Select Committee Business From 20 August to 27 August 2004

Committee meetings Fourteen committee meetings were held this week, 12 in the parliamentary complex and two in Auckland. There were two site visits.

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

Health Petition 2002/0076 of Debbie and Tim Short and 124 000 others and Petition 2002/62 of Kathryn McIlraith and 9,852 others

Law and Order Petition 2002/0101 of Kevin Stanley Jennings and GP Scott

Bills referred to select committees Te Runanga o Ngati Awa Bill was referred to the Maori Affairs Committee with a report due 1 December 2004. The Aquaculture Reform Bill was referred to the Primary Production Committee with a report due 29 November 2004.

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 next meets on 9 September to hear evidence on TVNZ’s accountability to Parliament. This hearing will be open to the public.

Education and Science (Kirstin Lambert, SC-ES@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met on 25 August when it considered Petition 2002/78 of Lance Cottam and 7509 others. The committee next meets on 1 September to further consider this petition and other items of business. This meeting will be open to the public from 10.00 am to 11.00 am when the committee will hear evidence from the petitioners and from AgResearch Limited. The subcommittee on the Inquiry into Teacher Education also met on 25 August when it furthered its consideration of this item of business. The subcommittee is scheduled to meet again on 1 September from 11.00 am to 12 noon.

Finance and Expenditure (Peter Hurndell, SC-FE@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met this week to consider the Public Finance (State Sector Management) Bill. The committee is next scheduled to meet on 1 September when it will further consider the Public Finance (State Sector Management) Bill.

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

The committee heard evidence on the Foreshore and Seabed bill in Wellington on 24 August, and in Auckland on 25 and 26 August.

The committee will hear further evidence on the bill in Wellington on 30 and 31 August, and 1 and 2 September.

All meetings will be open to the public.

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (David Sanders, SC-FD@parliament.govt.nz) The committee travelled to the NZDF Army Training Group at Waiouru for a site visit.

Government Administration (Lesley Ferguson, SC-GA@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met on 26 August to consider the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Amendment Bill and the Identity (Citizenship and Travel Documents) Bill. The international treaty examination 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, and the petition of Denise Allen Powell and 522 others were also considered. The committee next meets on 2 September, and is to visit the Department of Internal Affairs passports unit.

Health (Catherine Parkin, SC-Health@parliament.govt.nz) This week the committee received a briefing on the implementation of the Working to add value through E-information (WAVE) report from the Ministry of Health. It also reported to the House two petitions relating to breast cancer. Next week the committee will hear evidence on the petition of Geoffrey Annals and 152,032 others that requests additional funding to district health boards to enable the negotiation of new collective agreements with nurses. This will be open to the public from 10.00 am to 11.00 am, in room G.011, Parliament House. The committee will also consider a number of other items of business.

The petition of Debbie and Tim Short and 124,000 others requests that Parliament encourage the Government to amend the breast-screening programme urgently so that it includes women aged from 40 years to 70 years (as in Australia) instead of 50 years to 64 years (as was the case when the petition was presented to the House in November 2003). In February 2004 the Government announced that the breast cancer screening programme would be extended to cover women from 45 years of age up to 69 years of age.

In its report the committee noted that: there was a diversity of opinion about whether or not to include 40- to 49-year-old women in the breast cancer screening programme it supported the extension to the screening programme for 65- to 70-year-olds (as already announced by the Government) it did not consider that 45- to 49-year-olds should have been included in the programme before completion of a trial currently underway in the United Kingdom because until the trial was completed, there was not sufficient evidence that they should be included it expects the Government to make sure it has adequate resources in place to enable all eligible women to access the screening programme as needed.

The second petition, of Kathryn McIlraith and 9,852 others, requests the House to take immediate action to ensure that all women who have had breast cancer surgery receive the appropriate follow-up treatment, including radiation therapy that meets the internationally accepted clinical guidelines. The committee noted its continued concern about delays in cancer treatment. The committee is hopeful that the increase in radiation therapists graduating will help address current staffing shortages, and so improve waiting times. It will continue to monitor the issue during its regular financial reviews of the Ministry of Health and district health boards.

The committee is currently receiving submissions on two items of business. The closing date for submissions on the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Amendment Bill (No 3) is 24 September 2004. Provisions in the bill include: removing fault from the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) medical misadventure provision; replacing current medical error and medical mishap definitions; and making changes to reporting provisions to require ACC to report any risks of public harm. Copies of the bill are available from Bennett’s Government Bookshops and the other usual key stockists.

