Select Committee Business

From 19 November to 26 November 2004

Committee meetings Seven committee meetings were held this week, five in the parliamentary complex and two in Auckland.

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

Business Recommended sitting programme for 2005

Finance and Expenditure 2003/04 financial review of Department of Labour 2003/04 financial review of Inland Revenue Department

Government Administration 2003/04 financial review of Archives New Zealand 2003/04 financial review of New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Limited (NZSO) Identity (Citizenship and Travel Documents) Bill (148-2)

Local Government and Environment Petition 2002/0019 of Rex McLeod Wellington Regional Council (Water Board Functions) Bill (139-2)

Officers of Parliament Appointment of an Ombudsman

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 2 December to consider and hear evidence on the 2003/04 financial review of Meridian Energy Limited. The hearing of evidence will be open to the public between 10.20 am and 11.20 am. The committee will also consider petitions and the briefing on an alleged breach of the Commerce Act in the auto-glazing industry.

Education and Science (Kirstin Lambert, SC-ES@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met in Auckland on 25 November to hear evidence on the Education (Establishment of Universities) Amendment Bill. The committee next meets on 1 December to hear evidence on the 2003/04 financial reviews of the Education Review Office and the Ministry of Education. This will be open to the public from 8.00 am to 10.30 am. The committee will also be open to the public from 3.30 pm to 4.30 pm to hear evidence on the Education (Establishment of Universities) Amendment Bill. The committee will also further its consideration of the 2003/04 financial review of the Ministry of Research Science and Technology, and the financial review inquiry into Northland Polytechnic.

Finance and Expenditure (Lesley Ferguson, SC-FE@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met this week to hear evidence on the 2003/04 financial reviews of Radio New Zealand Limited and Television New Zealand Limited. The committee also considered the 2003/04 financial review of Air New Zealand Limited, and deliberated on the 2003/04 financial reviews of the Inland Revenue Department, and the Department of Labour. The committee reports on these items of business are available at http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/Publications/CommitteeReport/Default.htm. Next week, the committee intends to hear submissions on the Customs and Excise (Motor Spirits) Amendment Bill.

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (David Sanders, SC-FD@parliament.govt.nz) This week the committee did not meet. The committee will continue the 2003/04 financial reviews on 18 November when it hears evidence from the New Zealand Defence Force, and the Ministry of Defence. The committee will also give further consideration to its inquiry on New Zealand’s relationship with Tonga.

Government Administration (Nerina Bennett, SC-GA@parliament.govt.nz) The committee will meet on Tuesday 30 November to hear evidence on the 2003/04 financial reviews of the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs and the State Services Commission. The committee will also meet on Thursday 2 December to hear evidence on the Historic Places Amendment Bill and to consider the petition of Gregor Alexander Macaulay. The committee will also consider its 2003/04 financial review of the Department of Internal Affairs.

Health (Catherine Parkin, SC-Health@parliament.govt.nz) This week the committee heard evidence on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill (No 3). The committee also considered other items of business. Next Wednesday the committee will continue to hear evidence on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill (No 3). This will be open to the public from 10.40 am to 11.25 am, at Parliament House in Wellington. The committee will also receive a briefing on the National Vision and Hearing Screening Programme, which will not be open to the public, and consider other items of business, including the 2003/04 financial review of the Ministry of Health, two petitions relating to caregivers’ wages, and a petition relating to alcohol regulation. The committee is inviting public submissions on Supplementary Order Paper 298, which proposes amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill (No 3). The closing date for submissions is 31 January 2005.

Justice and Electoral (Angela Van Dam, SC-JE@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met on 23 November, to consider the Civil Union Bill. It then met in Auckland on 24 November, to hear evidence on the New Zealand Sign Language Bill. The committee will next meet on 1 December, to consider the Relationships (Statutory References) Bill, the Inquiry into the 2004 Local Authority Elections, and all petitions currently before the committee.

Law and Order (Tracey Rayner, SC-LO@parliament.govt.nz) The committee did not meet this week. Next week the committee will meet on 1 December to consider and hear evidence on the 2003/04 financial review of the Department of Corrections. The meeting will be open to the public from 9.45 am to 12 noon. Further consideration will also be given to the 2003/04 financial review of the Serious Fraud Office.

Maori Affairs (Miles Reay, SC-MA@parliament.govt.nz) The committee will meet on 30 November to consider the Te Runanga o Ngati Awa Bill, and the Ngati Awa Claims Settlement Bill. It will also meet on 2 December to hear evidence on the financial review of Te Puni Kôkiri (Ministry of Maori Development). Part of the latter meeting will be open to the public.

The committee is calling for public submissions on the Ngati Tuwharetoa (Bay of Plenty) Claims Settlement Bill. The bill aims to record the acknowledgements and apology between the Crown and Ngati Tuwharetoa (Bay of Plenty) in the deed of settlement dated 6 June 2003 between the Crown and Ngati Tuwharetoa (Bay of Plenty), and to give effect to settlement of historical claims agreed by the Crown and Ngati Tuwharetoa (Bay of Plenty) in that deed. The closing date for submissions is Monday, 20 December 2004.

Primary Production (Bob Bunch, SC-PP@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met twice this week on the Aquaculture Reform Bill, 24 and 25 November 2004, to give further consideration to the bill. Next week the committee will meet three times, Tuesday to Thursday, 30 November
to 2 December, to give further consideration to the issues arising from the hearings on the Aquaculture Reform Bill.

Social Services (Graham Hill, SC-SS@parliament.govt.nz) The committee met on 18 November to consider further the Disabled Persons Employment Promotion (Repeal and Related Matters) Bill. The committee will meet next on 2 December to hear evidence on the 2003/04 financial reviews of the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services, and the Ministry of Social Development. The committee will also consider further the Charities Bill.

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

Commerce New Zealand Guardian Trust Company Amendment Bill (6 December 2004)

Finance and Expenditure Customs and Excise (Motor Spirits) Amendment Bill (26 November 2004)

Government Administration Animal Welfare (Restriction on Docking of Dogs’ Tails) Bill (28 February 2005)

Health Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill (No 3) SOP 298 (31 January 2005)

Justice and Electoral Inquiry into the 2004 Local Authority Elections (25 February 2005)

Maori Affairs Ngati Tuwharetoa (Bay of Plenty) Claims Settlement Bill (20 December 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
ph: 471 9569, fax: 499 0486, or at louise.sparrer@parliament.govt.nz Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk, 26 November 2004

ENDS

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