Select Committee Business

From 12 May to 16 May

Committee meetings

There were 17 committee meetings, all in the parliamentary complex.

Reports presented

Finance and Expenditure Committee

• Petition 2011/101 of Penelope Mary Bright and 13 others

• Report from the Controller and Auditor-General, Central Government: Results of the 2012/13 audits (Volume 2)

Government Administration Committee

• 2012/13 financial review of Drug Free Sport New Zealand

• Report from the Chief Ombudsman, Information fault lines, Accessing EQC Information in Canterbury, A joint report of the Chief Ombudsman and the Privacy Commissioner into the Earthquake Commission's handling of information requests in Canterbury

Local Government and Environment Committee

• Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill (No 3) (165-2)

Māori Affairs Committee

• Briefing from the Commissioner of Police regarding Police Operation Eight

Social Services Committee

• 2012/13 financial review of the Families Commission

• 2012/13 financial review of the Retirement Commissioner

Regulations Review

• Complaint regarding the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects—Permitted Activities) Regulations 2013 (SR 2013/283) (I.16G)

Changes in committee membership

Education and Science

• Hon Maryan Street replaced Grant Robertson (SO 184(2))

Finance and Expenditure

• Grant Robertson replaced Hon Shane Jones (SO 184(2))

Justice and Electoral

• Andrew Little replaced Hon Maryan Street (SO 184(2))

Primary Production

• Meka Whaitiri replaced Hon Shane Jones (SO 184(2))

Transport and Industrial Relations

• Phil Twyford replaced Andrew Little (SO 184(2))

Committee notes

Commerce

The committee met on 15 May to consider the Accounting Infrastructure Reform Bill, and the Energy (Fuels, Levies, and References) Amendment Bill.

The committee will next meet on 22 May to consider the Energy (Fuels, Levies and References) Amendment Bill, and the 2012/13 financial review of Radio New Zealand Limited.

Education and Science

The committee met on 13, 14 and 15 May to hear evidence on the Education Amendment Bill (No 2).

The committee will meet in Wellington on 21 May for further hearings of evidence on the bill.

Sub-committees will meet in Wellington to hear evidence on the bill on 20, 21 and 22 May.

Finance and Expenditure

The committee met on 14 May when it further considered the petitions of Roy Reid on behalf of Grey Power Federation New Zealand 2012/13 and Penelope Bright and 13 others. The Committee also further considered the report of the Controller and Auditor-General, Central Government: Results of the 2012/13 audits (Volume 2).

The committee also received a briefing on the Whole of Government directions regarding procurement functional leadership and heard evidence on the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Amendment Bill.

The committee also considered and heard evidence from the Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand on the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s Financial Stability Report, May 2014.

The committee also meet on 15 May to allocate the Estimates examinations.

The committee will next meet on 21 May.

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade

The committee met on 15 May when it heard evidence on the International treaty examination of the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Regional Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education.

The committee will next meet on 22 May.

Government Administration

The committee met on 14 May and considered its inquiry into the accessibility of services to Parliament, and the Statutes Amendment Bill (No 4). It also completed consideration of the report of the Chief Ombudsman, Information fault lines, Accessing EQC information in Canterbury, A joint report of the Chief Ombudsman and the Privacy Commissioner into the Earthquake Commission’s handling of information requests in Canterbury and the 2012/13 financial review of Drug Free Sport New Zealand. The committee also received a delegation from the Kenyan Parliamentary Service Commission.

The committee will meet next on 21 May when it will begin hearings of evidence on the 2014/15 Estimates.

Health

The committee met on 14 May 2014, when it considered the Briefing from the Treasury on Estimates documentation, Petition 2011/107 of Thomas Hamilton and 435 others, Petition 2011/109 of Joday Anderson on behalf of Tube Wean NZ and 4,161 others and heard evidence on the Smoke-free Environment (Tobacco Plain Packaging) Amendment Bill.

The Health committee will next meet on Wednesday 21 May 2014, when it will consider Petition 2011/102 of Carmel Berry and Charlotte Korte, Petition 2011/79 of Rae Reynolds and 276 others, Petition 2011/85 of Cynthia Bowers and 1,035 others, Petition 2011/89 of Neil Pluck on behalf of the Rakaia Community Association, Petition 2011/99 of Shane Jeffares on behalf of Together Napier. It will also hear evidence on the Smoke-free Environment (Tobacco Plain Packaging) Amendment Bill and receive a Briefing from His Excellency Khin Aung Myint, Speaker of the Upper House, Myanmar Parliament.