The committee is also inviting public submissions on two petitions relating to caregivers’ wages. The closing date for submissions is Friday 3 September 2004. The first petition requests that the House 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.

Justice and Electoral (Angela Van Dam, SC-JE@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met in Auckland on 23 August to hear evidence on the Civil Union Bill and the Relationships (Statutory References) Bill. The committee also met in Wellington on 25 August to receive a briefing on human rights, consider the Electoral Matters Bill, and to continue hearing evidence on the Civil Union Bill and the Relationships (Statutory References) Bill. The committee’s next meeting will be in Wellington on 1 September. It will continue hearing evidence on the Civil Union Bill and the Relationships (Statutory References) Bill. The meeting will be held in Parliament House and will be open to the public from 9.30 am to 1.00 pm.

Law and Order (Tracey Rayner, SC-LO@parliament.govt.nz) This week the committee further considered 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 will continue its consideration of these items and the Criminal Procedure Bill on 1 September. The committee also considered and reported to the House this week on Petition 2002/101 of Kevin Stanley Jennings and G P Scott, which requests relief. The report had no matters to bring to the attention of the House because the petitioner had requested the petition be withdrawn.

Local Government and Environment (Beth Watson, SC-LGE@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee did not meet in the week beginning 23 August. At its next meeting on 2 September it will continue its consideration of its inquiry into the alleged accidental release of genetically engineered sweet corn plants in 2000 and subsequent actions taken.

Monday 20 September 2004 is the closing date for public submissions for the member’s bill on the Overseas Investment (Queen’s Chain Extension) Amendment Bill.

Primary Production (Bob Bunch, SC-PP@parliament.govt.nz) The committee conducted a site visit to AgriQuality Limited’s Gracefield facilities on 26 August. On 2 September, the committee will consider and hear evidence on the Animal Products (Dairy Products and Other Matters) Bill and give further consideration to the Petition of Perry Spiller regarding the egg commodity levy order. The Aquaculture Reform Bill has been referred with a report back deadline of 29 November 2004. The committee has set a submission deadline of Monday, 27 September 2004. Anyone interested in giving oral evidence on the bill should contact the committee secretariat at the earliest opportunity.

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 in the Employment Relations Law Reform Bill. The committee also considered a number of deemed regulations, including medical board fees notices, amendments to the Electricity Governance Rules, and Civil Aviation Rules. The committee will next meet on 1 September 2004 to continue its scrutiny of new Government regulations.

Social Services (Graham Hill, SC-SS@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met on 26 August to consider further the Social Security (Long-term Residential Care) Amendment Bill and continue hearing evidence on the Charities Bill from Wellington-based sector organisations. The committee will meet next on 2 September to hear further evidence from organisations on the Charities Bill. This meeting is open to the public and the committee encourages all those interested to attend these meetings to hear what the submitters are saying.

The submitters will be Crown Forestry Rental Trust, the Federation of Maori Authorities, the United Nations Association of New Zealand, Pub Charity, Southland Beneficiairies and Community Rights Centre, Sport Wellington, Surf Life Saving, New Zealand Deerstalkers Association, Manawatu Gymnastics Incorporated, Massey University, Tokomaru Bay Community Group Charitable Trust, The Political Contact Committee of the Reformed Churches of New Zealand, and the Congregation of Sisters of St Joseph of Nazareth.

Transport and Industrial Relations (Kath Henderson, SC-TI@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met on 26 August and considered the Employment Relations Law Reform Bill. The committee will resume consideration of the bill next week. Next week the committee is also scheduled to receive a briefing from the Labour Standing Committee from the Swedish Parliament. The committee is now calling for submissions on the Transport Legislation Bill, closing on Wednesday, 15 September 2004.

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 (No 3) (24 September 2004) Justice and Electoral New Zealand Sign Language (27 August 2004) Local Government and Environment Overseas Investment (Queen’s Chain Extension) (20 September 2004) Maori Affairs Te Runanga o Ngati Awa Bill (closing date yet to be determined) Primary Production Animal Products (Dairy Products and Other Matters) Bill SOP No 238 (23 August 2004) Aquaculture Reform Bill (27 September 2004) Social Services The Children, Young Persons, and their Families Amendment Bill (No 4) (6 September 2004) Transport and Industrial Relations Transport Legislation Bill (15 September 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
ph: 471 9569, fax: 499 0486, or at louise.sparrer@parliament.govt.nz Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk, 27 August 2004

ENDS

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