Select Committee Business
From 8 March to 15 March 2002
Committee meetings
There were 23 committee meetings, all in the parliamentary complex.
Reports presented
(available at http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/cgi-bin/select-reports)
Finance and Expenditure
- Budget Policy Statement 2002 (I. 3C)
Regulations Review
- Inquiry into regulation-making powers that authorise international treaties to override any provisions of New Zealand
enactments (I. 16H)
Social Services
- Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Paid Parental Leave) Bill (182-2)
Transport and Industrial Relations
- 2000/01 financial review of the Accident Compensation Corporation
- Petition 1999/139 of Clarence John Faloon and 1 other
- Petition 1999/162 of Russell Stephen Pickering
- Petition 1999/158 of Janet Barker and 10 others
Education and Science
- 2000/01 financial review of Landcare Research Limited
- 2000/01 financial review of the Specialist Education Services Board
- 2000/01 financial review of the New Zealand Pastoral Agricultural Research Institute Limited
Health
- Misuse of Drugs (Classification of Fantasy) Order 2001
Primary Production
- 2000/01 financial review of Crown Forestry Management Limited
- 2000/01 financial review of Asure New Zealand Limited
- 2000/01 financial review of Landcorp Farming Limited
- 2000/01 financial review of Quotable Value New Zealand Limited
- 2000/01 financial review of Animal Control Products Limited
Intelligence and Security (established pursuant to the Intelligence and Security Committee Act 1996)
- 2000/01 financial reviews of the Government Communications Security Bureau and the New Zealand Security Intelligence
Service
Bills referred to select committees
No bills were referred.
Committee notes
(for further information on an item, please contact the committee staff noted in italics)
Commerce (Alan Witcombe, SC-Commerce@parliament.govt.nz)
This week the committee heard evidence from the Broadcasting Standards Authority on its 2000/01 financial review. The
committee also released the authority’s responses to written questions asked by the committee and a report on a review
of the Authority completed in March 2001. The committee then commenced consideration of the Crown Minerals Amendment
Bill and heard evidence from two submitters.
Next week the committee will hear evidence on the 2000/01 financial review of Radio New Zealand. The Chairman and Chief
Executive of Radio New Zealand will be appearing. The committee will also consider the 2000/01 financial review of
Transpower New Zealand Limited. Finally, the committee will hear remaining oral submissions on the Television New
Zealand Bill.
Education and Science (Louise Gardiner, SC-ES@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met on Thursday, 14 March. It heard evidence on the 2000/01 financial review of Learning Media Limited,
and considered the Tertiary Education Reform Bill.
The committee has presented its reports on the 2000/01 financial reviews of Specialist Education Services, AgResearch
and Landcare Research.
Next week the committee will hear evidence on the Tertiary Education Reform Bill.
Finance and Expenditure (Julian Kersey, SC-FE@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met on 12, 13 and 14 March to hear evidence and consider the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms
(Genetically Modified Organisms) Amendment Bill, to hear evidence on the Taxation (Relief, Refunds and Miscellaneous
Provisions) Bill, and consider the financial review of New Zealand Post Limited.
The committee received an extension until 28 March 2002 to report to the House on the Hazardous Substances and New
Organisms (Genetically Modified Organisms) Amendment Bill.
The committee received an extension until 29 April 2002 to report to the House on the financial review of New Zealand
Post Limited.
The committee initiated an inquiry into issues raised by the 2000/01 financial review of New Zealand Post Limited and
the relationship of those issues with Parliament’s ability to scrutinise State enterprises.
The committee will meet on Wednesday, 20 March, in Room G.006, Parliament House, to hear evidence on the Reserve Bank of
New Zealand’s Monetary Policy Statement from 10.00 am to 11.00 am and on the Securities Markets and Institutions Bill
from 11.30 am to 12.00 noon. These hearings are open to the public. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday the committee
will also consider the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (Genetically Modified Organisms) Amendment Bill and the
financial reviews of the Reserve Bank, the Public Trust Office, New Zealand Post Limited.
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (David Sanders, SC-FD@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met this week to give further consideration to the Terrorism (Bombings and Financing) Bill. Additional
consideration will be given at both meetings next week. The committee will also give further consideration to its
inquiry into New Zealand’s economic and trade relationship with Australia.
Government Administration (Lesley Ferguson, SC-GA@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met on Thursday, 14 March, to hear evidence on its financial review of the 2000/01 performance and current
operations of the New Zealand Fire Service Commission. It also heard evidence on a petition from Tony Swain and 3070
others, which requests the Government abandon plans to close fire stations in the Wellington area and to instead upgrade
existing stations in Johnsonville, Khandallah and Newlands. Both hearings of evidence were open to the public.
The committee next meets on Thursday, 21 March, to continue its consideration of Mr Swain’s petition and the 2000/01
financial review of the New Zealand Lotteries Commission.
Health (Matthew Andrews, SC-Health@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met twice this week to consider the Misuse of Drugs (Classification of Fanatasy) Order 2001. The report
was presented this morning. The committee also continued to consider the cannabis inquiry.
