Select committee business From 25 October to 1 November 2002 Committee meetings

There were six committee meetings, all in the parliamentary complex.

Reports presented (available at http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/cgi-bin/select-reports)

Finance and Expenditure 2001/02 financial reviews of the Office of the Auditor-General, the Inland Revenue Department and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade 2002/03 Estimates for Vote Customs, Vote Defence, Vote Defence Force, Vote Veterans’ Affairs and Vote Official Development Assistance 2002/03 Estimates for Vote Foreign Affairs and Trade International treaty examination of the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the International Criminal Court.

Health 2002/03 Estimates for Vote Health 2001/02 financial review of the Pharmaceutical Management Agency

Law and Order 2002/03 Estimates for Vote Corrections 2002/03 Estimates for Vote Courts 2002/03 Estimates for Vote Police

Mâori Affairs 2002/03 Estimates for Vote Mâori Affairs 2002/03 Estimates for Vote Treaty Negotiations

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 (Clare Sutherland, SC-Commerce@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee did not meet this week. At its next meeting on 7 November the committee will consider the 2001/02 financial review of the Ministry of Economic Development, the Consumer Protection (Definition of Goods and Services) Bill, the Crown Minerals Amendment Bill and the Fair Trading Amendment Bill (No 3).

Education and Science (Angela Van Dam, SC-ES@parliament.govt.nz)

Next week the committee will meet twice. The first, on Monday, 4 November, will focus on the committee’s inquiry into the implementation of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA). The committee has invited submissions from:

New Zealand Post-Primary Teachers Association Secondary Principals Association of New Zealand New Zealand School Trustees Association Ministry of Education New Zealand Qualifications Authority.

The above submitters will participate in a public hearing of evidence from 1.00 pm to 3.40 pm, in Room G.002, Parliament House.

At its regular Wednesday meeting (on 6 November) the committee will continue to consider the National Library of New Zealand (Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa) Bill and the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind Bill, and will begin consideration of the 2001/02 financial reviews of government departments. The meeting will not be open to the public.

Finance and Expenditure (Fay Paterson, SC-FE@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met this week to conclude hearing evidence on the Taxation (Annual Rates, Maori Organisations, Taxpayer Compliance and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill. The committee also reported on the financial reviews of the Office of the Auditor-General, the Inland Revenue Department, and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. The committee considered a proposal to conduct an inquiry into the circumstances relating to Dr Ross Armstrong’s resignation. The committee decided not to undertake such an inquiry.

Next week the committee will meet on Wednesday, 6 November in Room G.002, Parliament House, between 9.00 am and 1.30 pm to hear evidence on the financial reviews of The Treasury and the Crown Financial Statements, the Government Superannuation Fund Authority, and the Public Trust. The hearings of evidence will be open to the public.

The committee is currently receiving submissions on the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Amendment Bill. Submissions close on Friday, 8 November. Information may be found at http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/programme/committees/submissions/.

Government Administration (Lesley Ferguson, SC-GA@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met this week to continue its consideration of the Responsible Gambling Bill and the inquiry into the weathertightness of buildings in New Zealand. It also continued consideration of the 2002/03 Estimates of Appropriations for Vote Arts, Culture and Heritage, Vote Prime Minister and Cabinet, Vote Youth Affairs, Vote Ombudsmen, Vote State Services, Vote Tourism and Vote Sport and Recreation.

Approximately 230 submissions have been received on the committee’s inquiry into the weathertightness of buildings. Submissions have now closed. The committee meets in Auckland on Friday of next week for hearings of evidence on the inquiry. The hearings will be held at the Lakeside Convention Centre, Manukau.

Next week, the committee also begins its programme of hearings on the 2001/02 financial reviews. As part of its financial review of the Parliamentary Service it will hear evidence on Tuesday, 5 November from Mr John O’Sullivan, General Manger of Parliamentary Service. The committee will also hear evidence on Thursday, 7 November from Mr Dave McGee QC, Clerk of the House of Representatives, as part of the committee’s financial review examination of the Office of the Clerk.

Health (Catherine Parkin, SC-Health@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee presented two reports this week, the 2002/03 Estimates for Vote Health, and the 2001/02 financial review of the Pharmaceutical Management Agency. It continued consideration of the Smoke-free Environments (Enhanced Protection) Amendment Bill and Supplementary Order Paper 148, and will hear its final submitter, British American Tobacco, next week on Wednesday, 6 November. This hearing will be open to the public from 9.00 am to 9.45 am in Room G.006, Parliament House.

The committee will also hear evidence on its financial review of the Ministry of Health from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm, which will be open to the public in Room G.006, Parliament House.

