SELECT COMMITTEE BUSINESS
14 July 2000 to 21 July 2000
Committee meetings
There were nine committee meetings, including one subcommittee. Five meetings were outside Wellington, with the
remainder being held in the parliamentary complex.
Reports presented
No reports were presented.
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, SC-Commerce@parliament.govt.nz)
On 27 July the committee will examine Vote Industry and Regional Development. The vote is a new vote in the 2000/01
Estimates and appropriations formerly part of Vote Business Development have become part of the new vote. Appropriations
sought for the vote total $50.6 million. The committee will hear evidence from the Minister for Industry and Regional
Development. The committee will spend the remainder of its meeting considering the Sale of Liquor Amendment Bill (No 3).
Education and Science (Clare Sullivan, SC-ES@parliament.govt.nz)
This week the committee met in Auckland to hear submissions on the Educational Establishments (Exemption from Certain
Rates) Bill and the Education (Limiting Number of Universities) Amendment Bill. In the afternoon the Education and
Science Subcommittee on the inquiry into reading in New Zealand met and visited Sutton Park Primary School and the Woolf
Fisher Research Centre.
Next week the committee will hear more submissions on the Educational Establishments (Exemption from Certain Rates)
Bill.
Submissions on the inquiry into student fees, loans, allowances and the overall resourcing of tertiary education close
on Monday, 24 July.
Finance and Expenditure (Graham Hill, SC-FE@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee will meet next on 26 July to hear evidence on Votes Economic Development and Finance, the Fiscal Strategy
Report and the Budget Economic and Fiscal Update. The committee will also consider further the Taxation (FBT, SSCWT and
Remedial Matters) Bill.
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (David Sanders, SC-FD@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met on Tuesday to hear submissions on the International Crimes and International Criminal Court Bill. The
committee also heard evidence on Votes Customs, Defence and Defence Force from Ministers, departmental chief executives
and senior managers. The committee will resume its consideration of Estimates at its meeting on 3 August.
Government Administration (Fiona McLean, SC-GA@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee did not meet during the July adjournment. The committee will meet twice next week to continue its
examination of the 2000/01 Estimates. On 25 July the committee continues its consideration of Vote Pacific Island
Affairs, and will hear evidence from the Minister of Pacific Island Affairs on the Pacific Business Trust. The chief
executive of the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs and the chairperson of the Pacific Business Trust will also give
evidence.
The committee will meet again on 27 July to continue with the 2000/01 Estimates. In the morning the committee will hear
evidence from the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Rt Hon Helen Clark, together with officials from the Ministry
for Culture and Heritage, on Vote Arts, Culture and Heritage. The committee will then continue consideration of Vote
Office of the Clerk, Vote Parliamentary Service and Vote Pacific Island Affairs.
In the afternoon, the committee will hear evidence on Vote State Services and Vote Sport, Fitness and Leisure. The
Minister of State Services and of Sport, Fitness and Leisure will appear before the committee together with officials
from the State Services Commission and from the Office of Tourism and Sport.
The committee will also continue its consideration of the Fire Service Amendment Bill and the Gaming and Lotteries
Amendment Bill. Both bills seek to remove the Secretary of Internal Affairs from ex-officio membership of the New
Zealand Fire Service Commission and the Lotteries Commission.
Health (Nick Aldous, SC-Health@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee did not meet this week. On 26 July the committee will consider the Nurse Maude Association Bill and the
financial review of the Health Research Council of New Zealand.
Justice and Electoral (Tracey Conlon, SC-JE@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week in Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch to hear
submissions on the Supplementary Order Paper to the Matrimonial Property Amendment Bill. The committee has received over
900 submissions, including over 300 form submissions, on this proposed legislation.
The committee will hear further submissions in person and by teleconference next Wednesday afternoon. The committee's
report deadline is 4 September.
The subcommittee will continue its consideration of the inquiry into matters relating to the State visit of the
President of China to New Zealand in 1999 in Wellington on 24 July. The subcommittee will hear further evidence from the
New Zealand Police in the afternoon in Parliament House.
Local Government and Environment (David Bagnall, SC-LGE@parliament.govt.nz)
This week, the terms of reference were announced for the committee's inquiry into the role of local government in
meeting New Zealand's climate change target.
The committee will examine the contribution local government can make to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the
exercise of planning and regulatory functions, and also through its own actions. It will address such matters as land
use and subdivision consents, biodiversity, conservation, transport planning and traffic management, operation of
vehicles, building consent processing, management of buildings, water and waste water, and landfill management and waste
management generally. It will also seek to identify obstacles to local government playing this role, including
legislative impediments in the above areas.
The full terms of reference are available from committee staff, although the committee is not yet seeking public
submissions.
Next week, the committee will meet in the afternoon of 25 July to hear evidence on the Forests (West Coast Accord) Bill.
Submissions to be heard include those of the Furniture Association of New Zealand, Design Mobel, Property Rights in New
Zealand Inc and the South Taranaki Branch of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society.
On Wednesday the committee will hear evidence from Hon Sandra Lee, who will be speaking to the Estimates for Vote
Conservation and Vote Local Government. Officials from the Department of Conservation and the Department of Internal
Affairs will also be in attendance.
MMP Review (Louise Sparrer, SC-MMP@parliament.govt.nz)
Submissions to the committee on the review of MMP close on 31 July. The committee
will next meet on 2 August to determine its schedule for public hearings. The committee will also consider applications
from individuals and organisations that have expressed interest in undertaking polling work for the committee and in
providing members with specialist advice. Details of these calls for expressions of interest can be found in the select
committees press release of 23 to 30 June. The deadline for these is also 31 July.
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.
Primary Production (Bob Bunch, SC-PP@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met today to hear evidence on three of the four Estimates votes it is considering. The committee
questioned Hon Pete Hodgson and officials from the Ministries of Fisheries and Agriculture and Forestry on Vote
Fisheries and the forestry component of Vote Agriculture and Forestry. Hon Marian Hobbs and officials from the
Ministries of Agriculture and Forestry, Fisheries, and Health and the Department of Conservation were also questioned on
Vote Biosecurity.
Next week the committee will be holding hearings on the agricultural component of Vote Agriculture and Forestry and Vote
Lands, with Ministers and officials appearing to answer questions. That will conclude the hearings of evidence for the
Estimates with the committee required to report to the House of Representatives no later than 14 August 2000.
Social Services (Tim Cooper, SC-SS@parliament.govt.nz)
At its meeting on 19 July the committee heard evidence from the Minister of Social Services and Employment, as part of
the 2000/01 Estimates examination. The Minister is responsible for four votes: Child, Youth and Family Services; Social
Services; Work and Income; and Employment Policy. In addition, the committee asked officials from several departments
how the Minister's policies are to be implemented. One of the main strands of discussion across all four votes was the
issue of capacity-building in relation to the Government's Closing the Gaps Strategy and among a range of disadvantaged
communities. The committee will examine Vote Senior Citizens and Vote Housing at its next meeting on 26 July. The
committee's reports on all six votes must be presented to the House by 14 August.
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) Bill (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
at carol.rankin@parliament.govt.nz
Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk, 21 July 2000