Select Committee Business From 8 October to 15 October 2004

Committee meetings Twenty-two committee meetings were held this week, 18 in the parliamentary complex, one in Auckland, one in Whakatane and two in Blenheim.

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

Commerce Briefing on Television New Zealand Limited’s accountability to Parliament

Finance and Expenditure 2003/04 financial review of Reserve Bank of New Zealand

Bills referred to select committees The Education (Establishment of Universities) Amendment Bill was referred to the Education and Science Committee with a report due 13 April 2005.

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 met on 14 October to give further consideration to the alleged breach of the Commerce Act in the auto glazing industry, TVNZ’s accountability to Parliament, and its inquiry into the New Zealand Electricity Industry. The committee will not meet next week.

Education and Science (Kirstin Lambert, SC-ES@parliament.govt.nz) On 13 October the committee undertook a site visit of Northland Polytechnic in order to assist it with its consideration of its inquiry into Northland Polytechnic.

The committee has before it the Education (Establishment of Universities) Amendment Bill. The purpose of the bill is to amend the statutory process for the establishment of a new university as set out in the Education Act 1989. It provides for a sequential process that gives priority to the requirement that the establishment of a new university must be in the interests of the tertiary education system and the nation as a whole. Copies of the bill can be purchased from Bennetts Government Bookshops. The committee has set a closing date for submissions of 19 November 2004. The committee next meets on 20 October when it will hear evidence on the Petition 2002/106 of Jill Hounsell and 2268 others. This will be open to the public from 10.00 am to 10.30 am.

The committee will also consider Petition 2002/138 of Dorothy Ann Stewart and 10,660 others requesting that the House of Representatives keep existing Special Needs Units open. Other items of business for consideration are the 2003/04 financial review of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, inquiry into Te Wânanga o Aotearoa, and Petition 2002/78 of Lance Cottam and 7509 others.

Finance and Expenditure (Lesley Ferguson, SC-FE@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met this week to consider the committee’s request for Treasury to prepare costings of the tax policies of political parties in Parliament, and the 2003/04 financial reviews. The committee reported on the 2003/04 financial review of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, and had no matters to bring to the attention of the House.

Next week, the committee will meet on 20 October to hear evidence on the 2003/04 financial reviews of the Treasury, the Crown Financial Statements, and the Ministry of Economic Development. These hearings will be open to the public.

Fisheries and Other Sea-related Legislation (Miles Reay SC-MA@parliament.govt.nz,) The committee met on 11, 12 and 13 October to further its consideration of the Foreshore and Seabed Bill. The committee will further consider the bill on 20 and 21 October.

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

This week the committee gave further consideration to its inquiry into New Zealand’s relationship with Tonga. The committee also gave consideration to two international treaty examinations: The amendment of the Agreement Establishing the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (1990) The Treaty between the Government of New Zealand and the Government of Australia Establishing Certain Exclusive Economic Zone Boundaries and Continental Shelf Boundaries (2004) Further consideration of its inquiries and the two treaty examinations will continue at the meeting next week.

Government Administration (Lesley Ferguson, SC-GA@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met this week to consider and hear evidence on the Identity (Citizenship and Travel Documents) Bill. The committee meets next week to hear evidence on the 2003/04 financial review of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Archives New Zealand. These hearings are open to the public.

Health (Catherine Parkin, SC-Health@parliament.govt.nz) This week the committee continued hearing evidence on two petitions relating to caregivers’ wages and considered other items of business. On 20 October the committee will hear further evidence on these petitions, from 9.30 am to 10.20 am, at Parliament House in Wellington. The committee will also hear evidence on the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Amendment Bill (No 3), from 11.30 am to 1.00 pm. Both hearings of evidence will be open to the public. The committee is calling for public submissions on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill (No 3), with a closing date for submissions of 22 October 2004. Copies of the bill are available from Bennett’s Government Bookshops and the other usual key stockists.

Justice and Electoral (Angela Van Dam, SC-JE@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met on 13 October to consider the Electoral Matters Bill and to start hearing evidence on the New Zealand Sign Language Bill. The committee will meet next on 20 October to consider the Civil Union Bill and the Relationships (Statutory References) Bill. It will also consider Petition 2002/55 of Lynley Jane Hood and Dr Don Brash and 807 others, and Petition 2002/70 of Gaye Davidson and 3346 others.

Law and Order (Tracey Rayner, SC-LO@parliament.govt.nz) This week the committee further considered the Crimes Amendment Bill (No 2) and Crimes (Drug Rape) Amendment Bill. The committee next meets on 20 October to further consider these items. Local Government and Environment (Beth Watson, SC-LGE@parliament.govt.nz) At its meeting on 14 October the committee continued its consideration of a number of petitions that it has before it. The committee will next meet on 4 November to hear evidence from the Department of Conservation and the Ministry for the Environment on the respective annual reports. The committee will also meet a delegation from the Italian Parliament that morning and discuss the legislative framework for the devolution of responsibilities from central to local government, the practical functioning of the system, and the integration between local and central government.

Maori Affairs (Miles Reay, SC-MA@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met in Whakatane on 14 October to hear evidence on the Te Runanga o Ngati Awa Bill and the Ngati Awa Claims Settlement Bill.

Primary Production (Bob Bunch, SC-PP@parliament.govt.nz) On 12 October the committee continued hearing evidence, at Parliament House, on the Aquaculture Reform Bill. On the evening of 13 October and all day on 14 October, the committee heard evidence on the bill at the Scenic Circle Hotel, Blenheim, from marine farming, Mâori, local council and other interests from Nelson and Marlborough. On 15 October, the committee visited mussel and salmon farms in the Marlborough Sounds. In the third week of October, the committee will hear evidence in Wellington on the bill, from 19 October to 21 October.

Regulations Review (Michael Wilkinson, SC-RR@parliament.govt.nz) This week the committee heard evidence on a complaint by New Zealand Law Society and the New Zealand Bar Association into civil court fees. Next week, the committee will continue with hearings on the complaint. The committee will also continue its scrutiny of new government regulations.

Social Services (Graham Hill, SC-SS@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met on 14 October to consider further the New Zealand Superannuation Amendment Bill and heard evidence on the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Bill (No 4). At the next meeting on 21 October the committee will consider further the New Zealand Superannuation Amendment Bill and hear evidence on the Disabled Persons Employment Promotion (Repeal and Related Matters) Bill.

Transport and Industrial Relations (Kath Henderson, SC-TI@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met in Auckland on 11 October to hear submissions on the Transport Legislation Bill, and the Land Transport Amendment Bill. In the afternoon the committee visited some transport projects sites in Auckland and Transit New Zealand’s traffic operations management service centre. On 14 October the committee resumed consideration of the Transport Legislation Bill at its meeting in Wellington and then heard further submissions on the Land Transport Amendment Bill. Next week the committee will continue consideration of the Transport Legislation Bill. It will also hear further submissions on the Land Transport Amendment Bill from 10.40 am to 1.00 pm.

Closing dates for submissions

Committees are receiving submissions on the following items with the closing date shown: Education and Science Education (Establishment of Universities) Amendment Bill (19 November 2004) Government Administration Historic Places Amendment Bill (29 October 2004) Public Records Bill (5 November 2004) Health Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill (No 3) (22 October 2004) Social Services Social Security (Social Assistance) Amendment Bill (31 January 2005) 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

ENDS

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