Select Committee Business
From 17 to 21 February 2014
Committee meetings
There were 17 committee meetings, 4 outside Wellington and 13 in the parliamentary complex.
Reports presented
Government Administration Committee
• 2012/13 financial review of the New Zealand Fire Service Commission
• 2012/13 financial review of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Board, the New Zealand Historic Places
Trust (Pouhere Taonga), the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa, and the New Zealand Lotteries Commission
• Special report on a matter relating to the 2012/13 financial review of the Department of Internal Affairs
Health Committee
• 2012/13 financial review of Auckland District Health Board, the Bay of Plenty District Health Board, the
Canterbury District Health Board, the Capital and Coast District Health Board, the Counties Manukau District Health
Board, and the Hutt Valley District Health Board
• 2012/13 financial review of the Health Quality and Safety Commission, the Health Research Council of New
Zealand, the New Zealand Blood Service, and the Pharmaceutical Management Agency
• 2012/13 financial review of Nelson Malborough District Health Board, the Northland District Health Board, the
Tairawhiti District Health Board, the Taranaki District Health Board, the Waikato District Health Board, the Wairarapa
District Health Board, the Waitemata District Health Board, and the West Coast District Health Board
Justice and Electoral Committee
• Register of Pecuniary Interests of Judges Bill (240-1)
Local Government and Environment Committee
• Petition 2011/36 of Gayleen Mackereth on behalf of the Howick Ratepayers and Residents Association
• Report from the Controller and Auditor-General, Inquiry into the Mangawhai community wastewater scheme, Report from the Controller and Auditor-General, Summary: Inquiry into the Mangawhai community wastewater scheme, and Briefing on the Mangawhai community wastewater scheme and other related matters
Regulations Review Committee
• Complaint regarding the New Zealand (Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code) Food Standards 2002, Amendment
No 53 (I.16D)
Transport and Industrial Relations Committee
• 2012/13 financial review of Airways Corporation of New Zealand Limited, the Civil Aviation Authority of New
Zealand, Maritime New Zealand, and the Transport Accident Investigation Commission
• Land Transport and Road User Charges Legislation Amendment Bill (143-2)
• Summary Offences (Possession of Hand-held Lasers) Amendment Bill (88-2)
Committee notes
Commerce
The committee met on 20 February to consider the Accounting Infrastructure Reform Bill, and the Credit Contracts and
Financial Services Law Reform Bill. The committee also considered and heard evidence on the 2012/13 financial reviews of
the Electricity Authority.
The committee is currently calling for submissions on the Accounting Infrastructure Reform Bill, with a closing date of
3 March 2014.
The committee will next meet on 6 March to consider the Credit Contracts and Financial Services Law Reform Bill. The
committee will also consider and hear evidence on the 2012/13 financial review of Solid Energy New Zealand, Television
New Zealand, and Kordia.
Education and Science
The committee met on 19 February to hear evidence on the 2012/13 financial reviews of Careers New Zealand and the
Tertiary Education Commission, and consider the Industry Training and Apprenticeships Amendment Bill, the 2012/13
financial review of AgResearch Limited, and the petition of Judy Taligalu McFall-McCaffery and John McCaffery and 6686
others.
The committee will not be meeting next week.
Finance and Expenditure
The committee met on 19 February when it considered the petition of Roy Reid on behalf of Grey Power New Zealand. The
committee also continued hearing evidence on the Taxation (Annual Rates, Employee Allowances, and Remedial Matters)
Bill.
The committee will next meet on 5 March.
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade
The committee did not meet this week.
The committee will not be meeting next week.
Government Administration
The committee met on 19 February and considered the Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months’ Paid Leave)
Amendment Bill. The committee also completed consideration of the 2012/13 financial reviews for the New Zealand Fire
Service Commission, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Board, the New Zealand Historic Places Trust (Pouhere
Taonga), the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa, and the New Zealand Lotteries Commission. The committee also
completed consideration on the special report on a matter relating to the 2012/13 financial review of the Department of
Internal Affairs.
At its next meeting on 5 March the committee will hear evidence on the report from the Ombudsmen, Information fault lines, Accessing EQC information in Canterbury, a joint report of the Chief Ombudsman and the Privacy Commissioner into the Earthquake Commission's handling of
information requests in Canterbury .
Health
The committee met on 19 February when it heard evidence on the 2012/13 financial review of the Southern District Health
Board and the 2012/13 financial review of the South Canterbury District Health Board. The committee also considered the
Smoke-free Environments (Tobacco Plain Packaging) Amendment Bill, and the 2012/13 financial reviews of the Health
Quality and Safety Commission, the Health Research Council of New Zealand, the New Zealand Blood Service, the
Pharmaceutical Management Agency, the Auckland District Health Board, the Bay of Plenty District Health Board, the
Canterbury District Health Board, the Capital and Coast District Health Board, the Counties Manukau District Health
Board, the Hutt Valley District Health Board, the Nelson Marlborough District Health Board, the Northland District
Health Board, the Tairāwhiti District Health Board, the Taranaki District Health Board, the Waikato District Health
Board, the Wairarapa District Health Board, the Waitematā District Health Board, and the West Coast District Health
Board.
