Select Committee Business
From 9 November to 16 November 2001
Committee meetings
There were 16 committee meetings, all in the parliamentary complex.
Reports presented (13)
Primary Production
- Biosecurity Amendment Bill (147-2)
Commerce
- Inquiry into the capital structure of State-owned electricity generators (I. 1A)
- 2000/01 financial review of the Hillary Commission for Sport, Fitness and Leisure
- 2000/01 financial review of the Meteorological Service of New Zealand Limited
- 2000/01 financial review of New Zealand on Air (Broadcasting Commission)
- 2000/01 financial review of Solid Energy New Zealand Limited
Finance and Expenditure
- Petition 1999/184 of Jack Forster and 60 others
Justice and Electoral
- 2000/01 financial review of the Parliamentary Counsel Office
Social Services
- Petition 1999/178 of Andrew Campbell and 7446 others
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade
- International treaty examination of the Final Acts of the International Telecommunication Union Plenipotentiary
Conference (1998)
Government Administration
- Citizenship Amendment Bill (No 3) (160-1)
- 2000/01 financial review of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
- 2000/01 financial review of the Department of Internal Affairs
Bills referred to select committees
The Social Welfare (Transitional Provisions - Overseas Pensions) Amendment Bill was referred to the Social Services
Committee with a report due by 28 February 2002.
The Land Transfer and Cadastral Survey Legislation Bill was referred to the Primary Production Committee.
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 15 November the committee heard evidence from the Ministry of Economic Development as part of its financial review of
the ministry’s performance and operations in the 2000/01 year. The committee also presented its report on the inquiry
into the capital structure of State-owned electricity generators. This report is available on the web at
www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/publications. The committee next meets on Thursday, 29 November.
Education and Science (Louise Gardiner, SC-ES@parliament.govt.nz)
On Thursday, 15 November, the committee heard evidence on its financial review of the National Library of New Zealand.
The National Library was represented by its Chief Executive, Christopher Blake, and other officials. Matters discussed
included schools’ access to library resources, the nature of the library’s digitisation of collection materials
programme, and upcoming amendments to the National Library Act 1965.
The committee also continued its consideration of the inquiries into decile funding and teacher education.
The committee will not meet next week, as the House is adjourned. Its next meeting will be on Thursday, 29 November, at
which it will conduct public hearings on the financial reviews of the Ministry of Education and the Education Review
Office.
Finance and Expenditure (Julian Kersey, SC-FE@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met on Wednesday, 14 November. It heard evidence on the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s Monetary Policy
Statement. The committee considered the Construction Contracts Bill and the review of the services provided to select
committees. It received a briefing from the Office of the Controller and Auditor-General and the Treasury on the
principles of Crown Accounting. The committee reported on the 1999/184 petition of Jack Forster and 60 others.
The committee will meet again on Wednesday, 28 November, in room G.006, Parliament House. It will hear evidence on the
2000/01 financial review of the Inland Revenue Department. This will be open to the public from 10.30 am to 11.30 am.
The committee will also consider the Construction Contracts Bill.
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (David Sanders, SC-FD@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met this week to consider the financial review of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It also
considered its inquiry into New Zealand’s economic and trade relationship with Australia. The amendments to the
Australia New Zealand Joint Food Standards treaty were considered. A pro forma report was made on the Amendments to the
International Telecommunication Union treaty.
Health (Matthew Andrews, SC-Health@parliament.govt.nz)
This week the committee received a briefing from the Ministry of Health and heard evidence on two petitions. The
briefing from the ministry was in relation to the Trans-Tasman therapeutic goods agency project. The committee heard
from John East and the ministry on Mr East’s petition. The committee heard from the ministry regarding the petition of
Anna de Jonge. Next week the committee will not meet.
Law and Order (Tracey Rayner, SC-LO@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met this week to hear oral evidence on the 2000/01 financial review of the New Zealand Police and the
Department of Corrections, and consider the review of services provided to select committees. The committee is not
meeting next week. The date of the next meeting has yet to be determined.
