services. The committee also considered further the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill. On 20 February the committee plans to hear evidence from the Acting Minister of Housing on the financial reviews of the Ministry of Housing and the Housing New Zealand Corporation and consider further the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill.

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

The committee met on Thursday, 13 February and heard evidence on the financial reviews of the Transport Accident Investigation Commission and the Maritime Safety Authority. Next week the committee will begin considering the Land Transport Management Bill. The meeting will not be open to the public.

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

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Inquiry into New Zealand's political, diplomatic, trade and cultural relationship with Latin American countries (21 March 2003)

Justice and Electoral Inquiry into the 2002 General Election (17 March 2003) Supreme Court Bill (28 March 2003)

Local Government and Environment Marine Reserves Bill (28 February 2003) Wellington City Empowering and Amendment Bill (31 March 2003)

Transport and Industrial Relations Land Transport Management Bill (28 February 2003) 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 ph: 471 9534, fax: 499 0486, or at carol.rankin@parliament.govt.nz. Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk, 14 January 2003

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