Select Committee Business
From 30 July to 6 August 2004
Committee meetings

Seventeen committee meetings were held this week, 16 in the parliamentary complex and one in Auckland.

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

Education and Science
- Petition 2002/0088 of Tim Shadbolt and 7392 others
- Petition 2002/0093 of Eric Richards and 578 others
- Petition 2002/0094 of Karen Treloar and 316 others
- Petition 2002/0096 of Pamela Doidge-Volmer and 145 others
- Petition 2002/0107 of Fleur Fitzsimons and Andrew Kirton
- Petition 2002/0109 of David Tranter and 852 others
- Petition 2002/0110 of Nicola Wong and 600 others
- Petition 2002/0112 of Deborah Coddington and 480 others

Health
- Human Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill (195-2)
- Petition 2002/0095 of Robert Crawford and 6371 others

Law and Order
- Visit of the Law and Order Committee to Australia 7 to 13 March 2004 (I.8A)

Transport and Industrial Relations
- Petition 1999/0198 of Wayne Butson and 45,137 others
- Petition 2002/0084 of Graeme George Knowles and 5813 others

Bills referred to select committees
Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Amendment Bill was referred to the Health Committee with a report due 4 February 2005.
Overseas Investment (Queen's Chain Extension) was referred to the Local Government and Environment Committee with a report due 3 February 2005.

Changes in committee membership
Fisheries and Other Sea-related Legislation Committee
Tariana Turia to be a non- voting member of the Fisheries and Other Sea-related Legislation Committee (SO 186(1)).

Maori Affairs
Nanaia Mahuta was elected Chairperson of this committee.

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

Commerce (Michelle Malyon, SC-Commerce@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee did not meet this week and will not be meeting next week.

Education and Science (Kirstin Lambert, SC-ES@parliament.govt.nz)
This week the committee reported on a number of petitions.
These reports can be viewed at: http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/Publications/CommitteeReport.aspx?Year=&Cat=16&CatName=Petitions&Order
The committee next meets on 11 August when it will consider Petition 2002/0106 of Jill Hounsell and 2268 others and Petition 2002/97 of Emma Korewha, Donna Thompson and 940 others. The subcommittee on the Inquiry into Teacher Education will meet following this meeting.

Finance and Expenditure (Peter Hurndell, SC-FE@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met this week to consider a petition by Michael Wayne Burns and meet with a visiting budget delegation from the Republic of Indonesia.
The committee is scheduled to meet next week on 11 August to consider the Taxation (Annual Rates, Venture Capital and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill and meet with the New Zealand Business and Parliamentary Trust.
Fisheries and Other Sea-related Legislation (Miles Reay SC-MA@parliament.govt.nz,)
The committee continued consideration of the Maori Fisheries Bill on 3 and 5 August.
A subcommittee also met on 5 August to consider the Foreshore and Seabed Bill.

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (David Sanders, SC-FD@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met this week in Auckland to hear submissions on its inquiry into New Zealand's relationship with Tonga. Further submissions will be heard in Auckland next week.

Government Administration (Lesley Ferguson, SC-GA@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met on 5 August to consider the Statutes Amendment Bill (No 4) and hear evidence from the Ministry for Culture and Heritage on the international treaty examinations of the UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (1970) and the Organisation for the Unification of International Law Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects 1995. The hearing was open to the public.
The committee considered the Identity (Citizenship and Travel Documents) Bill and resolved to call for public submissions with a closing date of 5.00 pm on Friday, 10 September 2004. This bill proposes amendments to the Citizenship Act 1977 and the Passports Act 1992 to address matters of national security in regard to international terrorism and people smuggling. In particular, amendments to the Citizenship Act include increasing the standard period of residence in New Zealand before a permanent resident becomes eligible for citizenship from 3 to 5 years. Amendments to the Passports Act seek to reduce the validity of new passports from 10 to 5 years and provide for the disclosure of New Zealand travel document information to an appropriate agency.
The terms of reference for the committee¡¦s inquiry into Hate Speech were decided and are to consider:
- Whether or not further legislation to prohibit or restrain hate speech is warranted.
- Whether censorship of material that vilifies certain groups would be a justified limitation on the rights and freedoms affirmed by the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990.
- An appropriate threshold test for prohibition or restraint of hate speech.
- Whether any prohibition or restraint of hate speech or hateful expressions would be a justified limitation on the rights and freedoms outlined in the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990.
- The steps taken by the international community to control hate speech and hateful expressions.
The committee intends to call for public submissions on the inquiry and has set a closing date for submissions of 5.00 pm on Friday, 1 October 2004.
The committee meets next week on 12 August to consider the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Amendment Bill and the international treaty examinations.

