Select committee business From 2 May to 9 May 2003

Committee meetings

There were 19 committee meetings and one site visit. Two meetings and the site visit were outside Wellington.

Reports presented

(available at http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/Publications/CommitteeReport)

Health 2001/02 financial review of the Health Sponsorship Council 2001/02 financial review of the MidCentral District Health Board 2001/02 financial review of the Tairawhiti District Health Board

Justice and Electoral Retirement Villages Bill (190-2) 2001/02 financial review of the Legal Services Agency

Transport and Industrial Relations 2001/02 financial review of the Maritime Safety Authority of New Zealand

Bills referred to select committees

The New Organisms and Other Matters Bill was referred to the Education and Science Committee with a report required by 5 September 2003.

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

Commerce (Michelle Malyon, SC-Commerce@parliament.govt.nz)

A subcommittee met on Wednesday, 7 May to consider the petition of John Dickson. The full committee met on Thursday, 8 May to further consider and hear evidence on the Status of Redundancy Payments Bill and the Consumer Credit Bill.

The committee will next meet on Thursday, 15 May to further its consideration of the Copyright (Parallel Importation of Films and Onus of Proof) Amendment Bill and the Radio New Zealand Amendment Bill. It will also continue to hear evidence on the Status of Redundancy Payments Bill. The subcommittee will also meet to further its consideration of the petition of John Dickson.

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

The committee met on Wednesday, 7 May to hear evidence on the inquiry into teacher education and the 2001/02 financial review of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.

Next week the committee will meet on Wednesday, 14 May to consider the 2001/02 financial review of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and the petition of Hon Tony Ryall.

Finance and Expenditure (Peter Hurndell, SC-FE@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee meet this week to hear submissions on the Income Tax Bill and further consider the petitions of Neil Leckie and Michael Gibson.

Next week, the committee will meet on Wednesday, 14 May and Thursday, 15 May. The meeting on Wednesday has been scheduled to hear submissions on the Income Tax Bill and further consider the petition of Neil Leckie. The meeting on Thursday will be to consider the Estimates of Appropriations for the year ending 30 June 2004 and Supplementary Estimates of Appropriations for the year ending 30 June 2003.

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (David Sanders, SC-FD@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met this week to consider the petitions of Damien and George Nepata, and the petition of Wallace Drummond. Both are to be given further consideration next week. The committee also considered its inquiry into New Zealand’s political, economic, trade and cultural relationship with Latin America. Next week the committee will begin hearing submissions on the Counter-Terrorism Bill.

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

The committee met on Thursday, 8 May to hear evidence on the Petition of Dr George Paterson Barton Vaitoa Sa and 100,000 others requesting that the House of Representatives repeal the Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982.

Approximately 1500 people were able to participate in the meeting carried out by a videoconference that simultaneously broadcast all the proceedings being held in Parliament’s Legislative Council Chamber to locations in Apia in Samoa, Auckland and Christchurch. This is believed to be the largest number of people to have ever attended a select committee meeting and the first time such a hearing has been attempted. Such technology enabled the committee to include people in the democratic processes of government who would otherwise not be included.

A large contingent of staff from the Select Committee Office and the Parliamentary Service worked together to make the event possible. Onesource, Communication Partners Limited, Multi Media Systems Limited and Telecom provided the technical support needed to make the event happen.

While the overall co-ordination is the responsibility of the Office of the Clerk, the members of the committee were also challenged to conduct a meeting with such a large group of people, and with an unseen band of technicians and other support staff.

The committee next meets on Thursday 15 May.

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

The committee presented three reports this week, the 2001/02 financial reviews of the Tairawhiti and MidCentral District Health Boards, and the Health Sponsorship Council.

The committee met this week to continue consideration of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Bill. A subcommittee also met to consider the committee’s inquiry into the health effects of cannabis.

Next week the subcommittee will meet on Wednesday to further consider the committee’s inquiry into cannabis, and the full committee will also meet on Wednesday, when it will continue consideration on the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Bill. The committee will also hear evidence on its inquiry into the proposal to establish a trans-Tasman agency to regulate therapeutic products. This will be from 9.30 am to 11.45 am, in Room G.002 Parliament House, and will be open to the public.

A subcommittee will travel to the Comvita Factory in Paengaroa, Bay of Plenty, next Friday, for its inquiry into the proposal to establish a trans-Tasman agency to regulate therapeutic products.

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

The committee met on 5 May in Rotorua to hear submissions on the Supreme Court Bill. It then met on 7 May in Wellington to continue hearing submissions on the bill and to consider the 2001/02 financial review of the Legal Services Agency.

Next week the committee will meet on 12 May in Auckland to continue hearing submissions on the Supreme Court Bill. The meeting will be in the Jean Batten 2 Room of the Centra Auckland Airport Hotel, corner of Kirkbride Road and Ascot Road. It will be open to the public from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm, and from 2.00 pm to 6.00 pm.

