Weekly Select Committee News - July 21
SELECT COMMITTEE BUSINESS
14 July 2000 to 21 July 2000
Committee meetings
There were nine committee
meetings, including one subcommittee. Five meetings were
outside Wellington, with the remainder being held in the
parliamentary complex.
Reports presented
No reports
were presented.
Bills referred to select committees
No
bills were referred.
Committee notes
(for further
information on an item, please contact the committee staff
noted in brackets)
Commerce (Alan Witcombe,
SC-Commerce@parliament.govt.nz)
On 27 July the committee
will examine Vote Industry and Regional Development. The
vote is a new vote in the 2000/01 Estimates and
appropriations formerly part of Vote Business Development
have become part of the new vote. Appropriations sought for
the vote total $50.6 million. The committee will hear
evidence from the Minister for Industry and Regional
Development. The committee will spend the remainder of its
meeting considering the Sale of Liquor Amendment Bill (No
3).
Education and Science (Clare Sullivan,
SC-ES@parliament.govt.nz)
This week the committee met in
Auckland to hear submissions on the Educational
Establishments (Exemption from Certain Rates) Bill and the
Education (Limiting Number of Universities) Amendment Bill.
In the afternoon the Education and Science Subcommittee on
the inquiry into reading in New Zealand met and visited
Sutton Park Primary School and the Woolf Fisher Research
Centre.
Next week the committee will hear more submissions on the Educational Establishments (Exemption from Certain Rates) Bill.
Submissions on the inquiry into student fees, loans, allowances and the overall resourcing of tertiary education close on Monday, 24 July.
Finance and
Expenditure (Graham Hill, SC-FE@parliament.govt.nz)
The
committee will meet next on 26 July to hear evidence on
Votes Economic Development and Finance, the Fiscal Strategy
Report and the Budget Economic and Fiscal Update. The
committee will also consider further the Taxation (FBT,
SSCWT and Remedial Matters) Bill.
Foreign Affairs, Defence
and Trade (David Sanders, SC-FD@parliament.govt.nz)
The
committee met on Tuesday to hear submissions on the
International Crimes and International Criminal Court Bill.
The committee also heard evidence on Votes Customs, Defence
and Defence Force from Ministers, departmental chief
executives and senior managers. The committee will resume
its consideration of Estimates at its meeting on 3
August.
Government Administration (Fiona McLean,
SC-GA@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee did not meet
during the July adjournment. The committee will meet twice
next week to continue its examination of the 2000/01
Estimates. On 25 July the committee continues its
consideration of Vote Pacific Island Affairs, and will hear
evidence from the Minister of Pacific Island Affairs on the
Pacific Business Trust. The chief executive of the Ministry
of Pacific Island Affairs and the chairperson of the Pacific
Business Trust will also give evidence.
The committee will meet again on 27 July to continue with the 2000/01 Estimates. In the morning the committee will hear evidence from the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Rt Hon Helen Clark, together with officials from the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, on Vote Arts, Culture and Heritage. The committee will then continue consideration of Vote Office of the Clerk, Vote Parliamentary Service and Vote Pacific Island Affairs.
In the afternoon, the committee will hear evidence on Vote State Services and Vote Sport, Fitness and Leisure. The Minister of State Services and of Sport, Fitness and Leisure will appear before the committee together with officials from the State Services Commission and from the Office of Tourism and Sport.
The committee will also continue its consideration of the Fire Service Amendment Bill and the Gaming and Lotteries Amendment Bill. Both bills seek to remove the Secretary of Internal Affairs from ex-officio membership of the New Zealand Fire Service Commission and the Lotteries Commission.
Health (Nick
Aldous, SC-Health@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee did
not meet this week. On 26 July the committee will consider
the Nurse Maude Association Bill and the financial review of
the Health Research Council of New Zealand.
Justice and
Electoral (Tracey Conlon, SC-JE@parliament.govt.nz)
The
committee met on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week
in Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch to hear submissions
on the Supplementary Order Paper to the Matrimonial Property
Amendment Bill. The committee has received over 900
submissions, including over 300 form submissions, on this
proposed legislation.
The committee will hear further submissions in person and by teleconference next Wednesday afternoon. The committee's report deadline is 4 September.