Health (Catherine Parkin, SC-Health@parliament.govt.nz)
This week the committee considered a number of items of business, including hearing evidence on a petition that requests the House to legislate that Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder be recognised as a notifiable disability. The committee also received a briefing on benzodiazepines from the Ministry of Heath.
The committee reported the Human Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill to the House. This bill provides a legislative framework for restrictions and controls on human assisted reproductive technology in New Zealand. Copies of the committee's report can be purchased from Bennett's Government Bookshops, or viewed at http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/Content/SelectCommitteeReports/195bar2.pdf
The committee also presented its report on the petition of Robert Crawford and 6,371 others. This petition requests that the House take action to ensure the Queen Mary Hospital land, Hanmer Springs, remain in Crown ownership. The committee had started hearing evidence on this petition, however the Minister of Health approved the sale of the surplus land, and therefore the committee has no matters to bring to the attention of the House. This report can be viewed at:
http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/Content/SelectCommitteeReports/hepet0295.pdf

This week the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment Bill (No 3) was referred to the committee, for report to the House by 4 February 2005. The committee has not yet had an opportunity to set a closing date for submissions on the bill. Copies of the bill are available from Bennett¡¦s Government Bookshops and the other usual key stockists.
The committee is inviting public submissions on two petitions relating to caregivers' wages. The closing date for submissions is Friday 3 September 2004. The first petition requests the House of Representatives to address concerns regarding the level of home carer wages. The second requests that funding be made available so that caregivers¡¦ qualifications can be recognised in their wages.

Next week the committee will consider a number of items of business, including the petition of Dr Viola Palmer and 2,869 others. This will be open to the public from 10.05 am to 11.05 am in room G.006, Parliament House.

Justice and Electoral (Angela Van Dam, SC-JE@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met on 4 August, to consider the Civil Union Bill, the Relationships (Statutory References) Bill, and the Electoral Matters Bill.
The committee¡¦s next meeting will be on 9 August. It will begin hearing evidence on the Civil Union Bill and the Relationships (Statutory References) Bill. The meeting will be held in room G.002 Parliament House, and will be open to the public from 2.00pm.
The committee will also be meeting next week on 11 August. It will continue to hear evidence on the Civil Union Bill and the Relationships (Statutory References) Bill.
The date by which the committee will accept submissions on the New Zealand Sign Language Bill has been extended from 30 July to 27 August 2004.

Law and Order (Tracey Rayner, SC-LO@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met this week to further consider the Crimes Amendment Bill (No 2), Crimes (Drug Rape) Amendment Bill, and the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, their Parts, Components and Ammunition. The committee next meets on 11 August to further consider these items, as well as the Criminal Procedure Bill.

Local Government and Environment (Beth Watson, SC-LGE@parliament.govt.nz)
At its next meeting on 12 August the committee will be briefed by the Department of Conservation on: Improving Biodiversity (Natural Heritage) Management. This briefing will be open to the public.
The committee has set a closing date for public submissions for the Overseas Investment (Queen's Chain Extension) Amendment Bill (a member¡¦s bill). The closing date for submissions is Monday, 20 September 2004.
This bill amends the process of consent for an overseas person purchasing land adjacent to the sea, any river or lake by requiring consideration to be given to issues of public access.

Maori Affairs (Miles Reay, SC-MA@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met on 3 August to elect a new chairperson. Nanaia Mahuta was elected.
Primary Production (Bob Bunch, SC-PP@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met on 5 August to give further consideration to the Fisheries Amendment Bill (No.3) and to consider the petition of Perry Spiller (Petition 2002/102).
The committee will not be meeting next week.

Regulations Review (Michael Wilkinson, SC-RR@parliament.govt.nz)
This week the committee considered the regulation-making powers in the Foreshore and Seabed Bill, and considered a number of draft Civil Aviation Rules. The committee will next meet on 11 August to continue its scrutiny of new Government regulations.

Social Services (Graham Hill, SC-SS@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met on 5 August to consider further the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Amendment Bill and continue hearing evidence on the Charities Bill from Wellington-based sector organisations. At the next meeting on 12 August the committee will consider further the Social Security (Long-term Residential Care) Amendment Bill. Hearing of evidence from Wellington based organisations will also continue on the Charities Bill from about 10.00 am to 1.00 pm in Parliament House, Wellington. These organisations are the Royal New Zealand Plunket Society, New Zealand Red Cross, NZCCS, Age Concern and several health related voluntary organisations. The committee encourages other interested submitters to attend the meeting in Parliament House, Wellington and listen to the evidence given by these organisations.

Transport and Industrial Relations (Kath Henderson, SC-TI@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met on 5 August to hear evidence on Petition 2003/36 of Clarence J Faloon.
This week the committee reported on Petitions 2002/94 of Graeme George Knowles and 5813 others and 1999/198 of Wayne Butson and 45,137 others.
Closing dates for submissions

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

Government Administration
- The Identity (Citizenship and Travel Documents) Bill (10 September 2004)
- Inquiry into hate speech (1 October 2004)
Health
- Petitions relating to caregivers¡¦ wages (3 September 2004)
- Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Amendment Bill (closing date yet to be determined)
Justice and Electoral
- New Zealand Sign Language (27 August 2004)
- Electoral Matters Bill (30 July 2004)
- Civil Union Bill (6 August 2004)
- Relationships (Statutory References) Bill (6 August 2004)
Local Government and Environment
- Wellington Regional Council (Water Board Functions) Bill (18 August 2004)
- Overseas Investment (Queen¡¦s Chain Extension) (20 September 2004)
Primary Production
- Animal Products (Dairy Products and Other Matters) Bill SOP No 238 (23 August 2004)
Social Services
- The Children, Young Persons, and their Families Amendment Bill (No 4) (6 September 2004)
Transport and Industrial Relations
- Land Transport Amendment Bill (11 August 2004)
General
You can find further information about select committees on our website at www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz.

ENDS

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