The committee will then meet on 14 May in Wellington to consider the 2001/02 financial review of the Abortion Supervisory Committee, the Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Bill and the Clean Slate Bill. The meeting will be in Room G.005 in Parliament House and will be open to the public from 10.00 am to 11.30 pm for the hearing of evidence on the 2001/02 financial review of the Abortion Supervisory Committee.

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

The committee met on Wednesday, 7 May to hear oral submissions on both the Telecommunications (Interception Capability) Bill and the Independent Police Complaints Authority Amendment Bill. Oral submitters on the Telecommunications (Interception Capability) Bill included: Telecom, Broadcast Communications Limited, Telecommunications Carriers’ Forum, and the Anti-bases Campaign. Oral submitters on the Independent Police Complaints Authority Amendment Bill included: Dunedin Community Law Centre, New Zealand Law Society, Office of the Privacy Commissioner, and Canterbury Council for Civil Liberties. Some of these submissions were heard by teleconference and videoconference.

The committee next meets on 14 May to hear two further submissions on the Independent Police Complaints Authority Amendment Bill. These will be from the New Zealand Police Association (represented by the President, Mr Greg O’Connor) and the Commonwealth Press Union (representatives including the Chairperson, Mr Gavin Ellis).

The committee is still calling for submissions on the Corrections Bill. The closing date for submissions is Wednesday, 21 May 2003. Submissions should be addressed to Tracey Rayner, Clerk of the Law and Order Committee, Parliament House, Wellington.

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

The committee will next meet on 15 May to hear further submissions on the Marine Reserves Bill. The committee is also calling for submissions on the Local Government Law Reform Bill (No 2) and Supplementary Order Paper 79, which contain proposals relating to dog control. Further information about making a submission can be found on our website.

Maori Affairs (Miles Reay, SC-MA@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on 8 May to hear evidence from Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials regarding possible effects of the WTO General Agreement in Trade in Services (GATS) on Maori interests. The committee’s inquiry into the Crown Forestry Rental Trust was also considered. The committee will next meet on Thursday, 15 May to further consider this inquiry.

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

The committee met twice this week. On Wednesday, 7 May it considered and heard evidence from the Rt Hon Winston Peters on the inquiry into the administration and management of the scampi fishery. On Thursday, 8 May the committee travelled to Christchurch to hear evidence on the Wool Industry Restructuring Bill and visited Wool Research Organisation of New Zealand and Escorial Limited while there.

Next week the committee commences hearings on the Wine Bill on Wednesday afternoon, 14 May. On Thursday, 15 May it will hear evidence and consider the Wool Industry Restructuring Bill, consider the Misuse of Drugs (Industrial Hemp) Amendment Bill and the inquiry into the administration and management of the Scampi fishery.

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

The committee will meet on Wednesday, 14 May to continue its regular scrutiny of new government regulations.

Social Services (Graham Hill, SC-SS@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee visited the Northern Residential Centre at Weymouth in South Auckland, the Multi-Agency One Service, Puawaitahi, at Starship Children’s Hospital in Central Auckland and a Ministry of Social Development call centre in Henderson. Next week the committee will receive a briefing from the Minister of Social Services and Employment and officials from The Treasury, Department of Child, Youth and Family Services, Ministry of Social Development and the State Services Commission on the baseline funding review of the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services.

Transport and Industrial Relations (Kath Henderson, SC-TI@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on Thursday, 8 May. The meeting was open to the public for the hearing of submissions on the petitions of Stuart Lewis and 1,904 others and of Rhys Jones and others regarding levies on motor vehicle licensing fees (particularly motorcycles). Evidence was heard from Mr Lewis and the Accident Compensation Corporation.

The committee began consideration of the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment Bill and considered the financial review of the Maritime Safety Authority of New Zealand.

Next week the committee meeting will not be open to the public and the committee will resume consideration of the Land Transport Management Bill, the Road Traffic Reduction Bill and the Rodney District Council (PENLINK Toll Road) Empowering Bill.

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

Commerce Copyright (Parallel Importation of Films and Onus of Proof) Amendment Bill (22 May 2003) Radio New Zealand Amendment Bill (22 May 2003) Inquiry into the New Zealand electricity industry (31 July 2003)

Education and Science New Organisms and Other Matters Bill (13 June 2003)

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Counter-Terrorism Bill (9 May 2003)

Government Administration New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Bill (30 May 2003) Statutes Amendment Bill (No 3) (30 May 2003)

Law and Order Corrections Bill (21 May 2003)

Local Government and Environment Christchurch City Council (Robert McDougall Gallery) Land Vesting Bill (27 June 2003) Masterton District Council (Montfort Trimble Foundation) Bill (30 May 2003) Local Government Law Reform Bill (No 2) (20 June 2003)

Primary Production New Zealand Horticulture Export Authority Amendment Bill (No 2) (12 May 2003)

Transport and Industrial Relations Holidays Bill (30 May 2003) Holidays (Four Weeks Annual Leave) Amendment Bill (6 June 2003) Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Amendment Bill (14 May 2003)

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 mailto:carol.rankin@parliament.govt.nz

Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk, 9 May 2003

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