Salesa Jenny; Edmonds Barbara; Sio Aupito WilliamREMUNERATION AUTHORITY LEGISLATION BILLIn CommitteeParts 1 and 2 Schedules 1 to 6 and clauses 1 and 2CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa): Members we turn now to consideration of the Remuneration Authority Legislation Bill. Members we come now to Part 1.BARBARA EDMONDS (Junior Whip—Labour): Point of order. I seek leave for all provisions to be taken as one debate.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa): Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there any joint objection? There is none. I call on the Minister the Hon Aupito William Sio.Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO (Associate Minister of Justice): Madam Chair—CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa): My apologies Minister. We're in committee would you please care to join me at this Table.Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO: The Remuneration Authority Legislation Bill is an omnibus bill in two parts that amend seven Acts: the Remuneration Authority Act and the six Acts governing two courts and four tribunals. It will transfer responsibility for determining the remuneration of six groups of judicial and quasi-judicial officers from the Cabinet Fees Framework to the Remuneration Authority. These amendments will strengthen judicial independence and enhance public confidence in these courts and tribunals.This bill has received cross-party support at the Justice Committee and during the two previous debates. I want to thank members for their constructive consideration of this bill.Just briefly on Part 1 it amends the Remuneration Authority Act to authorise the Remuneration Authority to set the remuneration for environment commissioners and deputy environment commissioners at the Environment Court community magistrates of the District Court disputes tribunal referees Tenancy Tribunal adjudicators the chairperson and deputy chairpersons of the Human Rights Review Tribunal and lastly the deputy chairperson and members of the Immigration and Protection Tribunal. As members will be well aware the Remuneration Authority is the independent body that determines our remuneration. It also determines the remuneration of judges coroners and quasi-judicial officers that need to have and to be seen to have independence from the Government. This amendment will provide security of remuneration for these six groups of officers and it will ensure they continue to discharge their responsibilities without fear favour or undue influence.I trust this outline will assist members in their examination of Part 1 of the Remuneration Authority Legislation Bill. I'm happy to go quickly into Part 2 but I'll give time—go to Part 2?Chris Penk: Happy Minister if you are yep.Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO: Then maybe I'll just do that as well. So in Part 2 I think I want to point out that the Government Supplementary Order Paper 148 corrects cross-referencing errors in Part 2 and replaces the six schedules. However the policy intent in the schedules has not changed; these schedules still require the remuneration of the affected officers to remain the same from the commencement date until the Remuneration Authority makes the first determination.Part 2 of the bill comprises of six subparts—one subpart for each of the Acts governing the six groups of judicial and quasi-judicial officers that I mentioned earlier. These Acts require the remuneration of these officers to be determined under the Cabinet Fees Framework which is administered by the Public Service Commission on behalf of the Government. The bill amends these six parts to make the Remuneration Authority responsible for determining the remuneration of these officers.The principal difference between the Remuneration Authority and the Cabinet Fees Framework is the degree of independence from the Government of remuneration decisions. Both take account of a similar range of factors such as the requirement of the decision; the conditions of service; and fairness to the person whose remuneration is being set and to the taxpayer. These six groups of officers require a greater degree of independence from the executive than the quasi-judicial officers whose remuneration will continue to be determined under the Cabinet Fees Framework.I think I'll just briefly outline that the environment commissioners and deputy commissioners sit in the Environment Court either with an environment judge or alone to hear appeals about the contents of regional and district plans and appeals rising out of applications for resource consent.Community magistrates disputes tribunal referees and Tenancy Tribunal adjudicators hear cases that would otherwise have to come before a District Court judge. Community magistrates hear low-level criminal matters in the District Court.Disputes Tribunal referees hear property disputes of up to $30000. The Disputes Tribunal is a division of the District Court and hears most of the substantive cases in the District Court civil jurisdiction. Tenancy Tribunal adjudicators hear disputes between landlords including Kāinga Ora and tenants of residential properties of up to $100000 and disputes relating to unit title developments such as apartment builds of up to $50000. The Tenancy Tribunal enforces the healthy homes standards and can impose pecuniary penalties of up to $50000 on non-compliant landlords.Next the Human Rights Review Tribunal hears claims relating to breaches of the Human Rights Act the Privacy Act and the Health and Disability Commissioner Act. It has the authority to declare an Act of Parliament inconsistent with the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act a matter which would otherwise come before a senior court.Lastly the Immigration and Protection Tribunal hears appeals against decisions of the Minister of Immigration and Immigration New Zealand relating to residency deportation and refugee protected persons status.I simply conclude by saying that I consider the transfer of responsibility for determining the remuneration of these six groups of judicial and quasi-judicial officers to the Remuneration Authority as necessary to reinforce their independence from the Government and to maintain public confidence in these courts. I trust this outline will assist members in the examination of these parts. Thank you.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa): Thank you Minister. The question is that Parts 1 and 2 Schedules 1 to 6 and clauses 1 and 2 stand part.