The subcommittee will continue its consideration of the inquiry into matters relating to the State visit of the President of China to New Zealand in 1999 in Wellington on 24 July. The subcommittee will hear further evidence from the New Zealand Police in the afternoon in Parliament House.
Local Government and
Environment (David Bagnall,
SC-LGE@parliament.govt.nz)
This week, the terms of
reference were announced for the committee's inquiry into
the role of local government in meeting New Zealand's
climate change target.
The committee will examine the contribution local government can make to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the exercise of planning and regulatory functions, and also through its own actions. It will address such matters as land use and subdivision consents, biodiversity, conservation, transport planning and traffic management, operation of vehicles, building consent processing, management of buildings, water and waste water, and landfill management and waste management generally. It will also seek to identify obstacles to local government playing this role, including legislative impediments in the above areas.
The full terms of reference are available from committee staff, although the committee is not yet seeking public submissions.
Next week, the committee will meet in the afternoon of 25 July to hear evidence on the Forests (West Coast Accord) Bill. Submissions to be heard include those of the Furniture Association of New Zealand, Design Mobel, Property Rights in New Zealand Inc and the South Taranaki Branch of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society.
On Wednesday the committee will hear evidence from Hon Sandra Lee, who will be speaking to the Estimates for Vote Conservation and Vote Local Government. Officials from the Department of Conservation and the Department of Internal Affairs will also be in attendance.
MMP Review (Louise Sparrer,
SC-MMP@parliament.govt.nz)
Submissions to the committee
on the review of MMP close on 31 July. The
committee
will next meet on 2 August to determine its
schedule for public hearings. The committee will also
consider applications from individuals and organisations
that have expressed interest in undertaking polling work for
the committee and in providing members with specialist
advice. Details of these calls for expressions of interest
can be found in the select committees press release of 23 to
30 June. The deadline for these is also 31 July.
The terms of reference for the review of MMP are set out in a press release located at www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/programme/committees/pressrelease.html.
Primary Production (Bob Bunch,
SC-PP@parliament.govt.nz)
The committee met today to hear
evidence on three of the four Estimates votes it is
considering. The committee questioned Hon Pete Hodgson and
officials from the Ministries of Fisheries and Agriculture
and Forestry on Vote Fisheries and the forestry component of
Vote Agriculture and Forestry. Hon Marian Hobbs and
officials from the Ministries of Agriculture and Forestry,
Fisheries, and Health and the Department of Conservation
were also questioned on Vote Biosecurity.
Next week the committee will be holding hearings on the agricultural component of Vote Agriculture and Forestry and Vote Lands, with Ministers and officials appearing to answer questions. That will conclude the hearings of evidence for the Estimates with the committee required to report to the House of Representatives no later than 14 August 2000.
Social
Services (Tim Cooper, SC-SS@parliament.govt.nz)
At its
meeting on 19 July the committee heard evidence from the
Minister of Social Services and Employment, as part of the
2000/01 Estimates examination. The Minister is responsible
for four votes: Child, Youth and Family Services; Social
Services; Work and Income; and Employment Policy. In
addition, the committee asked officials from several
departments how the Minister's policies are to be
implemented. One of the main strands of discussion across
all four votes was the issue of capacity-building in
relation to the Government's Closing the Gaps Strategy and
among a range of disadvantaged communities. The committee
will examine Vote Senior Citizens and Vote Housing at its
next meeting on 26 July. The committee's reports on all six
votes must be presented to the House by 14
August.
Closing dates for submissions
Committees
are receiving submissions on the following items with the
closing date shown. Twenty copies of submissions are
required.
Commerce
Chartered Professional Engineers of
New Zealand Bill (1 September 2000)
Education and
Science
Inquiry into student fees, loans, allowances and
the overall resourcing of tertiary education (24 July
2000)
Finance and Expenditure
Taxpayers’ Charter Bill
(31 July 2000)
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade
New
Zealand Nuclear Free Zone Extension Bill (2 October
2000)
Justice and Electoral
Local Elections (Single
Transferable Vote Option) Bill (1 September 2000)
MMP
Review
Review of MMP and other aspects of the electoral
system (31 July 2000)
Social Services
Social Welfare
(Transitional Provisions) Amendment Bill (11 August
2000)
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:
Carol Rankin
Senior Parliamentary
Officer
at carol.rankin@parliament.govt.nz
Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk, 21 July 2000