Local Government and Environment (David Bagnall, SC-LGE@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee considered the Local Government (Rating) Bill and the inquiry into the role of local government in meeting
New Zealand’s climate change target, and will look at these items again next Wednesday. Other items to be considered
next week are the Hawke’s Bay Endowment Land Empowering Bill and the New Plymouth District Council (Land Vesting) Bill,
and financial reviews of the Department of Conservation and the Ministry for the Environment.
Maori Affairs (Marcus Ganley, SC-MA@parliament.govt.nz)
This week the committee considered the Te Uri o Hau Claims Settlement Bill and the financial review of Te Mangai Paho
for 2000/01. On Monday, 19 November, the committee will hear evidence on the Te Uri o Hau Claims Settlement Bill in
Auckland at the Copthorne Hotel in Anzac Avenue from 9.30 am to 4.15 pm.
The committee’s following Wellington meeting will be on 29 November.
Primary Production (Bob Bunch, SC-PP@parliament.govt.nz)
On 15 November, the committee heard evidence from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry as part of its review of the
2000/01 financial performance and current operations of the ministry. Issues covered include: the impact of the Royal
Commission of inquiry’s report on genetic modification and the Government’s response on the ministry’s operations; the
ministry’s management control environment; rural affairs activities, including sustainable farming; the World Trade
Organisation talks in Qatar; a single agency for food safety; the apple painted moth; harmonisation between the ministry
and other government agencies for biosecurity; food safety efforts; and the ministry’s involvement in Maori land
utilisation.
In particular, the committee congratulated the ministry on its efforts in helping to make the World Trade Organisation
talks in Qatar a success in launching a new round of trade negotiations.
The committee also further considered the 2000/01 financial review of Land Information New Zealand, the inquiry into
sustainable forestry management and the review of select committee services. The Dairy Industry (Herd Testing and New
Zealand Dairy Core Database) draft regulations comprised the remaining item of business considered.
The committee will not meet next week, an adjournment week for the House. However, on Monday, 26 November, the committee
will travel to the Nelson region to visit two forests (Mangawaro and Glenhope Forests) as part of its inquiry into
sustainable forestry management.
On Tuesday, 10 November, the committee reported on the Biosecurity Amendment Bill with some recommended amendments. The
committee’s report can be found on our website: http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/cgi-bin/select-reports.
Regulations Review (Andrew Fieldsend, SC-RR@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee continued to hear evidence on its inquiry into the principles determining whether delegated legislation is
given the status of regulations. It heard submissions from four government agencies. The committee also considered two
complaints relating to the Births, Deaths, and Marriages Registration (Fees) Amendment Regulations 2001, continued its
regular scrutiny of new government regulations, and progressed its consideration of the Subordinate Legislation
(Confirmation and Validation) Bill (No 2).
The committee will not meet next week.
Transport and Industrial Relations (Lyn Main, SC-TI@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met on 14 November to hear evidence on the 2000/01 financial review of the Department of Labour. The
committee mainly questioned the Department on the Auditor-General’s report on Susan Bathgate.
The committee will continue examination of the financial review of the Department of Labour on 28 November. It will
focus on the New Zealand Immigration Service.
The committee is not meeting next week.
Closing dates for submissions
Committees are receiving submissions on the following items with the closing date shown:
Commerce
Consumer Protection (Definitions of Goods and Services) Bill (15 January 2002)
TOWER Trust Limited Bill (15 January 2002)
Education and Science
Inquiry into teacher education (14 December 2001)
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade
Interim report on the Terrorism (Bombings and Financing) Bill (30 November 2001)
Health
Smoke-free Environments (Enhanced Protection) Amendment Bill and Supplementary Order Paper No 148 (23 November 2001)
Maori Affairs
Inquiry into the Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission (Te Ohu Kai Moana) (15 February 2002)
Primary Production
Land Transfer and Cadastral Survey Legislation Bill (28 January 2002)
Social Services
Social Welfare (Transitional Provisions - Overseas Pensions) Amendment Bill (15 January 2002)
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
carol.rankin@parliament.govt.nz
Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk, 16 November 2001