Select Committee Business From 10 September to 17 September 2004

Committee meetings Eighteen committee meetings were held this week, 16 in the parliamentary complex and 2 in Christchurch.

Reports presented (available at http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/Publications/CommitteeReport) Finance and Expenditure Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s Monetary Policy Statement, September 2004 Transport and Industrial Relations Employment Relations Law Reform Bill (92-2) 2003/04 financial review of Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC)

Bills referred to select committees The Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill (No 3) was referred to the Health Committee with a report due 14 March 2005. The Public Records Bill was referred to the Government Administration Committee with a report due 15 March 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 will not be meeting over the next two weeks while the House is adjourned.

Education and Science (Kirstin Lambert, SC-ES@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on 15 September when it met with a Japanese Parliamentary delegation from the House of Councillors. The committee also considered Petition 2002/106 of Jill Hounsell and its Review Inquiry into Te Wânanaga o Aotearoa. It is not expected that the committee will meet while the House is adjourned over the next two weeks. The next meeting, for both the committee and the subcommittee on the Inquiry into Teacher Education, is scheduled for 6 October.

Finance and Expenditure (Lesley Ferguson, SC-FE@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on 15 September and received a briefing from the Commissioner of Inland Revenue on the proposals contained in the Government discussion document, Options for dealing with industry-wide tax evasion. The committee also considered the September 2004 Reserve Bank of New Zealand Monetary Policy Statement. The committee next meets on 6 October.

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 13 September, and in Christchurch on 15 and 16 September.

The committee will next meet on 4 October in Wellington to hear evidence on the Foreshore and Seabed Bill. This meeting will be open to the public.

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (David Sanders, SC-FD@parliament.govt.nz)

This week the committee met a delegation from the House of Councillors of Japan. The committee also received a briefing on access to Australia for New Zealand apples from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The committee further considered its inquiry into New Zealand’s relationship with Tonga and began consideration of the 2003/04 financial reviews. The committee will next meet on 7 October.

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

The committee met on 9 September to hear evidence on the Identity (Citizenship and Travel Documents) Bill. The committee also heard evidence on a petition from Daniel Angelesy and 23 others, on behalf of past customers of the Taranaki Power Board Group, which requests that the House examine the use of pre-ticked forms in public consultation processes.

The committee is inviting public submissions on the Historic Places Amendment Bill. The closing date for submissions is 29 October 2004. The bill seeks to amend the Historic Places Act 1993 to strengthen the governance arrangements of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust, to enhance the Trust’s accountability to the Government (by making it a Crown entity), and to clarify and adjust some of the 1993 Act’s provisions. To provide greater transparency and accountability in the compilation of the Trust’s register of places of historical and cultural heritage, the bill introduces a process where the Trust will notify and invite submissions on all proposals to register historic places, historic areas, and wahi tapu areas.

The committee is also inviting public submissions on the Public Records Bill. The closing date for submissions is 5 November 2004. The bill seeks to: create a framework to ensure that public records are appropriately managed achieve broad coverage of the activities of government within this framework provide for the preservation and accessibility of public archives. The bill will repeal the Archives Act 1957 and the document and archive provisions of the Local Government Act 1974. The committee next meets on 7 October in Auckland, to hear evidence on the Identity (Citizenship and Travel Documents) Bill.

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

This week the committee heard evidence on the petition of Lianne Dalziel and 584 others that requests the House take note of the issue of the renaming of enrolled nurses as nurse assistants. The committee received a briefing from the Ministry of Health on campylobacter. The committee also heard evidence on two petitions relating to caregivers’ wages and considered a number of other items of business.

This week the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill (No 3) was referred to the committee. The committee must report to the House on this bill by 14 March 2005. The committee is calling for public submissions on the bill, with a closing date for submissions of 22 October 2004. This bill amends provisions in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 relating to the amount of a drug that a person would have to possess to be legally presumed to be in possession of that drug for the purpose of supply. The bill also creates new offences relating to the import and export of precursor substances—ingredients in the manufacture of illegal drugs. Copies of the bill are available from Bennett’s Government Bookshops and the other usual key stockists.

The committee is also receiving submissions on the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Amendment Bill (No 3), with a closing date of 24 September 2004. Provisions in this 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. The committee will not meet next week.

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

The committee met on 15 September to hear evidence on the Civil Union Bill and the Relationships (Statutory References) Bill and to consider the Electoral Matters Bill.

The committee will meet next in Auckland on 27 September, to continue to hear evidence on the Civil Union Bill and the Relationships (Statutory References) Bill. The meeting will be held in the Hobson Room at the Alexandra Park Function Centre, and will be open to the public from 9.00 am to 12.00 noon, 1.00 pm to 4.15 pm, and 5.15 pm to 7.00 pm.

