From 21 May to 28 May 2004

Committee meetings

Sixteen committee meetings were held this week, all in the parliamentary complex.

Reports presented

(available at http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/Publications/CommitteeReport)

Commerce

- 2002/03 financial review of Industry New Zealand

Education and Science

- 2002/03 financial review of New Zealand Teachers Council

Health

- Petition 2002/111 of Deborah Coddington and 19 others

Law and Order

- Police Complaints Authority (Conditional Name Protection) Amendment Bill (23-1)

Local Government and Environment

- 2002/03 financial review of the Environmental Risk Management Authority

Primary Production

- Meat Board Restructuring Bill (94-2)

Bills referred to select committees

The Disabled Persons Employment Promotion (Repeal and Related Matters) Bill was referred to the Social Services Committee with a report due 25 November 2004.

The Parental Leave and Employment Protection Amendment Bill was referred to the Social Services Committee with a report due 9 August 2004.

Changes in committee membership

Health Committee

Darren Hughes replaced Dave Hereora

Justice and Electoral Committee

Dave Hereora replaced Darren Hughes.

Committee notes

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

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

This week the committee met to consider the 2002/03 financial review of Industry New Zealand. It also furthered its consideration of the Electricity and Gas Industries Bill.

The committee next meets on 9 June to further its consideration of the Electricity and Gas Industries Bill.

Education and Science (Kirstin Lambert, SC-ES@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on 26 May to further consider the Education (Export Education Levy) Amendment Bill and to complete the 2002/03 financial review of the New Zealand Teachers’ Council.

This report is available on the Parliamentary website at:

http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/Content/SelectCommitteeReports/esfrnztc03.pdf

The committee will meet next on 16 June to hear evidence on the estimates of appropriation (votes) related to the committee’s subject areas.

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

The committee met this week to consider the 2004/05 Estimates of Appropriations and the 2003/04 Supplementary Estimates of Appropriations.

The committee will not be meeting next week.

Fisheries and Other Sea-related Legislation (Miles Reay SC-MA@parliament.govt.nz,)

On 25 May the committee considered the Maori Fisheries Bill. The committee will continue consideration of this bill on 2 and 3 of June.

The Committee is inviting public submissions on the Foreshore and Seabed Bill. Copies can be purchased from Bennetts Government Bookshops, and information can be obtained from www.beehive.govt.nz/foreshore/home.cfm

Submissions close on Monday, 12 July 2004.

The bill establishes a new, comprehensive framework for recognising rights and interests in the foreshore and seabed, clarifies the status of those areas, and provides for the recognition of customary rights and interests. The main elements of the bill are:

- vesting in the Crown the full legal and beneficial ownership of the public foreshore and seabed, to enable it to be preserved in perpetuity for the people of New Zealand

- providing for general rights of public access and recreation in, on, over, and across the public foreshore and seabed, and a general right of navigation

- recognising ancestral connection of Mâori groups with particular areas of the public foreshore and seabed, and providing the opportunity for more effective participation in decision-making processes

- recognising customary activities of the public foreshore and seabed, and protecting them under the Resource Management Act 1991

- enabling a group to seek a finding by the High Court that it would have been entitled to hold territorial customary rights to the public foreshore and seabed, had ownership not been vested in the Crown.

For further guidance on making a submission, our publication Making a Submission to a Parliamentary Select Committee can be found on our website at www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz

Please direct inquiries to Miles Reay (04) 471 9043

Submissions should be addressed to the Clerk of Committee

Fisheries and Other Sea-related Legislation Committee

Room 9.12a

Bowen House

Parliament Buildings, WELLINGTON

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

The committee met this week to hear evidence on the inquiry into the role of human rights in foreign policy. The committee also heard evidence on its inquiry into New Zealand’s relationship with Tonga. The committee will start hearing Auckland based submitters on this inquiry on 17 June.

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

This week the committee considered two petitions, heard further evidence on the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Amendment Bill, and continued it consideration of the Statutes Amendment Bill (No 4) and the Building Bill. The committee’s next meeting is scheduled for 10 June to further consider legislation before it.

