Select Committee Business
From 25 July to 1 August 2003
Committee meetings

There were 19 committee meetings. Eighteen were in the parliamentary complex and one was in Auckland.

Reports presented
(available at http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/Publications/CommitteeReport)
Commerce
Status of Redundancy Payments Bill (13-2)

Government Administration
Statutes Amendment Bill (No 3) (24-2)

Justice and Electoral
Clean Slate Bill (106-1)
Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Bill (183-2)

Bills referred to select committees

The Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities Amendment Bill was referred to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee.

The Lawyers and Conveyancers Bill was referred to the Justice and Electoral Committee.

The Civil Aviation Amendment Bill was referred to the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee with a report due by 13 November 2003.

The Railways Bill was referred to the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee.

The Police Complaints Authority (Conditional Name Protection) Amendment Bill was referred to the Law and Order Committee.

The Sex Offenders Registry Bill was referred to the Law and Order Committee.

Changes in committee membership

The following change in select committee membership took effect from 30 July 2003:

Health - Moana Mackey replaced Ann Hartley.

Following the resignation of Graham Kelly, effective from 25 July 2003, vacancies occurred on three committees. These vacancies were filled as follows, taking effect from 30 July 2003:

Law and Order - Ann Hartley
Officers of Parliament - Hon Mark Gosche
Social Services - Moana Mackey.

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

Commerce (Michelle Malyon, SC-Commerce@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on Thursday, 31 July to further its consideration of the Business Law Reform Bill, the Consumer Credit Bill, the Copyright (Parallel Importation and Onus of Proof) Amendment Bill and the Radio New Zealand Amendment Bill.

The committee will next meet on Thursday, 7 August to further its consideration of the Shop Trading Hours Act Repeal Act (Abolition of Restrictions) Amendment Bill. The Ministry of Economic Development will also brief the committee about the Growth and Innovation Framework Indicators report. The briefing will be open to the public.

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

The committee met on Wednesday, 30 July in Wellington to hear evidence on the New Organisms and Other Matters Bill.

Next week the committee will be meeting on Wednesday, 6 August to hear further evidence on the New Organisms and Other Matters Bill.

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

The committee did not meet this week. The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, 13 August.

Submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates, GST, Trans-Tasman Imputation and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill are currently being received. The closing date for these is Friday, 15 August 2003. You can get more information at http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/programme/committees/submissions/ and at http://www.taxpolicy.ird.govt.nz/.

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

The committee met on Tuesday and Thursday this week. On Tuesday, 29 July the committee met to hear submissions on the Immigration Amendment Bill. Further submissions are to be scheduled for next Tuesday and Thursday.

The committee also considered the Volunteers Employment Protection Amendment Bill and the Counter-Terrorism Bill. Further consideration will be given to the Counter-Terrorism Bill next week. The committee has set a closing date for submissions on the Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities Amendment Bill of 31 October 2003.

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

The committee met in Auckland on Thursday, 31 July to hear evidence on the Auckland War Memorial Museum Site Empowering Bill and for a site visit of the museum.

Next week the committee will meet on Thursday, 7 August in Wellington to consider the petition of Dr George Paterson Barton Vaitoa Sa to repeal the Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982. The committee will hear evidence on the petition from a number of people, including officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Office of Treaty Settlements. The committee will also further consider the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Bill and the Auckland War Memorial Museum Site Empowering Bill.

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

This week the committee received a briefing from the Ministry of Health on the population-based formula for determining District Health Boards’ funding. It further considered its inquiry into health strategies relating to cannabis use. The committee also continued its consideration of the Health (Screening Programmes) Amendment Bill. The committee will meet next week to further consider this item and also its inquiry into the proposal to establish a trans-Tasman agency to regulate therapeutic products.

Next Wednesday, 6 August, the committee will receive a briefing on Primary Health Organisation implementation. 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 this week to continue its consideration of the Supreme Court Bill and its inquiry into the 2002 General Election. It also received a briefing from officials on the Care of Children Bill.

