Select Committee Business

From 26 November to 3 December 2004

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

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

Commerce 2003/04 financial review of Broadcasting Commission (NZ on Air), the Broadcasting Standards Authority, the Electricity Corporation of New Zealand, and the Meteorological Service of New Zealand (MetService)

Education and Science Inquiry into teacher education (I.2C) 2003/04 financial review of Ministry of Research, Science and Technology

Health 2003/04 financial review of Ministry of Health Petition 2002/126 of Geoff Annals on behalf of New Zealand Nurses Organisation and Petition 2002/113 of Lianne Dalziel Petition 2002/133 of Lianne Dalziel

Justice and Electoral Civil Union Bill (149-2) and the associated petition of Vanessa Ralph and 405 others 2003/04 financial review of Crown Law Office 2003/04 financial review of Legal Services Agency

Maori Affairs Te Runanga o Ngati Awa Bill (176-2)

Primary Production 2003/04 financial review of Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), Ministry of Fisheries, and Land Information New Zealand 2003/04 financial review of Timberlands West Coast Limited

Regulations Review Subordinate Legislation (Confirmation and Validation) Bill (No 3) (204-2)

Transport and Industrial Relations 2003/04 financial review of Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand 2003/04 financial review of Maritime Safety Authority of New Zealand 2003/04 financial review of New Zealand Railways Corporation

Changes in committee membership

Education and Science Committee Deborah Coddington became a full member. Commerce Committee Kenneth Wang replaced Rodney Hide (SO 187(2)).

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

Commerce (Michelle Malyon, SC-Commerce@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met on 2 December to consider and hear evidence on the 2003/04 financial review of Meridian Energy Limited. The committee also furthered its consideration of two petitions and the briefing on the alleged breach of the Commerce Act in the auto-glazing industry. The committee will meet next on 9 December to consider and hear evidence on the 2003/04 financial review of the Takeovers Panel as well as a number of other items of business.

Education and Science (Kirstin Lambert, SC-ES@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met on 1 December when it heard evidence on the 2003/04 financial reviews of the Education Review Office, the Ministry of Education and the Education (Establishment of Universities) Amendment Bill. The committee also considered its inquiry into Northland Polytechnic. On 2 December the committee presented its report on the financial review of the Ministry of Research Science and Technology. This report can be viewed at: http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/Content/SelectCommitteeReports/MoRST%20FR%20final%20report.pdf The committee is scheduled to meet next Wednesday to further consider the Education (Establishment of Universities) Amendment Bill and the inquiry into Northland Polytechnic.

Finance and Expenditure (Lesley Ferguson, SC-FE@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met this week to hear evidence on the Customs and Excise (Motor Spirits) Amendment Bill. Next week, the committee will meet on Tuesday to further consider the Customs and Excise (Motor Spirits) Amendment Bill; on Wednesday to hear evidence on the 2003/04 financial review of Air New Zealand Limited, and consider the 2003/04 financial review of Radio New Zealand Limited; and on Thursday to hear evidence on the December 2004 Monetary Policy Statement.

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (David Sanders, SC-FD@parliament.govt.nz) The committee did not meet this week. The committee will continue its financial reviews on 18 November when it hears evidence from the New Zealand Defence Force, and the Ministry of Defence. The committee will also give further consideration to its inquiry on New Zealand’s relationship with Tonga.

Government Administration (Nerina Bennett, SC-GA@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met on 30 November to hear evidence on the 2003/04 financial reviews of the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs, and the State Services Commission. The committee also met on 2 December to hear evidence on the Historic Places Amendment Bill and to consider the petition of Gregor Alexander Macaulay. The committee also considered its 2003/04 financial review of the Department of Internal Affairs. The committee will not meet next week.