Justice and Electoral

This week the committee considered the Inquiry into the 2013 local authority elections, and considered the Harmful Digital Communications Bill, and the Judicature Modernisation Bill.

Next week the committee will continue considering these three items of business, and hear evidence on a briefing from the Treasury on changes to the 2014/15 Budget documents.

Law and Order

The committee met on 14 May 2014 to hear evidence from the Department of Corrections on the report from the Office of the Auditor-General “Department of Corrections: Managing offenders to reduce reoffending”, and to further consider the Parole Amendment Bill.

The committee will meet on 21 May 2014 to consider the 2014/15 Estimates for Vote Corrections, Vote Police and Vote Serious Fraud.

Local Government and Environment

The committee met on 15 May to hear evidence on the Kaikōura (Te Tai-o-Marokura) Marine Management Bill, the Building (Earthquake-prone Buildings) Amendment Bill, and the Environmental Reporting Bill. It also considered the Manukau City Council (Regulation of Prostitution in Specified Places) Bill.

The committee will next meet on 29 May. A subcommittee formed by the committee will meet in Kaikōura on 22 May to hear further evidence on the Kaikōura (Te Tai-o-Marokura) Marine Management Bill.

Māori Affairs

The committee did not meet this week.

The committee will be meeting next week to consider the Waitangi National Trust Board Amendment Bill and the 2012/13 financial review of Te Reo Whakapuaki Irirangi (Māori Broadcasting Funding Agency. The committee will also be meeting with the Speaker from the Upper House of Myanmar.

Primary Production

The committee met on 15 May to receive briefings on pest control of plants and animals including wildling pines and rabbits and new import health standards for pork and consider the petition of Jon Muller.

The committee will next meet on 22 May when it will consider the Animal Welfare Amendment Bill, conduct hearings into the 201415 Estimates for Vote Lands and Vote Food Safety, and receive a briefing on fertiliser standards.

Privileges

The committee met on 14 May 2014 to consider the Parliamentary Privilege Bill, and other items of business before it.

The committee is expecting to meet again on 21 May 2014.

Regulations Review

The committee met on 15 May 2014 to scrutinise of various legislative instruments and disallowable instruments that are not legislative instruments, and to consider regulation making powers in bills

The committee will next meet on 22 May 2014 to hear evidence on the Complaint regarding the Arms (Military Style Semi-automatic Firearms - Pistol Grips) Order 2013 (SR 2013/464). The committee will also continue its scrutiny of various legislative instruments and disallowable instruments that are not legislative instruments, and to consider regulation making powers in bills.

Social Services

The committee met on 14 May to hear evidence from the Treasury on its Briefing from The Treasury on navigating the Estimates documents, as well as its Report from the Controller and Auditor-General, Public entities in the social sector: Our audit work. The meeting was open to the public while the Office of the Controller and Auditor-General spoke to its report.

The committee then considered the 2012/13 financial review of the Families Commission, and the Retirement Commissioner, the Social Security (Clothing Allowances for Orphans and Unsupported Children) Amendment Bill, its inquiry into the funding of specialist sexual violence social services, and a petition from Vivian Needham.

The committee will next meet on 21 May to consider the Social Security (Clothing Allowances for Orphans and Unsupported Children) Amendment Bill, three petitions dealing with state housing developments and affordability in Pomare, Maraenui, and Glen Innes from Dina Awarau, Michelle Ratima, and Mary Utanga, the 2014/15 Estimates for Vote Social Development, for Vote Housing, and for Vote Senior Citizens, its Inquiry into boarding houses in New Zealand, and it Briefing into long-term caravan park and motor camp accommodation.

Standing Orders

The committee did not meet this week.

Transport and Industrial Relations

The committee met on 15 May 2014 to hear evidence on the Health and Safety Reform Bill, and the Petition of Jan Mossman and 15,000 others. The committee also considered the Land Transport Amendment Bill.

The committee will meet next week on 22 May.

Closing dates for submissions

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

Government Administration Committee

• Statutes Amendment Bill (No 4) (6 June 2014)

Submissions can be made online

General

Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk, 16 May 2014

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