The Lawyers and Conveyancers Bill has been referred and the committee is now calling for submissions. The bill establishes a regulatory framework for lawyers and the new profession of conveyancing practitioners and ends the legal profession’s exclusive right to provide conveyancing services. It sets out the fundamental obligations of both lawyers and conveyancers, defines ‘regulated services’ in respect of both and establishes ‘reserved’ areas of work for both professions. A complaints and disciplinary framework is also established, including provision for fidelity funds. The bill makes it clear that self-representation before any court or tribunal will continue. The new rank of Senior Counsel is created to replace the office of Queen’s Counsel and this includes greater transparency in the appointment process.

Copies of the bill can be purchased from Bennetts Bookshop or downloaded from the Ministry of Justice website www.justice.govt.nz.
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.

The committee meets next week to continue consideration of both the Supreme Court Bill and its inquiry into the 2002 General Election. This meeting is not open to the public.

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

The committee met this week to hear more submissions on the Corrections Bill, and considered the Independent Police Complaints Authority Amendment Bill. The committee next meets on Wednesday, 6 August when it will further consider the Independent Police Complaints Authority Amendment Bill, the Telecommunications (Interception Capability) Bill, and the Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Bill. The committee will also hear another submission on the Corrections Bill, which will be in Room G.005, Parliament House, from 8.40 am to 9.00 am. This will be open to the public.

The committee is still calling for submissions on two bills, the Courts and Criminal Matters Bill, and the Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Bill. Submissions close on 6 August 2003. Submissions should be addressed to Tracey Rayner, Clerk of Committee, Law and Order Committee Secretariat, Parliament House, Wellington.

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

The committee next meets on Thursday, 7 August, to further consider the Forests Amendment Bill, the Christchurch City Council (Robert McDougall Gallery) Land Vesting Bill, the Masterton District Council (Montfort Trimble Foundation) Bill and the inquiry into the alleged accidental release of genetically engineered sweet corn plants in 2000. The meeting will not be open to the public.

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

On Thursday, 31 July the committee gave further consideration to three bills: the Wine Bill, the New Zealand Horticultural Authority Amendment Bill (No 2) and the Misuse of Drugs (Industrial Hemp) Amendment Bill. It also considered the inquiry into the administration and management of the scampi fishery.

Next Thursday, 7 August 2003, the committee will give further consideration to these items of business.

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

The committee met on Wednesday, 30 July and had a briefing from Chief Parliamentary Counsel on the issue of incorporation by reference. The committee will next meet on Wednesday, 6 August to continue its regular scrutiny of new Government regulations.

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

At its meeting on Thursday, 31 July the committee heard evidence on the Families Commission Bill. The committee will continue hearing this evidence at its next meeting on 7 August.

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

The committee met this week on Thursday, 31 July to consider the Road Traffic Reduction Bill and then was open to the public for continued hearing of submissions on the Holidays Bill and the Holidays (Four Weeks Annual Leave) Amendment Bill.

Next week on Thursday, 7 August the committee will meet in Room G.002, Parliament House, from 10.00 am to 12.45 pm to hear further submissions on the Holidays Bill and the Holidays (Four Weeks Annual Leave) Amendment Bill. The committee will travel to Auckland during the afternoon to continue hearing submissions on these bills at the Jean Batten Room, Centra Auckland Airport Hotel from 6.00 pm to 9.30 pm. On Friday, 8 August the committee will resume hearing submissions from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm at the Centra Auckland Airport Hotel.

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

Commerce
The Business Law Reform Bill (7 August 2003)
Shop Trading Hours Act Repeal Act (Abolition of Restrictions) Amendment Bill
(4 September 2003)

Finance and Expenditure
Taxation (Annual Rates, GST, Trans-Tasman Imputation and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill (15 August 2003)

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade
The Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities Amendment Bill (31 October 2003)

Government Administration
Border Security Bill (22 August 2003)

Justice and Electoral
Care of Children Bill (25 September 2003)
The Lawyers and Conveyancers Bill (3 October 2003)

Law and Order
Courts and Criminal Matters Bill (6 August 2003)
The Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Bill (6 August 2003)

Transport and Industrial Relations
The Civil Aviation Amendment Bill (3 September 2003)
The Railways Bill (1 October 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, 1 August 2003

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