From 26 May to 30 May 2014
Committee meetings
There were 18 committee meetings, all in the parliamentary complex.
Reports presented
Finance and Expenditure Committee
• Report from the Controller and Auditor-General, Draft Annual Plan 2014/15 (including the Auditor-General's proposed work programme for 2014/15)
• Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s Financial Stability Report, May 2014 (I.3P)
• Whole of government directions regarding procurement, ICT, and property functional leadership
Government Administration Committee
• Petition 2011/97 of Kyle Lockwood
• Inquiry into the accessibility of services to Parliament (I.5B)
Health Committee
• 2012/13 financial review of Southern District Health Board
• Briefing from His Excellency Khin Aung Myint, Speaker of the Upper House, Myanmar Parliament
• Petition 2011/79 of Rae Reynolds and 276 others
• Petition 2011/85 of Cynthia Bowers and 1,035 others
• Petition 2011/88 of Sym Gardiner
• Petition 2011/89 of Neil Pluck on behalf of the Rakaia Community Association
• Petition 2011/98 of Carrie Hetherington
• Petition 2011/99 of Shayne Jeffares on behalf of Together Napier
Justice and Electoral Committee
• Harmful Digital Communications Bill (168-2)
Social Services Committee
• Report from the Controller and Auditor-General, Public entities in the social sector: Our audit work
Bills referred to select committees
Local Government and Environment
• Christchurch City Council (Rates Validation) Bill (204-1)
Changes in committee membership
Local Government and Environment
• Kelvin Davis replaced Phil Twyford (SO 291(2))
Committee notes
Commerce
The committee met on 28 and 29 May to consider and hear evidence on the 2014/15 Estimates for Vote Communication, Vote
Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Vote Economic Development and Employment, Vote Energy, and Vote Tourism.
The committee will not meet during the two-week adjournment, and will next meet on 19 June to consider the Energy
(Fuels, Levies and References) Amendment Bill, and consider the 2014/15 Estimates for Vote Communication, Vote Commerce
and Consumer Affairs, Vote Economic Development and Employment, Vote Energy, and Vote Tourism.
Education and Science
The committee met on 28 May to hear evidence on the Education Amendment Bill (No 2). A sub-committee met on 27, 28 and
29 May for further hearings of evidence on the bill.
The full committee will meet on 4 June for hearings of evidence on Vote Science and Innovation and Vote Tertiary
Education (Hon Steven Joyce will appear before the committee from 9.30 am to 10.40 am) and Vote Education and Vote
Education Review Office (Hon Hekia Parata will appear from 11.00 am to 12.30 pm).
Finance and Expenditure
The committee met on 28 May to consider the Reports from the Controller and Auditor-General, Schools: Results of the 2012 audits, Health sector: Results of the 2012/13 audits, Draft Annual Plan 2014/15 (including the Auditor-General’s proposed work programme for 2014/15).
The committee also further considered the Supplementary Estimates of Appropriations for the year ending 30 June 2014,
the Whole of government directions regarding procurement, ICT, and property functional leadership, and the Reserve Bank
of New Zealand’s Financial Stability Report, May 2014.
The committee also heard evidence on the 2014/15 Estimates for Vote Revenue.
The committee will next meet on 12 June when it will consider and hear evidence on the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s
Monetary Policy Statement, June 2014
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade
The committee did not meet this week.
The committee will next meet on 5 June when it will consider and hear evidence on the 2014/15 Estimates for Votes
Customs, Defence, Defence Force, Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Official Development Assistance.
Government Administration
The committee met on 28 May and heard evidence on the 2014/15 Estimates for Vote Internal Affairs and Vote Prime
Minister and Cabinet. The committee also completed consideration of Petition 2011/97 of Kyle Lockwood. The committee
also hosted a visit from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association – United Kingdom branch.
The committee will meet next on 18 June.
Health
The committee met on 28 May 2014, when it heard evidence on Petition 2011/81 of Patricia Maich Armstrong and on the
2014/15 Estimates Vote Health. It also considered the 2012/13 financial review of the Southern District Health Board,
Petition 2011/88 of Sym Gardiner, Petition 2011/98 of Carrie Hetherington, Petition 2011/66 of Ann Chapman and 1,053
others, Petition 2011/79 of Rae Reynolds and 276 others, Petition 2011/85 of Cynthia Bowers and 1,035 others, Petition
2011/89 of Neil Pluck on behalf of the Rakaia Community Association, Petition 2011/99 of Shane Jeffares on behalf of
Together Napier, and a report on the visit of His Excellency U Khin Aung Myint, Speaker of Amyotha Hluttaw, Myanmar
Parliament.
