Select Committee Business

From 21 November to 28 November 2003

Committee meetings

There were eight committee meetings, four were in the parliamentary complex, three were in Auckland and one was in Christchurch. There was one site visit.

Reports presented

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

Health

- Petition 2002/25 of Andy Tookey and 1,169 others

Local Government and Environment

- Wellington City Empowering and Amendment Bill (10-1)

Maori Affairs

- Inquiry into the Crown Forestry Rental Trust (I.10A)

Transport and Industrial Relations

- Holidays (Four Weeks Annual Leave) Amendment Bill (12-1)

- Holidays Bill (32-2)

Committee notes

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

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

On Tuesday, 25 November the committee visited the New Zealand Aluminium Smelter at Tiwai Point. The committee visited the smelter as part of its inquiry into the New Zealand electricity industry.

The committee will next meet on Thursday, 4 December to hear evidence on the financial review of Radio New Zealand Limited. This will be open to the public. The committee will also further consider the Business Law Reform Bill and the Shop Trading Hours Act Repeal Act (Abolition of Restrictions) Amendment Bill as well as other items.

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

Next week the committee will meet on Wednesday, 3 December to hear evidence on a petition requesting automatic entitlement to G3 equivalency for previously qualifying teachers. The committee will also consider the 2002/03 financial review of the Education Review Office and the inquiry into decile funding in New Zealand State and integrated schools.

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

The committee met this week to hear evidence on the financial review of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and to consider the Income Tax Bill.

The committee is scheduled to meet next week on Wednesday, 3 December to hear evidence on the financial review of the Department of Labour and the further consider the financial review of the Treasury and the Crown Financial Statements. The meeting will be open to the public during the hearing from 10.00 am to 11.00 am.

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

The committee met this week to hear evidence on the 2002/03 financial review of Statistics New Zealand and to consider other business.

Next week the committee will meet on Thursday, 4 December to begin hearing evidence on the Building Bill in Auckland at the Centra Hotel, Mangere from 4.00 pm. Prior to this the committee will meet in Wellington to further consider its 2002/03 financial review of government departments, the Maritime Security Bill and the petition to repeal the Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982.

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

The committee met twice this week. On Tuesday, 25 November it heard evidence in Auckland on its inquiry into the exposure of New Zealand defence personnel to Agent Orange and other defoliant chemicals during the Vietnam War and any health effects of that exposure. It heard further evidence on that inquiry in Wellington on Wednesday, 26 November as well as hearing evidence on two petitions relating to ambulance crewing.

On Wednesday, 3 December the committee will hear further evidence on the Agent Orange inquiry. This will be from 11.15 am to 12.45 pm in Room G.002, Parliament House.

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

The committee did not meet this week. It will meet next Wednesday, 3 December to continue consideration of the Corrections Bill.

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

The committee met on Thursday, 27 November to consider the Resource Management (Energy and Climate Change) Amendment Bill and the inquiry into the alleged accidental release of genetically engineered sweet corn plants in 2000 and subsequent actions taken. The committee next meets on Thursday, 4 December to further consider the Resource Management (Energy and Climate Change) Amendment Bill and to hear evidence on the 2002/03 financial reviews of the Department of Conservation and the Ministry for the Environment. The meeting will be held in Room G.002, Parliament House and will be open to the public from 9.00 am to 10.15 am and 10.50 am to 12.05 pm. The committee has today presented its report on the Wellington City Empowering and Amendment Bill. The committee recommended that the bill be passed without amendment. The committee’s report can be found on the website at www.parliament.govt.nz.

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

On Thursday, 27 November the committee released the report of its Inquiry into the Crown Forestry Rental Trust.

The summarised recommendations are:

- the Trust be subject to an annual financial review by the Mâori Affairs Committee

- the Trust downsize its management structure to facilitate control and management by claimants

- a regionalisation management model for the Trust be considered

- a policy of settling specific claims relating to Crown forest lands outside the comprehensive settlement process be considered.

The report can be viewed on the Parliamentary website:

http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/Publications/CommitteeReport

or purchased at a Bennetts Government Bookshop.

On Thursday, 4 December the committee will be continuing its financial review of Te Puni Kokiri.

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

The committee did not meet this week.

The next meeting of the committee will be on Thursday, 4 December to consider and hear evidence on the 2002/03 financial review of Land Information New Zealand.

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

The Holidays Bill and Holidays (Four Weeks Annual Leave) Amendment Bill were reported to the House on Monday, 24 November.

Closing dates for submissions

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

Commerce

- Electricity and Gas Industries Bill (30 January 2004)

- Sale of Liquor Amendment Bill (No 2) (30 January 2004)

Education and Science

- Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (Transitional Provisions and Controls) Amendment Bill (16 January 2004)

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade

- Mercenary Activities (Prohibition) Bill (31 January 2004)

Government Administration

- Architects Bill (5 December 2003)

Primary Production

- Fisheries Amendment Bill (15 December 2003)

Standing Orders

- Members of Parliament (Pecuniary Interests) Bill (27 February 2004)

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:

Fay Paterson

Senior Parliamentary Officer

fay.paterson@parliament.govt.nz

Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk, 28 November 2003

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