The committee is inviting public submissions on its inquiry into the proposal to establish a trans-Tasman agency to regulate therapeutic products. The closing date for submissions is 13 November 2002. Further information is available at http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/programmes/committees/submissions/hettanq.html

The committee is also inviting public submissions on the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Bill. The closing date for submissions is 27 November 2002. Further information is available at http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/programmes/committees/submissions/hehpca.html

Justice and Electoral (Louise Sparrer, SC-JE@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee’s next meeting will be on 6 November, when it will consider two items: the inquiry into the 2001 local elections and the Prostitution Reform Bill.

Law and Order (Tracey Rayner, SC-LO@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met this week to consider the Land Transport (Street and Illegal Drag Racing) Amendment Bill, as well as the 2002/03 Estimates for Vote Courts and Vote Police. The committee presented reports on the 2002/03 Estimates for Vote Corrections, Vote Courts and Vote Police. The committee is still seeking submissions on the Criminal Investigations (Bodily Samples) Amendment Bill. The bill aims to strike an appropriate balance between extending the use of DNA as a valuable investigative crime-fighting tool, and the recognition and protection of fundamental personal rights. Amendments proposed include:

allowing buccal (mouth) swabs to be taken, as an alternative to taking blood samples allowing compulsory DNA testing of all inmates in prison on the date the amending legislation comes into force if they were convicted of a relevant schedule offence prior to the commencement of the 1996 Act repealing the current six-month limitation for obtaining a sample from a person convicted of a schedule offence who is serving a term of imprisonment in respect of that offence extending the range of material that can be used as a basis to compel a suspect to provide a DNA sample to material (including foetal matter) that a judge is satisfied is reasonably believed to be genetically traceable to the person who committed the offence allowing DNA samples to be taken, by consent or by court compulsion order, from persons suspected of committing burglary or entering with intent.

Copies of the bill can be purchased from Bennetts Government Bookshops. The closing date for receiving submissions is 5.00 pm on Friday, 29 November 2002. The committee requires 20 copies of each submission. Those wishing to include any information of a private or personal nature in a submission should first discuss this with the Clerk of Committee, as submissions are usually released to the public. Those wishing to appear before the committee to speak to their submissions should state this clearly and provide a daytime telephone contact number. E-mail submissions will not be accepted unless the submitter’s name and contact address/telephone number is included. For further guidance on making a submission, our publication Making a Submission to a Parliamentary Select Committee can be found on our web site at http:// http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz. Submissions should be addressed to Tracey Rayner, Clerk of Committee, Law and Order Committee, Parliament Buildings, Wellington.

Local Government and Environment (Marie Alexander, SC-LGE@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee will meet on two days next week to continue its consideration of the 2002/03 Estimates and the Local Government Bill. The committee is required to report to the House on the latter by 29 November. The meetings are not open to the public.

Primary Production (Bob Bunch, SC-PP@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on Wednesday, 30 October, for a briefing from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry of Fisheries, Department of Conservation and the Ministry of Health on the Government’s response to the independent report on biosecurity surveillance.

The committee also agreed in principle to undertake an inquiry into the scampi fishery, subject to agreement on the terms of reference of the inquiry. This follows allegations of corruption, unfairness and incompetence with respect to the administration and management of the scampi fishery. Members of the committee are to take draft terms of reference to their respective party caucuses before the matter is finalised at the committee’s next meeting, on Thursday, 7 November. At that meeting, the committee will also hear evidence on the 2001/02 financial review of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and further consider the 2001/02 financial review of the Ministry of Fisheries.

Regulations Review (Michael Wilkinson, SC-RR@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee will meet on Wednesday, 6 November to hear evidence on the Subordinate Legislation (Confirmation and Validation) Bill. The hearing will be in Room G.002, Parliament House, from 3.40 pm to 4.40 pm and is open to the public.

Transport and Industrial Relations (Lyn Main, SC-TI@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee did not meet this week. It is next meeting on Thursday, 7 November and will hear evidence on 2001/02 financial review of the Ministry of Transport from 10.30 am to approximately 12.30 pm.

Closing dates for submissions Committees are receiving submissions on the following items with the closing date shown:

Finance and Expenditure Reserve Bank of New Zealand Amendment Bill (8 November 2002)
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Pitcairn Trials Bill (1 November 2002)

Health Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Bill (27 November 2002) Inquiry into the proposal to establish a trans-Tasman agency to regulate therapeutic products (13 November 2002)

Law and Order Criminal Investigations (Bodily Samples) Amendment Bill (29 November 2002)
Local Government and Environment Marine Reserves Bill (31 January 2003)

Maori Affairs Ngati Ruanui Claims Settlement (1 November 2002)
Primary Production Hop Industry Restructuring Bill (11 November 2002) Reserves and Other Lands Disposal Bill (18 November 2002) Wine Bill (18 November 2002)

General

You can find further information about select committees on our website at http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz.

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