Tuesday 15th December 2009

Climate change is the buzz phrase for the week with the Prime Minister, Hon Dr. Nick Smith and other members of the House away at the Copenhagen conference.

Last Thursday in Question Time, Jeanette Fitzsimons asked the Prime Minister (Hon Dr. Nick Smith replied on his behalf) “Which specific countries was he referring to in the House yesterday (Wednesday 9th December) when he said in response to my question, “countries that will find it easier than us” should do better than 40 percent in order to offset New Zealand’s “failure to act” on climate change?” Here is his response: http://inthehouse.co.nz/node/806

In the House today, the Hon Bill English will do the first reading of the Appropriation (2008/2009 Financial Review) Bill on Government expenditure for the year. The Hon Anne Tolley’s Education (Polytechnics) Amendment Bill is in its committee stage. The Minister of Energy and Resources, Hon Gerry Brownlee is reading his new bill in the House today, the Electricity Energy Bill which intends “to improve competition in the electricity market and improve security of supply by improving the governance arrangements for the electricity industry; providing for specific regulatory improvements to be made; making improvements to the overall structure of the sector.”

The Local Government (Auckland Law Reform) Bill (more commonly known to the public as the third part of the ‘Super City’ legislative reform) will likely have its first reading today by the Hon Rodney Hide.

There are no select committee meetings open to the public today.

Closing dates for submissions (submissions can be made online)
Go to http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/SC/MakeSub/ to make a submission
Committees are receiving submissions on the following items with the closing date shown:

Commerce Committee
• Fair Trading (Soliciting on Behalf of Charities) Amendment Bill (19 March 2010)

Education and Science Committee
• Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill (31 March 2010)

Finance and Expenditure Committee
• Insurance (Prudential Supervision) Bill (10 February 2010)
• Taxation (Annual Rates, Trans-Tasman Savings Portability, KiwiSaver, and Remedial Matters) Bill (10 February 2010)

Government Administration
• Statutes Amendment Bill (11 February 2010)

Health Committee
• Inquiry into how to improve completion rates of childhood immunisation (12 February 2010)
• Human Assisted Reproductive Technology (Storage) Amendment Bill (88-1) (19 February 2010)

Māori Affairs Committee
• Ngāti Apa (North Island) Claims Settlement Bill (68-1) (15 January 2010)
• Whanganui Iwi (Wanganui (Kaitoke) Prison and Northern Part of Wanganui Forest) On-account Settlement Bill (67-1) (15 January 2010)
• Inquiry into the tobacco industry in Aotearoa and the consequences of tobacco use for Māori (29 January 2010)
• Inquiry into the operation of the Māori Community Development Act 1962 and related issues (12 February 2010)

Social Services Committee
• Inquiry into the identification, rehabilitation, and care and protection of child offenders (19 March 2010)