The Health committee will next meet on 5 January when it will hear evidence on the 2012/13 financial review of the
MidCentral District Health Board, the 2012/13 financial review of the Whanganui District Health Board, and the Briefing
of Child Matters – Visiting Specialists. The committee will also consider the Smoke-free Environments (Tobacco Plain
Packaging) Amendment Bill, the 2012/13 financial review of the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board and the 2012/13
financial review of the Lakes District Health Board.
Justice and Electoral
This week the committee met on 20 February. It held financial review hearings of the Human Rights Commission, and of the
Privacy Commissioner. It considered the Register of Pecuniary Interests of Judges Bill, and heard evidence on the Human
Rights Amendment Bill.
The committee will next meet on 25 February to hear further evidence on the Human Rights Amendment Bill.
Law and Order
The committee met on 19 February to consider the Victims’ Orders Against Violent Offenders Sentencing (Protection of
Children from Criminal Offending) Amendment Bill and the briefing on policing and prisons in Auckland.
The committee met again on 21 February, in Auckland, to hear evidence on the Parole Amendment Bill.
The committee will next meet on 28 February to visit the Avondale, Mt Roskill and Wiri Police Stations as well as the
Auckland Regional Women’s Correctional Facility.
Local Government and Environment
The committee met on 20 February to hear evidence on Petition 2011/15 of Christine Rose and Petition 2011/16 of
Christine Rose, and on the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill (No 3).
It considered two reports from the Controller and Auditor-General on the Mangawhai community wastewater scheme and the
Briefing on the Mangawahai community wastewater scheme and other related matters. It also considered Petition 2011/36 of
Gayleen Mackereth on behalf of the Howick Ratepayers and Residents Association.
The committee has formed a subcommittee which will meet on 26 February to hear evidence on the Local Government Act 2002
Amendment Bill (No 3).
Māori Affairs
The committee met on 18 February at Tauranga to hear evidence on the New Zealand Mission Trust (Otamataha) Empowering
Bill. It also met in Whakatane on 19 February to hear evidence on the Te Urewera-Tūhoe Bill.
The committee will not be meeting next week.
Primary Production
The committee met on 20 February to consider the Food Bill and briefings on new import health standards for pork, loans
known as swaps and their effect on primary industry and the future of Maori agribusiness. The committee also met on 21
February to consider the Food Bill and the Animal Welfare Amendment Bill.
The committee will next meet on 6 March when it will consider the Food Bill and Animal Welfare Amendment Bill.
Privileges
The committee did not meet this week.
Regulations Review
The committee met on 20 February to consider the complaint regarding the Civil Aviation Charges Regulations (No 2) 1991
Amendment Regulations 2012, and the complaint regarding the Canterbury Earthquake (Building Act) Order 2011.
The committee will next meet on 6 March to consider the complaint regarding the Canterbury Earthquake (Building Act)
Order 2011, and the complaint regarding the Legal Services Regulations (payment for legal aid work) 2011. The committee
will receive a briefing on regulations that incorporate standards by reference. The committee will continue its scrutiny
of various statutory and deemed regulations.
Social Services
The committee met on 19 February to consider and hear evidence on the 2012/13 financial review of the Children’s
Commissioner. The meeting was open to the public from 9.29am to 10.15am, during the appearance of the Children’s
Commissioner, Dr Russell Wills, and officials from his office.
The committee also considered the petition of Vivian Needham, the Vulnerable Children Bill, the Veterans’ Support Bill,
the Social Security (Clothing Allowances for Orphans and Unsupported Children) Amendment Bill, and its inquiry into the
funding of specialist sexual violence social services.
The meeting was again open to the public, from 10.16am to 10.49am, during a hearing of evidence from Leanne Arker,
Senior Performance Auditor, Office of the Controller and Auditor-General, on the Report from the Controller and
Auditor-General, UN Madrid indicators to better understand ageing population.
Standing Orders
The committee will next meet on 6 March, when it will hear evidence in public on the Review of Standing Orders.
Transport and Industrial Relations
The committee met on 18 February to consider the Summary Offences (Possession of Hand-held Lasers) Amendment Bill. It
met again on 20 February to consider the 2012/13 financial reviews of Maritime New Zealand, the Civil Aviation
Authority, the Airways Corporation of New Zealand, and the Transport Accident Investigation Commission; to consider the
Land Transport Amendment Bill; and to hear evidence on the Immigration Amendment Bill (No 2). The committee will not
meet next week.
Closing dates for submissions
Committees are receiving submissions on the following items with the closing date shown:
Commerce
• Accounting Infrastructure Reform Bill (3 March 2014)
Health
• Smoke-free Environments (Tobacco Plain Packaging) Amendment Bill (28 March 2014)
Justice and Electoral
• Harmful Digital Communications Bill (21 February 2014)
• Judicature Modernisation Bill (21 February 2014)
Privileges
• Parliamentary Privilege Bill (28 February 2014)
Submissions can be made online
General
Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk, 21 February 2014