Committee notes
Commerce
The committee met on 29 July to continue hearing evidence on the Copyright (Infringing File Sharing) Amendment Bill.
The committee has called for public submissions on two bills recently referred to it. The Consumer Guarantees Amendment Bill seeks to amend the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 to improve its operation in relation to extended warranties and the supply of goods and services by suppliers through a competitive bidding process using an online trading facility. The New Zealand Productivity Commission Bill seeks to establish the New Zealand Productivity Commission with the purpose of improving productivity in both the private and public sectors. Submissions on both bills close on 9 September.
The committee next meets on 5 August to hear further evidence on the Copyright (Infringing File Sharing) Amendment Bill and the Securities, Trustees and Statutory Supervisors Bill. The committee will also hear further evidence on and consider the inquiry into finance company failures.
Education and Science
The committee met on 28 July to continue hearing evidence via video and telephone conference on the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill. The committee also heard evidence on the petitions of Lynne Pillay and Hans Kriek, and further considered the Report of the Controller and Auditor-General on Ministry of Education: Managing support for students with high special educational needs.
The committee will next meet on 4 August to hear evidence on the briefing from the Ministry of Education on the arrangements for assessing students with autism against the National Standards. The hearing of evidence will be open to the public. The committee will also receive an initial briefing from advisers on the Education Amendment Bill (No 2), and hear further evidence from Australia by way of telephone conference on the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill.
Electoral Legislation
Next week the committee will meet on 4 and 5 August to consider the Electoral Referendum Bill.
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade
The committee met on 29 July to further consider the following international treaty examinations:
-
International treaty examination of the Convention on Jurisdiction, Applicable Law, Recognition, Enforcement and Co-operation in respect of Parental Responsibility and Measures for the Protection of Children
-
International treaty examination of the Exchange of Letters Constituting an Agreement to Amend Article 3 (Rules of Origin) of the Australia New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement (ANZCERTA) and of the Agreement to Amend the Product Specific Rules in Annex G of the ANZCERTA
The committee’s reports to the House have now been presented.
It also considered the report from the Controller and Auditor-General on Inquiry into New Zealand Defence Force payments to officers seconded to the United Nations, referred to the committee on 28 July 2010. The committee will next meet on 5 August to further consider this report.
Government Administration
The committee met on 28 July in both Auckland and Wellington to hear submissions on the Rugby World Cup 2011 (Empowering) Bill. The submissions have been released and are now available on the Parliament website.
The committee is inviting submissions on the Governor-General Bill, which seeks to update and simplify the financial arrangements for the support of the Governor-General. The closing date for submissions is Friday, 13 August.
The committee will next meet on 4 August to consider the Rugby World Cup 2011 (Empowering) Bill, the Christ's College (Canterbury) Amendment Bill, and the petition of Nathan James Ngatai and 1,050 others.
Health
The committee met on 28 July and concluded hearing evidence on the report from the Controller and Auditor-General on Effectiveness of arrangements to check the standard of services provided by rest homes. The committee has presented a report on its visit to Australia in March 2010, as part of the annual exchange of select committees between the New Zealand and Australian Parliaments. The report details meetings held in Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane.
The committee will next meet on 4 August to resume hearing evidence on the inquiry into improving New Zealand’s environment to support innovation through clinical trial and the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Amendment Bill.
Justice and Electoral
The committee did not meet this week.
On 5 August the committee will meet to consider the Search and Surveillance Bill and other items of business.
On 19 August the committee will hear evidence from Professor Tom Babor, of the University of Connecticut, and author of Alcohol No Ordinary Commodity, as part of the committee’s consideration of the Sale and Supply of Liquor and Liquor Enforcement Bill.
Law and Order
The committee met on 28 July to conclude hearing evidence on the Electoral (Disqualification of Convicted Prisoners) Amendment Bill.
The committee will next meet on 4 August to begin hearing evidence on the Courts and Criminal Matters Bill.
Local Government and Environment
The committee met on 29 July to hear evidence on the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill and to consider the Franklin District Council (Contribution to Funding of Museums) Amendment Bill, and two petitions relating to the use of 1080.
Next week the committee will meet on 5 August to hear further evidence on the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill and from the Office of the Controller and Auditor-General on two of its recent reports:
-
Local government: Examples of better practice in setting local authorities’ performance measures
-
Local government: Results of the 2008/09 audits
All hearings are open to the public.
Māori Affairs
The committee did not meet this week.
The committee will next meet on 4 August to consider the Ngati Tuwharetoa, Raukawa, and Te Arawa River Iwi Waikato River Bill and the inquiry into the tobacco industry in Aotearoa and the consequences of tobacco use for Māori. It will also hear further evidence on the inquiry into the operation of the Maori Community Development Act 1962 and related issues on 4 August in Wellington and on 5 August in Taupo. Both of these hearings will be open to the public.
Primary Production
The committee met on 29 July to consider the Food Bill. The chairperson of the committee has called for public submissions on the bill and set a closing date of 2 September 2010.
Next week the committee will meet on 5 August to hear evidence on the briefing on agricultural education in New Zealand and to consider the briefing on the Ballance farm environment awards.
Regulations Review
The committee met on 29 July to consider recently promulgated statutory and deemed regulations, the complaint regarding New Zealand (Mandatory Fortification of Bread with Folic Acid) Amendment Food Standard 2009, and the complaint regarding three notices issued by the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board on 25 March 2009.
The committee will next meet on 5 August to consider recently promulgated statutory regulations, regulation making powers in several bills, and the complaint regarding Rules for Cadastral Survey 2010.
Social Services
The committee has reported to the House on the Social Assistance (Future Focus) Bill. The committee is recommending a number of changes, including changing the name of the bill to the Social Assistance (New Work Tests, Incentives, and Obligations) Amendment Bill. The committee’s report containing recommended amendments and commentary is available on the Parliament website, along with all evidence and advice relevant to the bill.
The committee will next meet on 4 August to consider the inquiry into the identification, rehabilitation, and care and protection of child offenders.
Transport and Industrial Relations
The committee did not meet this week.
The committee will next meet on 5 August to hear evidence from the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions on the Employment Relations (Rest Breaks and Meal Breaks) Amendment Bill. The committee will further consider the petition of Hon Phil Goff requesting the House note that approximately 2,560 signatures have been collected calling on the Government to take firm action to ensure residents of Onehunga are not further disadvantaged by the completion of State Highway 20 across Onehunga Bay. It will also further consider the petition of Camille Nakhid on behalf of the Migrant Action Trust and 2,626 others. This petition requests the House of Representatives to urge the Government to extend work permits for redundant workers, renew work permits for migrants already employed, create a business visa category for new graduates, extend the skilled migrants category, and discontinue labour market tests for work permits from migrant job applicants. A report from the Controller and Auditor-General on The Civil Aviation Authority’s progress with improving certification and surveillance has been referred to the committee by the Finance and Expenditure Committee; the committee will also consider this report at its next meeting.