The committee will then meet in Christchurch on 29 September, to continue to hear evidence on the Civil Union Bill and the Relationships (Statutory References) Bill. The meeting will be held in the Cathedral North Room at the Millennium Hotel, and will be open to the public from 9.00 am to 12.00 noon, 1.00 pm to 4.00 pm, and 5.00 pm to 7.00 pm.

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

The committee continued to hear evidence on the Criminal Procedure Bill this week from the Wellington District Law Society, the New Zealand Police Association, Ms Judith Ablett-Kerr QC, Mr Guyon Foley, Mr Chris Tennet, Dr Donald Stevens QC, and Mr Anthony Rogers and the Criminal Bar Association.

The committee is not scheduled to meet while the House is adjourned over the next two weeks. On 6 October the committee will meet to further hear evidence on the Criminal Procedure Bill from the New Zealand Law Society, and to continue consideration of the Crimes Amendment Bill (No 2) and the Crimes (Drug Rape) Amendment Bill.

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

At its meeting of 16 September, the committee continued its consideration of its inquiry into the alleged accidental release of genetically engineered sweet corn plants in 2000 and subsequent actions taken. The next meeting of the committee will be on 7 October. At that meeting, the committee plans to continue its consideration of both the Wellington Regional Council (Water Board Functions) Bill and the Marine Reserves Bill. The meeting will be open to the public when the Auditor-General briefs the committee on a comparison of the 2003 and 2004 local government audit fees. The committee will also continue the 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 on the Overseas Investment (Queen’s Chain Extension) Amendment Bill, a member’s bill. 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 is calling for submissions on the Te Runanga o Ngati Awa Bill and the Ngati Awa Claims Settlement Bill.

The purpose of the Te Runanga o Ngati Awa Bill is to give effect to the agreements between the Crown and Ngâti Awa concerning the reconstitution of the structure and operations of Te Rûnanga, so as to enable Te Rûnanga to receive and administer the Ngâti Awa settlement redress for and on behalf of Ngâti Awa.

The Ngâti Awa Claims Settlement Bill aims to give effect to a Deed of Settlement between the Crown and Ngâti Awa in respect of the latter’s historical claims under the Treaty of Waitangi. The Deed of Settlement also records the acknowledgments and the apology given by the Crown to Ngâti Awa.

Copies of the bills can be purchased from Bennetts Government Bookshops

The closing date for the Te Runanga o Ngati Awa Bill is Friday 24 September 2004. The closing date for the Ngati Awa Claims Settlement Bill is Friday 1 October 2004.

The committee requires 20 copies of each submission. For further guidance, our publication Making a Submission to a Parliamentary Select Committee can be found on our web site at www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz. Submissions should be addressed to the Mâori Affairs Committee secretariat, Parliament House, Wellington. For further details, contact Miles Reay on (04) 471 9043, or email the secretariat at SC-MA@parliament.govt.nz.

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

On 16 September the committee considered the Animal Products (Dairy Products and Other Matters) Bill and commenced consideration on the Aquaculture Reform Bill. It also commenced consideration of the 2003/04 financial reviews of government departments, Crown entities and State-owned enterprises.

The Aquaculture Reform Bill has been referred with a deadline for report 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 discussed the regulation-making powers in the Foreshore and Seabed Bill with officials from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. The committee will not be meeting during the adjournment period, and will next meet on 6 October.

Social Services (Graham Hill, SC-SS@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met on 16 September to complete the hearing of evidence from submitters on the Charities Bill. The committee will meet next on 7 October to consider further the Charities Bill, the New Zealand Superannuation Amendment Bill, the Disabled Persons Employment Promotion (Repeal and Related Matters) Bill, and the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Bill.

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

The committee met on 16 September to hear submissions on the Holidays Amendment Bill.

Closing dates for submissions Committees are receiving submissions on the following items with the closing date shown: Government Administration Inquiry into hate speech (1 October 2004) Historic Places Amendment Bill (29 October 2004) Public Records Bill (5 November 2004) Health Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Amendment Bill (No 3)
(24 September 2004) Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill (No 3) (22 October 2004) Local Government and Environment Overseas Investment (Queen’s Chain Extension) (20 September 2004) Maori Affairs Te Runanga o Ngati Awa Bill (24 September 2004) Ngati Awa Claims Settlement Bill (1 October 2004) Primary Production Aquaculture Reform Bill (27 September 2004) Transport and Industrial Relations Holidays Amendment Bill (17 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, 17 September 2004

ENDS

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