Select Committee Business

From 20 February to 27 February 2004

Committee meetings

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

Reports presented

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

Commerce

- Sale of Liquor Amendment Bill (No 2) (87-2)

- Shop Trading Hours Act Repeal Act (Abolition of Restrictions) Amendment Bill

Education and Science

- Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (Transitional Provisions and Controls)

Amendment Bill (84-2)

Finance and Expenditure

- International treaty examination of taxation agreements with the Republic of South

Africa, the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Chile, the United Kingdom of Great

Britain and Northern Ireland, the Republic of the Philippines, and the Kingdom of the

Netherlands

- Petition 1999/172 of Mike Gibson

Primary Production

- 2002/03 financial review of Animal Control Products Limited

- 2002/03 financial review of Landcorp Farming Limited

- Fisheries Amendment Bill (No 2) (85-2)

Social Services

- Briefing from the Department of Labour on Community Employment Programmes

Committee notes

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

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

This week the committee met on 24 February and concluded its consideration of the Shop Trading Hours Act Repeal Act (Abolition of Restrictions) Amendment Bill and the Sale of Liquor Amendment Bill (No 2).

The committee also met on 26 February to consider and hear evidence on the 2002/03 financial review of the Broadcasting Standards Authority. In the afternoon and evening the committee met to hear evidence on the Electricity and Gas Industries Bill. These hearings were open to the public.

Next week the committee will meet on 4 March to consider and hear evidence on the 2002/03 financial review of Genesis Power Limited. They will also continue their consideration of other financial reviews.

The committee will also hear evidence on the Electricity and Gas Industries Bill. The meeting will be held at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Auckland, from 6.00 pm and will be open to the public.

Education and Science (Graham Hill, SC-ES@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee heard evidence on the State Sector Amendment Bill (No 3) and considered further the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (Transitional Provisions and Controls) Amendment Bill. At its next meeting the committee will hear evidence on the financial reviews of several Crown Research Institutes.

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

The committee met this week to consider the:

- international treaty examination of taxation agreements with the Republic of South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Chile, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Republic of the Philippines, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands

- petition 1999/172 of Michael Gibson

- 2004 Budget Policy Statement

The committee is inviting submissions on the Public Finance (State Sector Management) Bill and Supplementary Order Paper 183.

The aim of the bill is to clarify the law relating to the public service including amending the Public Finance Act 1989 and the State Sector Act 1988, repealing the Fiscal Responsibility Act 1994, and enacting a new Crown Entities Act.

The Supplementary Order Paper 183 covers a number of consequential amendments to Crown entities legislation that was before Parliament at the time the Public Finance (State Sector Management) Bill was drafted.

Copies can be purchased from Bennetts Government Bookshops, or viewed on www.treasury.govt.nz/pfssm/#documents (pdf file). The closing date for submissions is Friday, 2 April 2004.

The committee is not scheduled to meet next week.

Fisheries and Other Sea-related Legislation (Miles Reay, SC-MA@parliament.govt.nz,)

The committee met on 24 February to consider the appointment of an independent adviser on the Maori Fisheries Bill.

The Committee is inviting submissions on the Maori Fisheries Bill, which implements agreements made in the Deed of Settlement, and referred to in the Treaty of Waitangi 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. The committee is to also consider the effect of the application of the proposed right of first refusal to settlement quota on the ability of iwi to sell parcels of quota and companies.

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. Submissions close on 15 March 2004.

The committee will next meet on 16 March.

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

The committee met on 26 February to further consider and hear evidence on the Border Security Bill and the Building Bill. Next week the committee will meet on 4 March to further consider these bills and the petition to repeal the Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982. The committee will also begin its consideration of the Architects Bill by hearing evidence at this meeting.

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

On Wednesday the committee heard evidence on two petitions, one seeking an extension to the breast cancer screening programme, and the other seeking adequate follow-up treatment for breast cancer patients. The committee heard from both the petitioners and from the Ministry of Health.

