Select Committee Business

From 1 February to 8 February 2002

Committee meetings

There were no committee meetings this week.

Reports presented (2)

Commerce

- 2000/01 financial review of the Takeovers Panel

Finance and Expenditure

- Petition 1999/163 of Robert James Murray

Bills referred to select committees

No bills were referred.

Committee notes

(for further information on an item, please contact the committee staff noted in italics)

Commerce (Alan Witcombe, SC-Commerce@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee is scheduled to meet next on 14 February, when it will deal with a number of items of business. This will be the committee’s first meeting in 2002. From 10.15 am to 11.00 am the committee will hear evidence from Transpower New Zealand Limited as part of the review of the 2000/01 performance and current operations of this State enterprise. Chief Executive Bob Thomson and other company executives will appear before the committee. The committee will devote the remainder of the meeting to consideration of the Trade Marks Bill and a number of petitions.

Education and Science (Louise Gardiner, SC-ES@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee will meet on Thursday, 14 February. At this meeting, it will hear evidence on the 2000/01 financial reviews of the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology ( www.morst.govt.nz) and the Crown Research Institute, AgResearch Limited ( www.agresearch.co.nz). These hearings will be open to the public, in Room G.011, Parliament House.

Finance and Expenditure (Julian Kersey, SC-FE@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee will next meet on Wednesday, 13 February, in Room G.006, Parliament House. It will hear evidence from the Overseas Investment Commission on the financial review of the Reserve Bank from 10.15 am to 11.30 am. This will be open to the public. The committee will hear evidence on the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (Genetically Modified Organisms) Amendment Bill, from 4.30 pm to 6.00 pm and from 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm. The hearing will be open to the public.

The committee will meet from 3.30 pm to 6.00 pm on Thursday, 14 February, in Room G.005 to hear evidence on the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (Genetically Modified Organisms) Amendment Bill.

The committee will meet on Friday, 15 February, at the Gateway Hotel, 206 Kirkbride Road, Mangere, Auckland, to hear evidence on the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (Genetically Modified Organisms) Amendment Bill. The hearing will be from 10.00 am to 2.00 pm and will be open to the public.

The committee has called for submissions on the Taxation (Relief, Refunds and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill. The bill contains provisions to give the Inland Revenue Department greater flexibility in dealing with taxpayers’ debt problems. These changes were introduced in response to concerns about taxpayer debt expressed by the Finance and Expenditure Committee in a 1999 inquiry into the powers and operations of the Inland Revenue Department. The bill also introduces new rules for the transfer of overpaid tax; prevents the over-taxation of unit trusts; closes certain loopholes in tax law relating to unit trusts and petroleum mining; clarifies issues regarding holiday pay tax when businesses are sold; clarifies the law allowing charities and other non-profit bodies to claim GST refunds on activities; and contains further provisions to simplify the tax system and reduce compliance costs. The closing date for submissions is 15 February 2002.

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

The committee is travelling to Christchurch on Monday, 11 February, to hear submissions on the Terrorism (Bombings and Financing) Bill. Submissions have been scheduled to be heard at the Cathedral South Room at the Millennium Hotel between 9 am and 12.30 pm.

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

The committee meets next week on Thursday, 14 February, to hear evidence on its inquiry into the operation of the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993 and related issues.

Health (Matthew Andrews, SC-Health@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee did not meet this week.

Justice and Electoral (Wendy Proffitt, SC-JE@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee did not meet this week. It will next meet on Monday, 11 February, to continue consideration of the Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill.

Maori Affairs (Marcus Ganley, SC-MA@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee will meet for the first time this year next Thursday, 14 February. At this meeting it will consider the review of the Office of Treaty Settlements, its inquiry into the Crown Forestry Rental Trust, the Te Uri o Hau Claims Settlement Bill and the Te Whanau-a-Taupara Trust Empowering Bill.

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

Next week the committee starts the year in high gear, with meetings scheduled on four of the five week-days. On Monday, 11 February, the committee will meet all day at the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, to give further consideration to the issues arising from its inquiry into sustainable forestry management.

On Wednesday, Thursday afternoon and Friday morning (13 to 15 February) the committee will hear evidence on the Resource Management (Aquaculture Moratorium) Amendment Bill and on Thursday morning (14 February) it will hear evidence on the Land Transfer and Cadastral Survey Legislation Bill. The hearings on both bills will be in Parliament House.

In the week commencing 18 February, the committee will continue hearing evidence on the Resource Management (Aquaculture Moratorium) Amendment Bill on Tuesday to Thursday (19 to 21 February) and give further consideration to the Land Transfer and Cadastral Survey Legislation Bill on Thursday, 21 February.

Regulations Review (Andrew Fieldsend, SC-RR@parliament.govt.nz)

On Wednesday, 13 February, the committee will host a committee from the Queensland Parliament, which has come to observe its work. In the morning the Queenslanders will see the committee resume its scrutiny of the Government’s recent delegated legislation and regulation-making powers in bills. In the afternoon, the Regulations Review Committee will be hearing evidence on two complaints relating to civil court fees regulations. The New Zealand Law Society and the New Zealand Bar Association will present submissions arguing that the regulations offend against Standing Orders, and the Department for Courts will present a counter-submission. This hearing will be in room G.011, Parliament House, from 3.15 pm to 5.00 pm, and will be open to the public.

Transport and Industrial Relations (Lyn Main, SC-TI@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee is meeting on Wednesday, 13 February, to hear evidence on the 2000/01 financial reviews of the Civil Aviation Authority and Airways Corporation of New Zealand Limited.

Closing dates for submissions

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

Commerce

Motor Vehicle Sales Bill (8 February 2002)

Television New Zealand Bill (15 February 2002)

Education and Science

Tertiary Education Reform Bill (8 March 2002)

Finance and Expenditure

Securities Markets and Institutions Bill (8 February 2002)

Taxation (Relief, Refunds and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill (15 February 2002)

Justice and Electoral

Inquiry into the 2001 local elections (15 February 2002)

Local Government and Environment

Local Government Bill (22 February 2002)

Maori Affairs

Inquiry into the Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission (Te Ohu Kai Moana) (15 February 2002)

Maori Television Service Bill (1 March 2002)

Te Whanau-a-Taupara Trust Empowering Bill (28 March 2002)

Primary Production

Resource Management (Aquaculture Moratorium) Amendment Bill (8 February 2002)

Social Services

Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Paid Parental Leave) Amendment Bill (8 February 2002)

Social Security (Working Towards Employment) Amendment Bill (15 February 2002)

Transport and Industrial Relations

Health and Safety in Employment Amendment Bill (1 March 2002)

General

You can find further information about select committees on our website at www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz.

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