SELECT COMMITTEE BUSINESS
7 July 2000 to 14 July 2000
Committee meetings
There were three committee meetings this week. Two of these were in the South Island. The other one was in the parliamentary complex.

Reports presented (2)
Maori Affairs
 Petition 1993/627 of Bertram Kairo McLean and Colin Frances Reeder

Commerce
 Economic Development (Industry New Zealand and Ministry of Economic Development) Bill (17-2)

Bills referred to select committees
The Tauranga District Council (Route K Toll) Empowering Bill was referred to the Local Government and Environment Committee. This is a local bill introduced and referred to a committee during an adjournment pursuant to Standing Order 275, which enables such a bill to be referred in this manner.

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

Commerce (Alan Witcombe, SC-Commerce@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee did not meet this week. However, on 13 July 2000 its report on the Economic Development (Industry New Zealand and Ministry of Economic Development) Bill was presented.

The committee by majority recommended amendments to make partnership between central government, business and the community a central feature of the bill. The amendments make explicit Industry New Zealand's role in facilitating the development of industry and regional development strategies and providing a conduit to Government on how best its policies can be achieved. The committee recommended strong board representation from the private sector.

The bill allows for the establishment and naming of the two government organisations that will be responsible for developing, co-ordinating and implementing the Government's economic development policies.

The bill creates a new vehicle, Industry New Zealand, through which the Government is able to deliver programmes aimed at promoting regional and industry development. In addition, it renames the Ministry of Commerce as the Ministry of Economic Development.

Education and Science (Clare Sullivan, SC-ES@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee is meeting in Auckland on Thursday, 20 July 2000, to hear submissions on the Educational Establishments (Exemption from Certain Rates) Bill and the Education (Limiting Number of Universities) Amendment Bill. The meeting will be at the Hotel Grand Chancellor from 9.30am to 12.30pm.

Employment and Accident Insurance Legislation (Marie Alexander,
SC-EAI@parliament.govt.nz)
Several meetings are scheduled for next week to continue work on the Employment Relations Bill.

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (David Sanders, SC-FD@parliament.govt.nz)
The Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee has been referred the New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone Extension Bill. This is a member's bill of Jeanette Fitzsimons of the Green Party. The committee has set a closing date for submission of 2 October 2000. These should be sent to David Sanders, Clerk of Committee, Parliament Buildings, Wellington.

Justice and Electoral (Tracey Conlon, SC-JE@parliament.govt.nz)
The Justice and Electoral Committee begins hearings on Supplementary Order Paper No 25 next week. This SOP aims to make many changes to matrimonial property law, including the introduction of measures to address issues of economic disparity, and the extension of matrimonial property laws to cover those in de facto and same sex relationships.

The committee will be hearing submissions in Wellington on Tuesday, 18 July from 9.00am to 1.00pm, and 3.45pm to 6.00pm. It will then travel to Auckland on Wednesday to hear submissions from 10.00am to 5.00pm at the Barrycourt Hotel. The next day the committee will travel to Christchurch to hear submissions from 10.00am to 1.00pm at the Rydges Hotel.

The committee must make its report to the House on the Matrimonial Property Amendment Bill and Supplementary Order Paper No 25 by 4 September 2000.

The Local Elections (Single Transferable Vote Option) Bill was referred to the committee on 5 July 2000. This bill would enable the single transferable vote option to be used for electing members of local authorities. A closing date for submissions of 1 September 2000 has been set.

Local Government and Environment (David Bagnall, SC-LGE@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met all day in Christchurch on Wednesday 12 July to hear submissions on two bills. Submissions heard on the Resource Management Amendment Bill include the Christchurch Community Law Centre, Dunedin and Christchurch City Councils, Tasman District Council, Otago and Canterbury Regional Councils, the Resource Users Association, Federated Mountain Clubs, Public Access New Zealand, Crown Public Health Limited, New Zealand Clean Air Society, Environmental Management and Design Division of Lincoln University and the Anthropology and Geography Departments of the University of Otago.

Submissions heard on the Forests (West Coast Accord) Bill in Christchurch include the Central Office and North Canterbury Branch of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society and the Division of Soil, Plant and Ecological Sciences of Lincoln University.

In Hokitika on Thursday 13 July the committee held hearings all day on the Forests (West Coast Accord) Bill. A total of 50 submissions were heard, including a number of individuals, the majority of whom oppose the bill. The following organisations also presented evidence: West Coast Commercial Gold Miners’ Association, New Zealand Minerals Industry Association, West Coast Tai Poutini Conservation Board, Native Forest Action, Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu, the Buller, Grey and Westland District Councils and West Coast Regional Council, Buller Conservation Group, Coast Action Network, the Magna Carta Society and the New Zealand Institute of Forestry.

Over the two days the committee heard approximately 20 hours of evidence.

MMP Review (Louise Sparrer, SC-MMP@parliament.govt.nz)
The terms of reference for the review of MMP are set out in a press release located at www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/programme/committees/pressrelease.html.

Maori Affairs (Kia Paranihi, SC-MA@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee is presently considering the petition of Kathleen Hemi QSM and the Ngati Apa ki Te Waipounamu Trust, Te Atiawa Manawhenua ki te Tau Ihu Trust, Te Runanga o Ngati Kuia Trust, Ngati Rarua Iwi Trust, Te Runanga o Rangitane o Wairau Incorporated, Ngati Tama Manawhenua ji te Tau Ihu Trust. A recent decision from the Court of Appeal has cast an interesting light on how the petitioners might proceed in seeking a remedy for their boundary dispute with Ngai Tahu. The committee will deal with the petition again in August.

The committee will continue hearings on Te Ture Whenua Maori Amendment Bill in the two weeks following the adjournment with submissions by land-based people and organisations including, Ngati Porou, Tangahoe, Pakakohe and Te Tau Ihu Iwi.

Social Services (Tim Cooper, SC-SS@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee is conducting Estimates examinations on Wednesday 19 July. It will hear evidence on four votes. The Vote Minister for each of the votes is Hon Steve Maharey. Public hearings will take place on Vote Work and Income, Vote Employment Policy, Vote Social Services, and Vote Child, Youth and Family Services. The Minister will be present for these sessions.

Closing dates for submissions
Committees are receiving submissions on the following items with the closing date shown. Twenty copies of submissions are required.

Commerce
Chartered Professional Engineers of New Zealand Bill (1 September 2000)

Education and Science
Inquiry into student fees, loans, allowances and the overall resourcing of tertiary education (24 July 2000)

Finance and Expenditure
Taxpayers’ Charter Bill (31 July 2000)

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade
New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone Extension Bill (2 October 2000)

Justice and Electoral
Local Elections (Single Transferable Vote Option) (1 September 2000)

MMP Review
Review of MMP and other aspects of the electoral system (31 July 2000)

Social Services
Social Welfare (Transitional Provisions) Amendment Bill (11 August 2000)

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:

Carol Rankin
Senior Parliamentary Officer
ph: 471 9534, fax: 499 0486, or at carol.rankin@parliament.govt.nz

Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk, 14 July 2000

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