Committee notes
Commerce
The committee met on 29 March 2012 to consider and hear evidence on the 2010/11 financial reviews of the Broadcasting Commission and Meridian Energy, and to further consider the 2010/11 financial review of Transpower New Zealand. The committee also further considered the petition of Wal Gordon, the Financial Markets Conduct Bill, and the Consumer Law Reform Bill.
The committee will next meet on 5 April to consider and hear evidence on the 2010/11 financial reviews of Mighty River Power, Genesis Power, and Solid Energy.
Education and Science
The committee met on 28 March 2012 to hear evidence on the 2010/11 financial review of the Tertiary Education Commission, and to consider the 2010/11 financial reviews of the Ministry of Education, the Education Review Office, the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, and the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, and the report from an Ombudsman on Complaints Arising out of Bullying at Hutt Valley High School in December 2007.
The committee will next meet on 4 April, when the committee will hear evidence on the 2010/11 financial review of Career Services, and consider the 2010/11 financial review of AgResearch, the report from an Ombudsman on Complaints Arising out of Bullying at Hutt Valley High School in December 2007, and the petition of Judy Taligalu McFall-McCaffery and John McCaffery and 6686 others.
Finance and Expenditure
The committee met on 28 March 2012 to hear evidence from the Office of the Controller and Auditor-General on its report on the Crown Retail Deposit Guarantee Scheme.
The committee will next meet on 4 April to consider its report on the Budget Policy Statement 2012.
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade
This week the committee heard evidence on the 2010/11 financial review of the New Zealand Antarctic Institute, and considered the 2010/11 financial review of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the non-departmental appropriations for Vote Official Development Assistance.
Next week the committee will hear evidence on the briefing on major defence projects.
Government Administration
The committee met on 28 March 2012 and completed consideration of the Crown Entities Reform Bill. The committee also heard evidence on the 2010/11 financial review of Sport and Recreation New Zealand.
The committee will next meet on 4 April to consider the Electronic Identity Verification Bill and the Members of Parliament (Remuneration and Services) Bill.
Health
The committee met in Auckland on 26 March 2012 to hear evidence on the Natural Health Products Bill.
The committee also meet in Wellington on 28 March to hear further evidence on the Natural Health Products Bill. The committee also heard evidence on its briefing on English language proficiency tests with reference to non-English speaking health professionals seeking registration in New Zealand.
The committee also considered the Medicines Amendment Bill, the petition of Wendy Matthews, and the report of the Controller and Auditor-General on the Health Sector: Results of the 2010/11 audits.
The committee will next meet on 4 April when it will further consider the Natural Health Products Bill. The committee will also receive a briefing on the report of the Controller and Auditor-General on the New Zealand Blood Service: Managing the safety and supply of blood products. The briefing will be open to the public. The committee will also hear evidence on the 2010/11 financial reviews of the New Zealand Blood Service, Capital and Coast, Hutt, and Wairarapa District Health Boards. The hearings of evidence will be open to the public.
Justice and Electoral
The committee met on 29 March 2012 to hear evidence on the 2010/11 financial review of the Law Commission, and to consider the 2010/11 financial reviews of the Crown Law Office and the Parliamentary Counsel Office.
The committee will next meet on 5 April to hear evidence on the 2010/11 financial review of the Human Rights Commission, the Victims of Crime Reform Bill, and the Privacy (Information Sharing) Bill.
Law and Order
The committee met on 28 March 2012 when it heard evidence on its briefing from New Zealand Police on the Prevention First strategy, and from the Department of Corrections on its briefing on Rehabilitation and Reintegration Services. The committee also considered the 2010/11 financial review of the New Zealand Police, and of the Serious Fraud Office. The committee has now reported to the House on these financial reviews, and the reports are available on the Parliament website.
The committee will meet next on 4 April.
Local Government and Environment
The committee met on 28 March 2012 to consider the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Bill.
The committee will next meet on 5 April to hear a briefing from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment on Water quality in New Zealand: Understanding the science, and to further consider the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Bill.
Māori Affairs
The Māori Affairs Committee met on 28 March 2012 and heard evidence on the 2010/11 financial review of Te Taura Whiri I Te Reo Māori (Māori Language Commission). The committee also considered the Ngāti Makino Claims Settlement Bill, the petition of Barney Tūpara, and the 2010/11 financial reviews of the Ministry of Maori Development, of the non-departmental appropriations for Vote Māori Affairs, and of the non-departmental appropriations for Vote Māori Affairs (Whānau Ora).
The committee will not meet next week. It will however, be hearing evidence on the Ngāti Manuhiri Claims Settlement Bill on Monday 23 April, the Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Claims Settlement Billon Tuesday 24 April, on the Ngai Tāmanuhiri Claims Settlement Bill and Rongowhakaata Claims Settlement Bill on Thursday 26, and the Maraeroa A and B Blocks Claims Settlement Bill and Maraeroa A and B Blocks Incorporation Bill on Friday 27 April. Venues are to be confirmed.
Primary Production
The committee met on 29 March 2012 to further consider the 2010/11 financial reviews for the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Land Information New Zealand, Animal Control Products, and AsureQuality.
Regulations Review
The committee met on 29 March 2012 to consider Orders in Council made under the Canterbury Earthquake Response and Recovery Act 2010, Orders in Council made under the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act 2011, a number of statutory regulations, and the Complaint regarding the Legal Services Regulations 2011.
The committee will next meet on 4 April to hear and consider evidence on the complaint regarding the Legal Services Regulations 2011.
Social Services
The committee met on 28 March 2012 to hear evidence on the 2010/11 financial review of the New Zealand Artificial Limb Board, as well as the 2010/11 financial review of the Charities Commission. The meeting was open to the public for the respective hearings of evidence. The committee further considered the 2010/11 financial review of the Department of Building and Housing, as well as the 2010/11 financial review of non-departmental appropriations for Vote Housing. These two items of business were considered together and the committee’s report on these two items was presented to the House on 29 March. The report is available on the Parliament website at www.parliament.nz.
The committee also considered the Social Security (Youth Support and Work Focus) Amendment Bill, which was referred to the committee on 27 March with a report date of 31 May 2012. A submission closing date of 13 April 2012 was set. No late submissions will be received. The committee will be conducting hearings of evidence at very short notice. A copy of the bill is available on the Parliament website.
The committee will next meet on 4 April to further consider the Social Security (Youth Support and Work Focus) Amendment Bill, and consider and hear evidence on the 2010/11 financial reviews of the Housing New Zealand Corporation, the Children’s Commissioner, and the Families Commission. The meeting will be open to the public for the hearings of evidence on the respective financial reviews.
Transport and Industrial Relations
The committee met on 29 March 2012 to consider the 2010/11 financial review of the Ministry of Transport and the reports from the Controller and Auditor-General on the New Zealand Transport Agency: Delivering maintenance and renewal work on the state highway network and Severance payments: A guide for the public sector.
The committee will next meet on 5 April to consider the 2010/11 financial reviews of the Accident Compensation Corporation and the New Zealand Transport Agency.