Next week the committee will hear evidence on the financial review of the Taranaki District Health Board. This will be open to the public from 10.00 am to 11.30 am. The committee will also hear responses to allegations made previously during its inquiry into the health effects of Agent Orange. This will be open to the public from 11.45 am to 12.45 pm in room G.006, Parliament House.

Justice and Electoral (Angela Van Dam, SC-JE@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on 25 February to consider the Care of Children Bill, the Parole (Extended Supervision) and Sentencing Amendment Bill, the inquiry into the 2002 General Election, the 2002/03 financial review of the Abortion Supervisory Committee, petition 2002/74 of Robert James Kavanagh, and petition 2002/55 of Lynley Jane Hood, Don Brash and 807 others. The committee also heard evidence on the Judicial Matters Bill.

The committee has extended the closing date for submissions on the Parole (Extended Supervision) and Sentencing Amendment Bill to Friday, 2 April.

Next week the committee will meet on 3 March to hear evidence on the Lawyers and Conveyancers Bill. The committee will also consider the Care of Children Bill, the Judicial Matters Bill, the inquiry into the 2002 General Election, and petition 2002/55 of Lynley Jane Hood, Don Brash and 807 others.

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

The committee met this week to continue consideration of the Courts and Criminal Matters Bill and the Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Bill. Next week the committee will continue consideration of the Courts and Criminal Matters Bill, and the Police Complaints Authority (Conditional Name Protection) Amendment Bill. The committee will also be hearing more evidence on the Police Complaints Authority (Conditional Name Protection) Amendment Bill, and this will be from 9.30 am to 10.00 am in room G.005 Parliament House and will be open to the public.

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

The committee met in Wellington on 26 and 27 February to hear further submissions on the Resource Management (Waitaki Catchment) Amendment Bill.

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

The committee met on 26 February to hear evidence on the petition of Des Kahotea and 26 others requesting changes to the Ture Whenua Act 1993.

The committee will next meet on 4 March to hear advice and evidence on the financial review of the Maori broadcasting funding agency Te Mangai Paho. Part of the meeting will be open to the public.

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

The committee met twice this week, on 23 February and 26 February to give further consideration to the Fisheries Amendment Bill (No.2) and the Resource Management (Aquaculture Moratorium Extension) Amendment Bill and to further consider the 2002/03 financial reviews of Animal Control Products Limited and Landcorp Farming Limited.

Next week, the committee will meet on 4 March, to hear evidence on the 2002/03 financial reviews of AgriQuality New Zealand Limited.

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

The committee will meet next week to continue its scrutiny of new Government regulations. The committee will also be considering the regulation-making powers in the Electricity and Gas Industries Bill.

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

The committee meet briefly this week to consider the Social Security (Long-term Residential Care) Amendment Bill. The committee will not be meeting next week.

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

The committee met on 26 February in room G.007, Parliament House.

The committee considered the Railways Bill and Petition 1999/231 of Ross Sutherland and 584 others regarding Paraparaumu Airport. A number of financial reviews will be reported later today.

On 4 March the committee will be open to the public from 11.00 am to 12.00 noon when the first submissions on the Employment Relations Law Reform Bill will be heard. The committee will also continue consideration of the Sutherland Petition.

Closing dates for submissions

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

Finance and Expenditure

- Public Finance (State Sector Management) Bill (2 April 2004)

Fisheries and Other Sea-related Legislation

- Maori Fisheries Bill (15 March 2004)

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade

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

Government Administration

- Statutes Amendment Bill (No 4) (2 April 2004)

Justice and Electoral

- Parole (Extended Supervision) and Sentencing Amendment Bill (2 April 2004)

Primary Production

- Meat Board Restructuring Bill (15 March 2004)

Social Services

- Social Security (Long-term Residential Care) Amendment Bill (23 April 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:

Louise Sparrer

Senior Parliamentary Officer
at louise.sparrer@parliament.govt.nz

Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk, 27 February 2004

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