The committee will next meet on 18 June 2014, when it will hear evidence on the Briefing on Prostate Cancer. It will
also consider the 2014/15 Estimates Vote Health, the Smoke-free Environment (Tobacco Plain Packaging) Amendment Bill,
the Briefing on English language proficiency tests with reference to non-English speaking health professionals seeking
registration in New Zealand, and Petition 2011/102 of Carmel Berry and Charlotte Korte.
Justice and Electoral
This week the committee heard evidence on the 2014/15 Estimates for Votes Attorney General, Parliamentary Counsel,
Courts and Justice. It also continued its consideration of Judicature Modernisation Bill.
Law and Order
The committee met on 28 May 2014 to receive a briefing on information sharing between civil courts and the New Zealand
Parole Board.
The committee will next meet on 4 June 2014 to conduct the hearings of evidence with the Minister on Votes Police,
Correction and Serious Fraud as part of the 2014/15 Estimates.
Local Government and Environment
The committee met on 29 May to hear evidence on the Building (Earthquake-prone Buildings) Amendment Bill, the
Environmental Reporting Bill, the Kaikōura (Te Tai-o-Marokura) Marine Management Bill, and the 2014/15 Estimates for
Vote Environment.
The committee will next meet on 5 June.
Māori Affairs
The committee met this week to hear evidence on the Waitangi National Trust Board Amendment Bill, and to consider and
hear evidence on the 2014/15 Estimates for Vote Māori Affairs and Vote Treaty Negotiations.
The committee will not be meeting next week.
Primary Production
The committee met on 29 May when it received briefings on the report of the Controller and Auditor-General: Preparing
for and responding to biosecurity incursions, and the regulation of the whitebait fishery on the West Coast.
The committee will next meet on 19 June 2014.
Privileges
The committee met on 28 May to consider the Parliamentary Privilege Bill, the Question of privilege regarding the
intrusive powers within the parliamentary precinct and the Question of privilege regarding use of social media to report
on parliamentary proceedings.
The committee will not meet next week.
Regulations Review
The committee met on 22 May 2014 to consider its Inquiry into oversight of disallowable instruments that are not
legislative instruments. The committee continued its scrutiny of various legislative instruments and disallowable
instruments that are not legislative instruments.
The committee will next meet on 29 May 2014 to further consider its Inquiry into oversight of disallowable instruments
that are not legislative instruments. The committee will also continue its scrutiny of various legislative instruments
and disallowable instruments that are not legislative instruments, and regulation-making powers in bills.
Social Services
The committee met on 28 May to consider its Inquiry into the funding of specialist sexual violence social services and a
report from the Controller and Auditor-General, Public entities in the social sector: Our audit work. The report from the Controller and Auditor-General was presented to the House on 29 May 2014.
It also considered and heard evidence on the 2014/15 Estimates for Vote Social Development, for Vote Housing, and for
Vote Senior Citizens. The meeting was open to the public while the Minister of Housing and Minister for Building and
Construction, both of whom are Hon Dr Nick Smith, and the chief executive and senior officials from Housing New Zealand
Corporation, as well as senior officials from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment appeared to give
evidence on the 2014/15 Estimates for Vote Housing. The meeting was also open to the public while the Minister for
Social Development, Hon Paula Bennett, and the Associate Minister for Social Development, Hon Chester Borrows, as well
as the chief executive and senior officials from the Ministry of Social Development appeared to give evidence on the
2014/15 Estimates for Vote Social Development. The meeting was again open to the public while the Minister for Senior
Citizens, Hon Jo Goodhew, as well as the chief executive and senior officials from the Ministry of Social Development,
appeared to give evidence on the 2014/15 Estimates for Vote Senior Citizens.
The committee will not be meeting during the June adjournment.
The committee is scheduled to next meet on 18 June to consider the Social Security (Clothing Allowances for Orphans and
Unsupported Children) Amendment Bill, the 2014/15 Estimates for Vote Social Development, for Vote Housing, and for Vote
Senior Citizens, its Inquiry into boarding houses in New Zealand, its Briefing into long-term caravan park and motor
camp accommodation, and the petition of Vivian Needham.
Standing Orders
The committee did not meet this week.
Transport and Industrial Relations
The committee met on 29 May to consider the Land Transport Amendment Bill and to hear evidence on the 2014/15 Estimates
for Vote Transport, Vote Immigration and Vote Labour.
The committee will not be meeting next week.
Closing dates for submissions
Committees are receiving submissions on the following items with the closing date shown:
Government Administration
• Statutes Amendment Bill (No 4) (6 June 2014)
Submissions can be made online
General
Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk, 30 May 2014