Select Committee Business

From 12 December to 19 December 2003. This is the final press release for the year. The first press release for 2004 will be on Friday, 23 January.

Committee meetings

Five committee meetings were held this week, all in the parliamentary complex.

Reports presented

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

Finance and Expenditure

2002/03 financial review of the Department of Labour

2002/03 financial review of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand

Reserve Bank of New Zealand's Monetary Policy Statement, December 2003

Income Tax Bill (11-2)

Health

2002/03 financial reviews of the Whanganui District Health Board and the Northland District Health Board

Misuse of Drugs (Classification of Ephedrine and Pseudoephedrine) Order 2003

Intelligence and Security

2002/03 financial reviews of the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service and the Government Communications Security Bureau

Justice and Electoral

Petition 2002/47 of Gray Eatwell

Law and Order

2002/03 financial review of the Department for Courts

2002/03 financial review of the Department of Corrections

2002/03 financial review of the New Zealand Police

Maori Affairs

2002/03 financial review of the Ministry of Maori Development (Te Puni Kokiri)

Social Services

2002/03 financial review of the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services

2002/03 financial review of the Ministry of Social Development

2002/03 financial reviews of the Ministry of Housing and the Housing New Zealand Corporation

Transport and Industrial Relations

2002/03 financial review of the Ministry of Transport

Interim report on Petition 1999/231 of Ross Sutherland and 584 others

Committee membership

The Fisheries and Other Sea-related Legislation Committee was established last week and membership of this committee is as follows:

Larry Baldock, Russell Fairbrother (Chairperson), Phil Heatley, Nanaia Mahuta, Mahara Okeroa, Hon Richard Prebble, Hon Dover Samuels, Hon Georgina Te Heuheu (Deputy Chairperson), and Metiria Turei.

Committee notes

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

Fisheries and Other Sea-related Legislation (Miles Reay,)

The committee met for the first time on 17 December. The committee is inviting public submissions on the Maori Fisheries Bill. The closing date for submissions is 15 March 2004.

The bill implements the agreements made in the Deed of Settlement of 23 September 1992 signed by the Crown and Maori, and referred to in the Treaty of Waitangi (Fisheries Claim) Settlement Act 1992.

The bill also provides for the development of iwi interests in fisheries and fishing ‘in a manner that is ultimately of benefit to all Maori’. To achieve this, the bill provides for the establishment of a framework for the allocation and distribution of assets.

Copies of the bill can be purchased from Bennetts Government Bookshops, or viewed on the Ministry of Fisheries website at:

http://www.fish.govt.nz/current/press/maori-fisheries-bill.pdf

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 www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz.

The committee will next meet to consider the Maori Fisheries Bill on 10 February 2004.

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

The committee did not meet this week and will next meet, once the House resumes, in February 2004.

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

This week the committee presented its report on a notice of motion for the approval of the Misuse of Drugs (Classification of Ephedrine and Pseudoephedrine) Order 2003. These regulations will make ephedrine and pseudoephedrine controlled drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975.

These two drugs are ingredients used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. Classifying them under the Misuse of Drugs Act will provide for stronger import controls, and increase penalties for possession, importation, manufacture, and supply of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine.

The committee’s report can be viewed at http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/Content/SelectCommitteeReports/hemod.pdf

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

The committee met on 17 December to consider several petitions, and to complete hearing evidence on the Care of Children Bill. Submissions on the Care of Children Bill were heard by video-conference from Hamilton, Auckland, Christchurch, and Sydney.

The committee’s next meeting will be on 11 February 2004.

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

The committee presented three reports this week, the financial reviews of the Department for Courts, the Department of Corrections, and the New Zealand Police. Copies of these reports can be found on the Office of the Clerk website at www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz. The committee will meet again next February.

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

The committee will next meet after the Christmas adjournment to continue its scrutiny of new Government regulations.

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)

State Sector Amendment Bill (No 2) (30 January 2004)

Education (Export Education Levy) Amendment Bill (13 February 2004)

Fisheries and Other Sea-related Legislation

Maori Fisheries Bill (15 March 2004)

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade

Mercenary Activities (Prohibition) Bill (31 January 2004)

Visiting Forces Bill (13 February 2004)

Inquiry into New Zealand’s relationship with Tonga (28 March 2004)

Justice and Electoral

Parole (Extended Supervision) and Sentencing Amendment Bill (20 February 2004)

Local Government and Environment

Resource Management (Waitaki Catchment) Amendment Bill (9 February 2004)

Primary Production

Resource Management (Aquaculture Moratorium Extension) Amendment Bill (2 February 2004)

Standing Orders

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

Transport and Industrial Relations

Employment Relations Law Reform 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:

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