Health (Catherine Parkin, SC-Health@parliament.govt.nz) This week the committee continued to hear evidence on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill (No 3). The committee also received a briefing on the National Vision and Hearing Screening Programme. The committee reported to the House on a number of items of business, including the 2003/04 financial review of the Ministry of Health, two petitions relating to caregivers’ wages, and a petition relating to enrolled nurses. These reports can be viewed at: http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/Content/SelectCommitteeReports The committee is inviting public submissions on Supplementary Order Paper 298, which proposes amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill (No 3). The closing date for submissions is 31 January 2005.

Justice and Electoral (Angela Van Dam, SC-JE@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met on 1 December, to consider the Relationships (Statutory References) Bill, the Inquiry into the 2004 Local Authority Elections, and all petitions currently before the committee. The committee will meet next on 8 December, to consider Petition 2002/055 of Lynley Jane Hood and Dr Don Brash and 807 others, and Petition 2002/70 of Gaye Davidson and 3346 others.

Law and Order (Tracey Rayner, SC-LO@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met this week to consider and hear evidence on the 2003/04 financial review of the Department of Corrections. The committee is scheduled to next meet on 8 December to further consider the 2003/04 financial reviews of the Serious Fraud Office, and the New Zealand Police.

Local Government and Environment (Beth Watson, SC-LGE@parliament.govt.nz) At its meeting on 2 December the committee completed its consideration of the 2003/04 financial reviews of the Department of Conservation, the Ministry for the Environment, and the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment. The committee also considered several of the petitions that it has before it.

Maori Affairs (Miles Reay, SC-MA@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met on 30 November to consider the Te Runanga o Ngati Awa Bill and the Ngati Awa Claims Settlement Bill. It also met on 2 December to hear evidence on the financial review of Te Puni Kôkiri (Ministry of Maori Development), and further consider the Ngati Awa Claims Settlement Bill. The committee is calling for public submissions on the Ngati Tuwharetoa (Bay of Plenty) Claims Settlement Bill. The bill aims to record the acknowledgements and apology between the Crown and Ngati Tuwharetoa (Bay of Plenty) in the deed of settlement dated 6 June 2003 between the Crown and Ngati Tuwharetoa (Bay of Plenty), and to give effect to settlement of historical claims agreed by the Crown and Ngati Tuwharetoa (Bay of Plenty) in that deed. The closing date for submissions is Monday, 20 December 2004.

Primary Production (Bob Bunch, SC-PP@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met three times this week to further consider the Aquaculture Reform Bill. This will continue at the committee’s next meeting on 6 December.

Social Services (Graham Hill, SC-SS@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met on 2 December to hear evidence on the 2003/04 financial reviews of the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services and the Ministry of Social Development. The committee also considered further the Charities Bill. The committee will meet next on 9 December to hear evidence on the Ministry of Housing, and the Housing New Zealand Corporation.

Transport and Industrial Relations (Kath Henderson, SC-TI@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met on 2 December to hear evidence on the 2003/04 financial reviews of the Land Transport Safety Authority, Transfund New Zealand, and Transit New Zealand. The committee also reported the 2003/04 financial reviews of the New Zealand Railways Corporation, the Maritime Safety Authority, and the CAA. Next week the committee will meet from 8.00 am to 8.50 am to hear evidence on the 2003/04 financial review of the ACC. This meeting in room G007 will be open to the public.

Closing dates for submissions Committees are receiving submissions on the following items with the closing date shown: Commerce New Zealand Guardian Trust Company Amendment Bill (6 December 2004) Government Administration Animal Welfare (Restriction on Docking of Dogs’ Tails) Bill (28 February 2005) Health Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill (No 3) SOP 298 (31 January 2005) Justice and Electoral Inquiry into the 2004 Local Authority Elections (25 February 2005) Maori Affairs Ngati Tuwharetoa (Bay of Plenty) Claims Settlement Bill (20 December 2004) Social Services Social Security (Social Assistance) Amendment Bill (31 January 2005)

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
ph: 471 9569, fax: 499 0486, or at louise.sparrer@parliament.govt.nz Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk, 3 December 2004

ENDS

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