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

This week the committee heard further evidence on the agreement for the establishment of a joint scheme for the regulation of therapeutic products. It also considered other items of business. The committee will next meet on 9 June.

Justice and Electoral (Angela Van Dam, SC-JE@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on 26 May, to consider the Parole (Extended Supervision) and Sentencing Amendment Bill and the Lawyers and Conveyancers Bill.

The committee will not meet next week.

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

The committee met this week to hear further evidence from the New Zealand Law Society on the Crimes Amendment Bill (No 2). The committee also continued consideration on the Courts and Criminal Matters Bill and the Police Complaints Authority (Conditional Name Protection) Amendment Bill. The committee is not meeting during the upcoming two-week parliamentary adjournment.

The committee issued a statement after this week's meeting in relation to the Crimes Amendment Bill (No 2). On behalf of the committee, Martin Gallagher, Chairperson , announced: “We have received representations from the Minister of Justice, Hon Phil Goff, requesting that we consider recommending to the House the removal of the similarity of age defence in proposed new section 134A of the Crimes Act 1961 contained in the Crimes Amendment Bill (No 2)”.“The committee are sympathetic to the Minister’s views”, Mr Gallagher added.

The committee presented its report on the Police Complaints Authority (Conditional Name Protection) Amendment Bill on 27 May, recommending that the bill not proceed. The committee’s report can be accessed at

Local Government and Environment (Beth Watson, SC-LGE@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on 26 May to consider the Local Government Law Reform Bill (No 3), and on 27 May to hear evidence and consider its inquiry into the alleged accidental release of genetically engineered sweet corn plants in 2000 and subsequent actions taken.

The committee is scheduled to meet next on 10 June to consider the Local Government Law Reform Bill (No 3) and its inquiry into the alleged accidental release of genetically engineered sweet corn plants in 2000 and subsequent actions taken.

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

The committee met on 27 May to further consider the Fisheries Amendment Bill No 3. There will be no meetings next week. On 10 June the committee will commence examination of the 2004/05 Estimates with hearing of evidence from Ministers for Votes Agriculture and Forestry, Biosecurity and Food Safety. It will also consider Votes Fisheries and Lands. In the afternoon it will give further consideration to and hear evidence on the Fisheries Amendment Bill No 3.

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

This week the committee considered a number of deemed regulations, including amendments to the New Zealand Food Standards 2002, and amendments to the Maritime Rules. The committee also further considered its inquiry into delegated legislation.

The committee will next meet on 16 June 2004 to continue its scrutiny of new Government regulations.

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

The committee met on 27 May to finish hearing evidence on the Social Security (Long-term Residential Care) Amendment Bill. The committee will meet next on 17 June to hear evidence on the estimates of appropriation (votes) related to the committee’s subject areas.

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

The committee met on 26 May to consider the Local Government (Auckland) Amendment Bill. On 27 May the committee heard further submissions on the Employment Relations Law Reform Bill.

During the adjournment period the committee will meet in Wellington on Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 June to hear submissions on the Employment Relations Law Reform Bill. The meeting will be open to the public and the times will be approximately 9.00 am to 8.20 pm on the first day and 9.00 am to 6.00 pm on the second day. The meeting room will be notified closer to the time.

Closing dates for submissions

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

Finance and Expenditure

- Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) 210 (4 June 2004)

Fisheries and Other Sea-related Legislation

- Foreshore and Seabed Bill (12 July 2004)

Law and Order

- Crimes (Drug Rape) Amendment Bill (9 June 2004)

Social Services

- Charities Bill (3 June 2004)

- New Zealand Superannuation Amendment Bill (2 July 2004)

- Disabled Persons Employment Promotion (Repeal and Related Matters) Bill (closing date not yet determined)

- Parental Leave and Employment Protection Amendment Bill (25 June 2004)

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:

Louise Sparrer

Senior Parliamentary Officer

louise.sparrer@parliament.govt.nz

Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk, 28 June 2004

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