Select Committee Business

From 7 November to 14 November 2003

Committee meetings

There were 18 committee meetings, all in the parliamentary complex.

Reports presented

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

Finance and Expenditure

Taxation (Annual Rates, GST, Trans-Tasman Imputation and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill (60-2)

Government Administration

2002/03 financial review of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

Health

2002/03 financial review of the Lakes District Health Board

Law and Order

Telecommunications (Interception Capability) Bill (15-2)

Maori Affairs

Ngati Tama Claims Settlement Bill (44-2)

Transport and Industrial Relations

Civil Aviation Amendment Bill (64-2)

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 Thursday, 13 November to further its consideration of the Business Law Reform Bill. It also continued to hear evidence on the inquiry into the New Zealand electricity industry.

The committee will next meet on Thursday, 20 November to hear evidence on Supplementary Order Paper 152, which will be considered with the Business Law Reform Bill. It will continue to hear evidence on its inquiry into the New Zealand electricity industry. The committee will also further its consideration of the Shop Trading Hours Act Repeal Act (Abolition of Restrictions) Amendment Bill. All hearings will be open to the public.

Education and Science (Angela Van Dam, SC-ES@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on Wednesday, 12 November to hear evidence on the 2002/03 financial reviews of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology, and the National Library of New Zealand.

Next week the committee will meet on Wednesday, 19 November to consider and hear evidence on the Education (Disestablishment of Early Childhood Development Board) Amendment Bill. The committee will also consider the inquiry into decile funding in New Zealand State and integrated schools.

Finance and Expenditure (Peter Hurndell, SC-FE@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met this week to consider the Income Tax Bill. It had scheduled a hearing of evidence on the 2002/03 financial review of the Department of Labour but it was cancelled. This will now take place at a later date.

The committee reported on the Taxation (Annual Rates, GST, Trans-Tasman Imputation and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill this week. Copies are available from Bennetts Bookshop or from the Office of the Clerk website at: http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/Publications/CommitteeReport/Default.htm.

The committee is currently not expected to meet next week.

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

The committee began its examination of the 2002/03 financial review of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The committee also had a briefing from a delegation of MPs from Timor Leste (East Timor).

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

The committee met this week to hear evidence on the 2002/03 financial review of the Department of Internal Affairs. The committee reported on the 2002/03 financial review of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. It also considered the Border Security Bill and the petition on the Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982.

Next week the committee will meet on Thursday, 20 November to hear evidence from State Services Commissioner on the 2002/03 financial review of the State Services Commission. The committee will also hear evidence from Chief Executive of the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs on its 2002/03 financial review.

Health (Catherine Parkin, SC-Health@parliament.govt.nz)

This week the committee heard further scientific evidence on the Human Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill. The committee also considered other items of business.

Next week the committee will continue consideration of the Human Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill and other items of business.

Justice and Electoral (Louise Sparrer, SC-JE@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on Wednesday, 12 November to hear evidence on the Care of Children Bill and the Lawyers and Conveyancers Bill.

The committee will meet next week on Monday, 17 November and Wednesday, 19 November. On Monday, 17 November the committee will hear evidence on the Care of Children Bill. The meeting will be open to the public in Room G.003, Parliament House from 1.00 pm to 6.05 pm and from 7.00 pm to 8.00 pm for the hearing of evidence on the Care of Children Bill. On Wednesday, 19 November the committee will consider its inquiry into the 2002 General Election, and it will also hear evidence on its financial reviews for 2002/03 and on the Lawyers and Conveyancers Bill. The meeting will be open to the public for a hearing of evidence on the 2002/03 financial review of the Parliamentary Counsel Office from 11.00 am to 12.00 noon. It will then be open to the public for a hearing of evidence on the 2002/03 financial review of the Ministry of Justice, from the Office of Treaty Settlements, from 12 noon to 1.00 pm. The meeting will also be open to the public from 3.30 pm to 6.00 pm for the hearing of evidence on the Lawyers and Conveyancers Bill.