Justice and Electoral (Louise Sparrer, SC-JE@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met on 13 March to hear a submission by teleconference on its inquiry into the 2001 local elections and to
continue its consideration of the Prostitution Reform Bill.
Next week the committee will meet on 20 March to hear more submissions by teleconference on the inquiry into the 2001
local elections. These will be heard from 9:30 am until 12:15 pm in Room G.005 of Parliament House and will be open to
the public. The committee will also continue consideration of the Prostitution Reform Bill.
Law and Order (Tracey Rayner, SC-LO@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met this week to consider the Criminal Investigations (Blood Samples - Burglary Suspects) Amendment Bill
and the Crimes (Publications) Bill. The committee will next meet on Thursday, 21 March, from 10.00 am to 10.30 am.
Local Government and Environment (Marie Alexander, SC-LGE@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met on 13 March to hear further submissions on the Local Government Bill. The Wellington Regional Chamber
of Commerce, Transpower, Business New Zealand, the Tourism Industry Association of New Zealand, the Coalition of
Concerned Dairy Farmers and Civic Assurance presented submissions to the committee. The committee will meet in
Christchurch and Dunedin on 10 April and in Auckland on 11 April to hear further evidence on the Local Government Bill.
Maori Affairs (Marcus Ganley, SC-MA@parliament.govt.nz)
This week the committee met in Wellington to hear evidence on the Maori Television Service Bill. Next week the committee
will receive a briefing from New Zealand On Air following on from the briefing on 28 February from Te Mangai Paho on
recent funding decisions made by that agency. Following the briefing the committee will conduct a site visit to the
Office of Treaty Settlements.
Officers of Parliament (Andrew Beattie, SC-OP@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met on Thursday, 14 March, to hear evidence on the alterations to the 2001/02 appropriations and 2002/03
draft budgets for the Audit Office, Office of the Ombudsmen and Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the
Environment.
The committee will next meet on Thursday, 28 March, at 8.00 am to receive a briefing from the Auditor-General on the
Code of Practice for the Provision of Assistance by the Controller and Auditor-General to Select Committees and Members
of Parliament. The hearing will be open to the public, in Room G.006, Parliament House.
Regulations Review (Andrew Fieldsend, SC-RR@parliament.govt.nz)
At its meeting on Wednesday, committee received a briefing from the Ministry of Health about the Misuse of Drugs
(Classification of Fantasy) Order 2001. The committee was particularly interested in the length of time it will take to
classify the drug Fantasy under the process set out in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, as opposed to the time it would
take to classify the drug by amending legislation. The committee also continued its weekly scrutiny of recent government
regulations and progressed a number of items of business.
In the afternoon, the committee heard a complaint from the Bus and Coach Association about recent regulations increasing
bus drivers’ licence fees (Land Transport (Driver Licensing and Driver Testing Fees) Amendment Regulations 2001). The
association is aggrieved that the fees include a component to cover enforcement costs.
The committee has received a complaint from Penny Webster MP about the Land Transport Rule 32006/1: Frontal Impact
Standards 2001. The complainant argues that the Minister did not take into account required factors when making the
rule.
Next Wednesday morning the committee will continue its regular scrutiny of new government regulations. At 8.45 am it
will hear evidence from the Department of Internal Affairs about complaints relating to the Births, Deaths, and
Marriages (Fees) Amendment Regulations 2001 and investigations into identity services fees regulations and the Gaming
and Lotteries (Licence Fees) Amendment Regulations 2001. The hearing will be open to the public.
On Tuesday, the committee presented a report entitled Inquiry into regulation-making powers that authorise international
treaties to override any provisions of New Zealand enactments. The report is available on the Office of the Clerk
website: http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/cgi-bin/select-reports.
Transport and Industrial Relations (Lyn Main, SC-TI@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee has reported on the 2000/01 financial review of the Accident Compensation Corporation. The report can be
viewed on the Office of the Clerk website.
The committee started hearing evidence on the Health and Safety in Employment Amendment Bill on 13 March and will
continue hearing evidence on this bill on the morning of 20 March.
From 3.15 pm on Wednesday, 20 March, the committee is inquiring into the introduction of the Land Transport Rule:
Frontal Impact 2001. This rule is to be implemented on 1 April 2002. The committee has requested briefings from the Land
Transport Safety Authority, the Ministry of Transport, the Motor Industry Association and the Independent Motor Vehicle
Dealers Association.
Closing dates for submissions
Committees are receiving submissions on the following items with the closing date shown:
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade
Customs and Excise Amendment Bill (No 4) (22 March 2002)
Amendments to the Australia New Zealand Joint Food Standards Treaty (15 March 2002)
Government Administration
Statutes Amendment Bill (No 2) (22 March 2002)
Responsible Gambling Bill (2 April 2002)
Justice and Electoral
Retirement Villages Bill (26 April 2002)
Maori Affairs
Te Whanau-a-Taupara Trust Empowering Bill (28 March 2002)
Inquiry into the Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commissions (Te Ohu Kai Moana) (5 April 2002)
General
You can find further information about select committees on our website at www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz.