select committee business
11 February 2000 to 18 February 200028 January 2000
Committee meetings
There were 18 committee meetings. Two were (including one in progress) in Auckland, and the other 16 were in the
parliamentary complex. One committee (Finance and Expenditure) went on a site visit to The Treasury.
Reports presented (1)
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade
International Treaty Examination of Amendments to the Convention of the International Maritime Organisation (Adopted on
7 November 1991 by Resolution A.724(17) of the Assembly of the Organisation), and the Amendments to Articles 16, 17, and
19 of the Convention on the International Maritime Organisation (Adopted on 4 November 1993 by Resolution A.735(18) of
the Assembly of the Organisation)
Bills referred to select committees
No bills were referred.
Committee notes
(for further information on an item, please contact the committee staff noted in brackets)
Commerce (Alan Witcombe, Ainslie Rayner)
When the House rose yesterday it was debating a notice of motion to appoint the committee's chairperson and deputy
chairperson.
Committee on the Accident Insurance (Transitional Provisions) Bill (Marie Alexander)
The committee is hearing submissions in Auckland today and expects to complete hearing submissions this week.
Education and Science (Claire Sullivan, Malcolm McNamara)
On Thursday, 17 February, the House appointed Liz Gordon as Chairperson of the committee and Helen Duncan as Deputy
Chairperson. The first meeting of the year will be held on Thursday, 24 February. The committee will receive a briefing
from the Ministry of Education.
Finance and Expenditure (Graham Hill, Julian Kersey)
Next week the committee will hear evidence from the Inland Revenue Department on its financial review and its
post-election briefing to the Minister.
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (David Sanders, Andrew Fieldsend)
The committee began its hearings on the financial reviews at its meeting yesterday, with the New Zealand Defence Force.
Committee members who had travelled to East Timor provided a briefing to other members and the Chief of Defence Force
and his staff.
Government Administration (Louise Sparrer)
Yesterday the House appointed Dianne Yates as Chairperson of the committee. Grant Gillon was appointed as the Deputy
Chairperson. The other members of the committee are Tim Barnett, David Carter, Winnie Laban, Rt Hon Don McKinnon,
Lindsay Tisch and Anne Tolley. The committee will commence work next week.
Health (Nick Aldous, Sharon Woollaston)
The committee met on Wednesday, 16 February. Evidence was heard from Nelson-Marlborough Health Services and Capital
Coast Health on the 1998/99 financial reviews of these organisations. The committee will next meet on 23 February to
continue 1998/99 financial review examinations of hospital and health services.
Law and Order (Tracey Conlon, Tracey Rayner)
The committee met on Thursday, 17 February from 10.00 am to 1.00 pm for a hearing of evidence from the New Zealand
Police on the 1998/99 financial review. The committee will next meet on Thursday, 24 February from 10.00 am to 1.00 pm
for a hearing of evidence from the Department of Corrections on the 1998/99 financial review and a briefing from the
Department of Corrections on the Integrated Offender Management (IOM) project.
Maori Affairs (Kia Paranihi, Denise Te Karu)
The committee considered six petitions and one bill, the Maori Purposes Bill, at its meeting this week. One of those
petitions deals with matters relating to the Maori language, two petitions deal with Treaty of Waitangi settlement
matters, another deals with a rohe (local district) boundary dispute and a further petition deals with a claim for
compensation. Next week the committee will examine Te Puni Kokiri (Ministry of Maori Development) within the context of
its review of the Ministry's performance in the 1998/99 financial year. The examination is scheduled to begin at 10.05
am and is open to the public.
Officers of Parliament (Adrian Carpinter)
The committee met for the first time in this Parliament on Wednesday. The committee's main role is to provide for
parliamentary control of the funding of the Offices of Parliament. The Ombudsmen and Parliamentary Commissioner for the
Environment are statutory Officers of Parliament and the Controller and Auditor-General is treated as such for funding
purposes. The committee is chaired by the Speaker and Eric Roy has been appointed as the Deputy Chairperson.
Next week, the committee will be making a familiarisation visit to the office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the
Environment.
Primary Production (Bob Bunch, April Bennett)
The committee received briefings this week from the Audit Office and the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment
on their reports about information requirements and sustainability issues for the management of New Zealand's fisheries.
The committee also considered the financial reviews of all of the Government departments, State-owned enterprises and
Crown entities in the primary production sector.
Next week, the committee will further consider the financial reviews of State-owned enterprises and consider the
Petition 1999/2070 of Sean Weaver and Pat McNamara and 5633 others regarding West Coast timber logging.
Regulations Review (Shelley Banks, Fiona McLean)
The committee met this week to examine 136 regulations made since the last meeting of the committee of the 45th
Parliament.
Social Servicesr (Tim Cooper, Karen Smyth)
The committee will turn its attention to the housing sector at its meeting on 23 February, when it will hear evidence on
the Housing Corporation of New Zealand and the Ministry of Housing as part of its financial reviews. The committee will
also receive a briefing on the Housing New Zealand Limited financial review, with a hearing of evidence likely in March.
Transport and Industrial Relations (Lyn Main, Sue Goodwin)
The committee heard evidence on 16 February on the 1998/99 financial reviews of the Ministry of Transport and the Land
Transport Safety Authority. On Wednesday, 23 February, the committee will hear evidence on the financial reviews of the
Accident Rehabilitation and Compensation Insurance Corporation and the Department of Labour.
Closing dates for submissions on bills
Committees are receiving submission on the following bills with the closing date shown:
Health
Criminal Justice Amendment Bill (No.7) (17 March 2000) Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care) Bill (17 March 2000)
Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill (No.4) (29 February 2000)
Justice and Electoral
Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Bill (25 February 2000) Legal Services Bill (25 February 2000) Statutes Amendment Bill
(No. 7) (25 February 2000)
Law and Order
Crimes Amendment Bill (No. 6) (3 March 2000)
Maori Affairs
Te Ture Whenua Maori Amendment Bill (28 April 2000)
Social Services
Student Loan Scheme Amendment Bill (No. 6) (20 April 2000)
General
The Office of the Clerk has published a 2000 edition of Effective Select Committee Membership. This is a guide for
members of Parliament to their work on select committees. Copies will shortly be available for purchase from Bennetts
Government Bookshops for $16.95.
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 at carol.rankin@parliament.govt.nz
Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk,18 February 2000