Law and Order (Tracey Rayner, SC-LO@parliament.govt.nz)

On 11 November the committee presented its report on the Telecommunications (Interception Capability) Bill. It recommended that the bill be passed, with a small number of amendments. The bill does not change or extend in any way the existing powers of surveillance agencies to intercept communications, but places a legislative obligation on telecommunications network operators to be technically able to intercept communications going over their network, when such interceptions are authorised by the New Zealand Police, the Government Communications Security Bureau, the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service, or any other lawful authority.

The Chairperson of the committee outlined that the main recommendations of the committee related to the interception duties of the telecommunications companies and the position of the intercepted data:

“We recommend an amendment to ensure that it is clear that interception capability does not need to be installed within each element of the telecommunications network, but instead external (or mobile) probes can be used at selected locations throughout the network. We also recommend an amendment to clarify that in some cases a network operator will carry out the interception, not the surveillance agency, and an amendment so that the requirement to intercept is completed when the intercepted telecommunications is delivered to the surveillance agency. Lastly, we recommend an amendment placing limitations on the requirement on network operators to decrypt telecommunications.”

The committee has also received extensions on the report due date of three bills currently before it. These are the Police Complaints Authority (Conditional Name Protection) Amendment Bill, which now has a report date of 31 March 2004, the Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Bill, which has a report date of 30 April 2004, and the Courts and Criminal Matters Bill which has a report date of 18 June 2004.

The committee met this week to further consider the Independent Police Complaints Authority Amendment Bill and the Corrections Bill. It also heard evidence on the 2002/03 financial review of the Department of Corrections.

At its meeting next week on Wednesday, 19 November the committee will hear evidence on the 2002/03 financial review of the New Zealand Police. This will be from

9.30 am to 12 noon, in Room G.005 Parliament House.

Local Government and Environment (Marie Alexander, SC-LGE@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on Thursday, 13 November to consider the Resource Management (Energy and Climate Change) Amendment Bill and the Wellington City Empowering and Amendment Bill. The committee also met with the Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee from the People’s Republic of China. The committee next meets on Thursday, 20 November, to further consider the inquiry into the alleged accidental release of genetically engineered sweet corn plants in 2000 and subsequent actions taken and the Resource Management (Energy and Climate Change) Amendment Bill. The meeting will not be open to the public.

Maori Affairs (Miles Reay, SC-MA@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on Thursday, 13 November to further consider the inquiry into the Crown Forestry Rental Trust. The committee will be considering the same item at it next meeting on Thursday, 20 November.

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

The committee met twice this week to consider its inquiry into the administration and management of the scampi fishery.

It will meet twice next week on Wednesday, 19 November and Thursday, 20 November to give further consideration to the inquiry.

Regulations Review (Michael Wilkinson, SC-RR@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee will next meet on Wednesday, 19 November to continue its regular scrutiny of new Government regulations.

Social Services (Graham Hill, SC-SS@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on Thursday, 13 November to hear evidence on the financial review of the Ministry of Housing and the Housing New Zealand Corporation. At the next meeting on Thursday, 20 November the committee will hear evidence on the financial review of the Ministry of Social Development.

Transport and Industrial Relations (Kath Henderson, SC-TI@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee reported on the Civil Aviation Amendment Bill on 10 November. It also heard evidence on the financial review of the Land Transport Safety Authority this week.

The Holidays Bill and Holidays (Four Weeks Annual Leave) Amendment Bill were considered this week. These bills are due to be reported by 1 December 2003.

Closing dates for submissions

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

Commerce

Electricity and Gas Industries Bill (30 January 2004)

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade

Mercenary Activities (Prohibition) Bill (31 January 2004)

Government Administration

Architects Bill (5 December 2003)

Justice and Electoral

Judicial Matters Bill (21 November 2003)

Primary Production

Fisheries Amendment Bill (15 December 2003)

Standing Orders

Members of Parliament (Pecuniary Interests) Bill (27 February 2004)

General

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

Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk, 14 November 2003

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