From 26 May to 30 May 2014

Committee meetings

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

Reports presented

Finance and Expenditure Committee

• Report from the Controller and Auditor-General, Draft Annual Plan 2014/15 (including the Auditor-General's proposed work programme for 2014/15)

• Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s Financial Stability Report, May 2014 (I.3P)

• Whole of government directions regarding procurement, ICT, and property functional leadership

Government Administration Committee

• Petition 2011/97 of Kyle Lockwood

• Inquiry into the accessibility of services to Parliament (I.5B)

Health Committee

• 2012/13 financial review of Southern District Health Board

• Briefing from His Excellency Khin Aung Myint, Speaker of the Upper House, Myanmar Parliament

• Petition 2011/79 of Rae Reynolds and 276 others

• Petition 2011/85 of Cynthia Bowers and 1,035 others

• Petition 2011/88 of Sym Gardiner

• Petition 2011/89 of Neil Pluck on behalf of the Rakaia Community Association

• Petition 2011/98 of Carrie Hetherington

• Petition 2011/99 of Shayne Jeffares on behalf of Together Napier

Justice and Electoral Committee

• Harmful Digital Communications Bill (168-2)

Social Services Committee

• Report from the Controller and Auditor-General, Public entities in the social sector: Our audit work

Bills referred to select committees

Local Government and Environment

• Christchurch City Council (Rates Validation) Bill (204-1)

Changes in committee membership

Local Government and Environment

• Kelvin Davis replaced Phil Twyford (SO 291(2))

Committee notes

Commerce

The committee met on 28 and 29 May to consider and hear evidence on the 2014/15 Estimates for Vote Communication, Vote Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Vote Economic Development and Employment, Vote Energy, and Vote Tourism.

The committee will not meet during the two-week adjournment, and will next meet on 19 June to consider the Energy (Fuels, Levies and References) Amendment Bill, and consider the 2014/15 Estimates for Vote Communication, Vote Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Vote Economic Development and Employment, Vote Energy, and Vote Tourism.

Education and Science

The committee met on 28 May to hear evidence on the Education Amendment Bill (No 2). A sub-committee met on 27, 28 and 29 May for further hearings of evidence on the bill.

The full committee will meet on 4 June for hearings of evidence on Vote Science and Innovation and Vote Tertiary Education (Hon Steven Joyce will appear before the committee from 9.30 am to 10.40 am) and Vote Education and Vote Education Review Office (Hon Hekia Parata will appear from 11.00 am to 12.30 pm).

Finance and Expenditure

The committee met on 28 May to consider the Reports from the Controller and Auditor-General, Schools: Results of the 2012 audits, Health sector: Results of the 2012/13 audits, Draft Annual Plan 2014/15 (including the Auditor-General’s proposed work programme for 2014/15).

The committee also further considered the Supplementary Estimates of Appropriations for the year ending 30 June 2014, the Whole of government directions regarding procurement, ICT, and property functional leadership, and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s Financial Stability Report, May 2014.

The committee also heard evidence on the 2014/15 Estimates for Vote Revenue.

The committee will next meet on 12 June when it will consider and hear evidence on the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s Monetary Policy Statement, June 2014

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade

The committee did not meet this week.

The committee will next meet on 5 June when it will consider and hear evidence on the 2014/15 Estimates for Votes Customs, Defence, Defence Force, Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Official Development Assistance.

Government Administration

The committee met on 28 May and heard evidence on the 2014/15 Estimates for Vote Internal Affairs and Vote Prime Minister and Cabinet. The committee also completed consideration of Petition 2011/97 of Kyle Lockwood. The committee also hosted a visit from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association – United Kingdom branch.

The committee will meet next on 18 June.

Health

The committee met on 28 May 2014, when it heard evidence on Petition 2011/81 of Patricia Maich Armstrong and on the 2014/15 Estimates Vote Health. It also considered the 2012/13 financial review of the Southern District Health Board, Petition 2011/88 of Sym Gardiner, Petition 2011/98 of Carrie Hetherington, Petition 2011/66 of Ann Chapman and 1,053 others, 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, and a report on the visit of His Excellency U Khin Aung Myint, Speaker of Amyotha Hluttaw, Myanmar Parliament.

