Committee notes
Auckland Governance Legislation
The committee met on 24 March to further consider the Local Government (Auckland Law Reform) Bill.
The committee will meet next month to continue its consideration of the bill.
Commerce
The committee met on 25 March to hear evidence on the 2008/09 financial review of the Commerce Commission, and the New Zealand Tourism Board. The committee also considered the 2008/09 financial review of the Broadcasting Commission, Kordia Group Limited, Solid Energy New Zealand Limited, the Electricity Commission, and Radio New Zealand Limited.
The committee has made a call for public submissions on the Securities Trustees and Statutory Supervisors Bill. The closing date for submissions on the bill is 6 May 2010.
The committee will next meet on 1 April.
Education and Science
The committee met on 24 March to hear evidence on its briefing on the review of special education services, and on the report from the Controller and Auditor-General on Ministry of Education: Managing support for students with high special educational needs. The committee also heard evidence on the petitions of Maryan Street, Damien O’Connor, Kathryn Sclater and Sue Kedgley.
The committee will next meet on 31 March to further consider the 2008/09 financial review of Landcare Research New Zealand Limited, and the New Zealand Teachers Council. It will further consider the petitions of Maryan Street, Damien O’Connor, Kathryn Sclater, and Sue Kedgley, as well as the briefing on the review of special education services, and the report from the Controller and Auditor-General on Ministry of Education: Managing support for students with high special educational needs. The committee will also consider the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill.
Finance and Expenditure
The committee met on 24 March to consider the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s monetary policy statement, March 2010, and the Taxation (Annual Rates, Trans-Tasman Savings Portability, KiwiSaver, and Remedial Matters) Bill. It also heard evidence on the Electricity Industry Bill.
The committee will next meet on 31 March to continue its consideration of other items of business before it.
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade
The committee met on 25 March to consider the briefing on the Defence Review ’09, and international treaty examinations of the Agreement Between The Government of New Zealand And The Government Of The United States Of America On Science And Technology Cooperation Contributing To Domestic And External Security Capabilities, and the Agreement between the Government of New Zealand and the Government of the Republic of Singapore for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income, and of the Convention On International Interests In Mobile Equipment and the Protocol To The Convention On International Interests In Mobile Equipment On Matters Specific To Aircraft Equipment. The committee also considered its inquiry into New Zealand’s relationships with South Pacific countries.
The committee will next meet on 1 April to meet with a delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand from the European Parliament. It will also consider the petition of Hon Chris Carter.
Government Administration
The committee met on 24 March to hear evidence on and consider the 2008/09 financial review of the New Zealand Fire Service Commission. The committee also considered the Statutes Amendment Bill, and the 2008/09 financial review of the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa, Drug Free Sport New Zealand, the New Zealand Film Commission, and the Office of Film and Literature Classification.
The committee will next meet on 31 March to consider the Statutes Amendment Bill.
Health
The committee met on 24 March to hear evidence on the 2008/09 financial review of the Capital and Coast District Health Board. The committee also considered the Human Assisted Reproductive Technology (Storage) Amendment Bill, the inquiry into early detection and treatment of prostate cancer, and the inquiry into how to improve completion rates of childhood immunisation.
The committee will next meet on 31 March to consider the inquiry into how to improve completion rates of childhood immunisation, and the Human Assisted Reproductive Technology (Storage) Amendment Bill.
Justice and Electoral
The committee met on 25 March to hear evidence on the petition of Neale McMillan, and the Electoral (Administration) Amendment Bill. The committee also considered the Private Security Personnel and Private Investigators Bill, the Limitation Bill, the Courts (Remote Participation) Bill, the Trans-Tasman Proceedings Bill, and the petitions of Jane Prichard, Sue Rowe, and Phillida Bunkle.
The committee will next meet on 1 April to consider the Electoral (Administration) Amendment Bill, the Limitation Bill, the Search and Surveillance Bill, the Child and Family Protection Bill, and the 2008/09 financial review of the Legal Services Agency.
Law and Order
The committee met on 24 March to consider and deliberate on the Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill, and the petition of Rosa Chow and 7,076 others. It also considered and deliberated on the 2008/09 financial review of the Independent Police Conduct Authority.
Local Government and Environment
The committee met on 25 March to hear evidence on the report from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment on Stockton revisited: The mine and the regulatory minefield. It also heard evidence on two petitions opposed to the inclusion of North Rodney in the proposed new Auckland Council.
The committee will next meet on 1 April to consider the two petitions opposed to the inclusion of North Rodney in the proposed new Auckland Council, the Franklin District Council (Contribution to Funding of Museums) Amendment Bill, and the 2008/09 financial review of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, and the Environmental Risk Management Authority.
Māori Affairs
The committee met on 23 March to consider the Waikato-Tainui Raupatu Claims (Waikato River) Settlement Bill.
The committee met on 24 March to consider and deliberate on the Waikato-Tainui Raupatu Claims (Waikato River) Settlement Bill, its briefing on bariatric surgery and its benefits for Māori, and the petition of Peter Henry Edward Bloomer.
The committee will next meet on 31 March to hear evidence on the inquiry into the operation of the Māori Community Development Act 1962 and related issues. This hearing will be open to the public.
Officers of Parliament
The committee met on 25 March to consider the 2010/11 draft budgets for the Office of the Controller and Auditor General, the Office of the Ombudsmen, and the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, and alterations to the 2009/10 appropriations for Vote Audit, Vote Ombudsmen, and Vote Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.
The committee will next meet on 1 April to further consider the 2010/11 draft budgets for the Office of the Controller and Auditor General, the Office of the Ombudsmen, and the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, and alterations to the 2009/10 appropriations for Vote Audit, Vote Ombudsmen, and Vote Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.
Primary Production
The committee met on 25 March to consider and hear evidence on the Animal Welfare Amendment Bill.
At its next meeting on 1 April the committee will consider and hear evidence on the 2008/09 financial review of the New Zealand Walking Access Commission, meet with the delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand from the European Parliament, and continue its consideration of the Animal Welfare Amendment Bill.
Regulations Review
The committee met on 25 March consider recently promulgated statutory and deemed regulations, and the complaint regarding Land Transport Rule - Vehicle Equipment Amendment 2007 (Rule 32017/2).
The committee will next meet on 1 April to consider recently promulgated statutory and deemed regulations and hear evidence on its briefing on Legislation Bill matters relating to delegated legislation.
Social Services
The committee did not meet this week.
The committee will next meet on 31 March to hear evidence from the Ministry of Social Development on the report from the Controller and Auditor-General on Ministry of Social Development: Changes to the case management of sickness and invalids’ beneficiaries. The committee will also hear evidence on its inquiry into the identification, rehabilitation, and care and protection of child offenders.
Transport and Industrial Relations
The committee met on 25 March to consider the 2008/09 financial review of the New Zealand Railways Corporation.
The committee does not intend to meet in the week 29 March to 2 April 2010.
