The Parliamentary Committees Inquiry Subcommittee visited Wellington on 14 and 15 March 2001. The mission held meetings and took evidence on the developing and unique parliamentary committees system of the house of representatives of New Zealand. Meetings were held with the Speaker, Members of the Regulations Review Committee, representatives of the Cabinet Office and senior Select Committee Office support staff. In the New Zealand Committee system all legislation is automatically referred to a Select Committee after the first reading in Parliament for policy and technical analysis. Once introduced bills may stay in committee stage for up to 6 months.
Committees have wide powers to recommend amendments to the original bill.
The mission found it useful to gain first hand information on the New Zealand Committee system and observed two committees taking evidence during public hearings. Future Activities Stage two of the investigation will involve a thorough consideration of Parliamentary Committee systems in other jurisdictions. In particular the Subcommittee will examine the strengths and weaknesses of these systems and will consider whether any attributes of these systems should apply to the Victorian Parliamentary Committee system. The Subcommittee's aim is to produce a comprehensive Report shortly before the end of the Spring Session of Parliament 2001. The Subcommittee would like to receive all submissions by the end of February 2001 but will continue to accept submissions up to the end of June 2001.