The committee will next meet on 18 June 2014, when it will hear evidence on the Briefing on Prostate Cancer. It will also consider the 2014/15 Estimates Vote Health, the Smoke-free Environment (Tobacco Plain Packaging) Amendment Bill, the Briefing on English language proficiency tests with reference to non-English speaking health professionals seeking registration in New Zealand, and Petition 2011/102 of Carmel Berry and Charlotte Korte.

Justice and Electoral

This week the committee heard evidence on the 2014/15 Estimates for Votes Attorney General, Parliamentary Counsel, Courts and Justice. It also continued its consideration of Judicature Modernisation Bill.

Law and Order

The committee met on 28 May 2014 to receive a briefing on information sharing between civil courts and the New Zealand Parole Board.

The committee will next meet on 4 June 2014 to conduct the hearings of evidence with the Minister on Votes Police, Correction and Serious Fraud as part of the 2014/15 Estimates.

Local Government and Environment

The committee met on 29 May to hear evidence on the Building (Earthquake-prone Buildings) Amendment Bill, the Environmental Reporting Bill, the Kaikōura (Te Tai-o-Marokura) Marine Management Bill, and the 2014/15 Estimates for Vote Environment.

The committee will next meet on 5 June.

Māori Affairs

The committee met this week to hear evidence on the Waitangi National Trust Board Amendment Bill, and to consider and hear evidence on the 2014/15 Estimates for Vote Māori Affairs and Vote Treaty Negotiations.

The committee will not be meeting next week.

Primary Production

The committee met on 29 May when it received briefings on the report of the Controller and Auditor-General: Preparing for and responding to biosecurity incursions, and the regulation of the whitebait fishery on the West Coast.

The committee will next meet on 19 June 2014.

Privileges

The committee met on 28 May to consider the Parliamentary Privilege Bill, the Question of privilege regarding the intrusive powers within the parliamentary precinct and the Question of privilege regarding use of social media to report on parliamentary proceedings.

The committee will not meet next week.

Regulations Review

The committee met on 22 May 2014 to consider its Inquiry into oversight of disallowable instruments that are not legislative instruments. The committee continued its scrutiny of various legislative instruments and disallowable instruments that are not legislative instruments.

The committee will next meet on 29 May 2014 to further consider its Inquiry into oversight of disallowable instruments that are not legislative instruments. The committee will also continue its scrutiny of various legislative instruments and disallowable instruments that are not legislative instruments, and regulation-making powers in bills.

Social Services

The committee met on 28 May to consider its Inquiry into the funding of specialist sexual violence social services and a report from the Controller and Auditor-General, Public entities in the social sector: Our audit work. The report from the Controller and Auditor-General was presented to the House on 29 May 2014.

It also considered and heard evidence on the 2014/15 Estimates for Vote Social Development, for Vote Housing, and for Vote Senior Citizens. The meeting was open to the public while the Minister of Housing and Minister for Building and Construction, both of whom are Hon Dr Nick Smith, and the chief executive and senior officials from Housing New Zealand Corporation, as well as senior officials from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment appeared to give evidence on the 2014/15 Estimates for Vote Housing. The meeting was also open to the public while the Minister for Social Development, Hon Paula Bennett, and the Associate Minister for Social Development, Hon Chester Borrows, as well as the chief executive and senior officials from the Ministry of Social Development appeared to give evidence on the 2014/15 Estimates for Vote Social Development. The meeting was again open to the public while the Minister for Senior Citizens, Hon Jo Goodhew, as well as the chief executive and senior officials from the Ministry of Social Development, appeared to give evidence on the 2014/15 Estimates for Vote Senior Citizens.

The committee will not be meeting during the June adjournment.

The committee is scheduled to next meet on 18 June to consider the Social Security (Clothing Allowances for Orphans and Unsupported Children) Amendment Bill, the 2014/15 Estimates for Vote Social Development, for Vote Housing, and for Vote Senior Citizens, its Inquiry into boarding houses in New Zealand, its Briefing into long-term caravan park and motor camp accommodation, and the petition of Vivian Needham.

Standing Orders

The committee did not meet this week.

Transport and Industrial Relations

The committee met on 29 May to consider the Land Transport Amendment Bill and to hear evidence on the 2014/15 Estimates for Vote Transport, Vote Immigration and Vote Labour.

The committee will not be meeting next week.

Closing dates for submissions

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

Government Administration

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

Submissions can be made online

General

Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk, 30 May 2014

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