Carter Chris: Local Government Law Reform Bill (No 3) — First Reading 
Carter Chris: Local Government Law Reform Bill (No 3) — First Reading 
[Volume:616;Page:12479] 
Hon CHRIS CARTER (Minister of Local Government) 
: 
 I move  
That the Local Government Law Reform Bill (No 3) be now read a first time. 
 At the appropriate time I intend to move that the bill be referred to the Local Government and Environment Committee for consideration that the committee report the bill by 14 June 2004 and that the committee have the authority to meet at any time while the House is sitting except during oral questions and during any evening on a day on which there has been a sitting of the House and on a Friday in a week on which there has been a sitting of the House and outside the Wellington area on a day the House is sitting despite Standing Orders 191 193(a) and 194(1)(b) and (c). 
The tight framework for reporting the bill is because some of the provisions in the bill need to be in place before 23 July 2004 the opening date for nominations for this October’s local authority elections. The purpose of the Local Government Law Reform Bill (No 3) is to further ensure that the legislative framework in which local government operates is as comprehensive and clear as possible. This bill seeks to clarify and address a range of issues relating to local government legislation that are mostly technical in their nature. It does not signal any major new policy decisions. 
Cross-party support was gained in order for the Business Committee to agree to this bill being introduced as an omnibus bill amending six Acts. This agreement reflects the generally non-controversial nature of the bill. 
Since taking office the Government has introduced a comprehensive package of legislative reforms that have modernised our system of local government. This has included the Local Government Act 2002 the Local Electoral Act 2001 and the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002. As with any major legislative changes it is not unusual that some minor issues have arisen that need to be addressed. I note that the need for many of the bill’s provisions has arisen during an extensive joint local and central government education and implementation programme for the new legislation. This Local Government Know-How project is an excellent example of local and central government collaboration between the Department of Internal Affairs Local Government New Zealand and the Society of Local Government Managers. The local government sector has given much positive feedback on the new legislation. This feedback has also highlighted several aspects of the legislation that should be clarified. 
I do not wish to go into detail about all the provisions in this bill. However I would like to outline a few matters in each of the six Acts that the bill seeks to amend. Firstly the bill amends the Chatham Islands Council Act of 1995 to explicitly provide the Chatham Islands Council with the powers needed to support its limited regional council functions. Secondly the bill makes various amendments to the Dog Control Act of 1996. It addresses an accidental omission in that Act of infringement penalties for failing to meet certain obligations as a probationary dog owner as well as making amendments relating to dog seizure notices and recapturing unlawfully freed dogs. Thirdly the bill makes various amendments to the Local Electoral Act of 2001 including clarifying the right of a candidate to stand for both mayor and ward councillor in the same territorial authority. This is required before nominations for this year’s elections open in July. Fourthly the bill makes various amendments to the Local Government Act 2002 including clarifying certain voting provisions at council meetings and the absence of a casting vote as well as applying existing information requirements to all council-controlled organisations. 
In addition to these matters the bill contains a number of other minor amendments to some of those Acts. This fine-tuning will provide more certainty and clarity for councils as they administer and work within the legislation amended by this bill. It will also provide communities with greater clarity in their dealings with their local authority. As I mentioned earlier it is highly desirable that this bill be enacted by July. I acknowledge that this is a tight timetable for the select committee and I thank the committee in advance for the hard work that I know it will put into this framework.