Ryall Tony: State Sector Management Bill — First Reading 
Ryall Tony: State Sector Management Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:666;Page:13684] 
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of State Services) 
: 
 I move  
That the State Sector Management Bill be now read a first time. 
 At the appropriate time I will move that the State Sector Management Bill be considered by the Education and Science Committee that the committee report finally to the House on or before 24 November 2010 and that the committee have 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 in which there has been a sitting of the House despite Standing Orders 187 and 190(1)(b) and (c). 
This bill is an omnibus bill that provides for machinery of Government changes across several sectors that have been well signalled. This bill provides for the amalgamation of the Foundation for Research Science and Technology and the Ministry of Research Science and Technology into a new Ministry of Science and Innovation. It provides for the Minister of Research Science and Technology to appoint boards to make independent funding decisions and it provides for the amalgamation of the National Library and Archives New Zealand into the Department of Internal Affairs. 
Many State sector agencies will not receive increases in their Budget baselines for a considerable period of time reflecting the tight economic times. At the same time the New Zealand public’s expectations of what the Public Service can do for them continue to rise. We expect the Government sector to organise itself in a way that makes it more accessible to New Zealanders and delivers its services more efficiently. These changes are made in that context. These amalgamations are expected to improve services within the existing baselines reduce costs in the short to medium term and future-proof the long-term delivery of Government services. This is consistent with the Government’s overall direction for the State services and the Government’s aim of improving State service performance by moving resources to support the front line. 
There are three parts to this bill. Part 1 amalgamates the Foundation for Research Science and Technology and the Ministry of Research Science and Technology into a new Ministry of Science and Innovation. It abolishes the Foundation for Research Science and Technology as a separate entity and it repeals the Foundation for Research Science and Technology Act 1990 which is to be replaced with the provisions in this bill that are to be enacted in a new Research Science and Technology Bill. This amalgamation addresses a number of perceived weaknesses in the present fragmented system of government support for research and development and for innovation. It addresses the duplication of policy advice on research science and technology planning and prioritisation between the Ministry of Research Science and Technology and the Foundation for Research Science and Technology. It addresses the confusion and complexity in relation to funding programmes and streamlines those. The bill also deals with concerns about the long-term ability of two small agencies to retain critical skills and maintain services at the required level in a tight fiscal environment. 
The bill will enable the Minister to establish one or more boards to make independent decisions on proposals for the allocation of specified funding for research science and technology. The funding decisions will be made for the purposes described in this bill in accordance with criteria that will be set and notified by the Minister in the  
Gazette 
. They will also be made on the basis of information provided to the boards by the chief executive of the new ministry. The decisions must be made in an independent fair and transparent manner and must be referred to the chief executive for implementation. 
The bill transfers the staff of the Ministry of Research Science and Technology and of the Foundation for Research Science and Technology to the new ministry which is being established by Order in Council. 
Parts 2 and 3 of the bill provide for the amalgamation of the National Library and Archives New Zealand into the Department of Internal Affairs. These amalgamations recognise the increasing role that technology will play in enabling the Government to manage information efficiently and effectively so that New Zealanders can access information in ways that suit them. Each of these three agencies stores and provides information that is collected by the Government for the benefit of New Zealand and New Zealanders. All three are investing to deliver information online 24/7 so bringing the National Library and Archives New Zealand together with the Department of Internal Affairs will support that development with less cost and less risk. It will also provide opportunities for greater capability economies of scale and better public access. As the Minister responsible for the National Library the Hon Nathan Guy has already made clear a large number of countries maintain their services in a similar way to that proposed in this bill. In undertaking this amalgamation the legislation has preserved the statutory roles of the National Librarian the Chief Librarian of the Alexander Turnbull Library and the Chief Archivist. 
Part 2 amends the National Library of New Zealand (Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa) Act to reflect the change of status of the National Library from being a Public Service department to being part of the Department of Internal Affairs. It maintains the statutory role of the National Librarian and preserves the National Librarian’s functions within the Department of Internal Affairs. It maintains the statutory role of the Library and Information Advisory Commission and of the Guardians Kaitiaki of the Alexander Turnbull Library. It also continues the Alexander Turnbull Library and the functions of the Chief Librarian of the Alexander Turnbull Library who is to be appointed by the Chief Executive of the Department of Internal Affairs on the recommendation of the National Librarian. The bill also provides for the transfer of staff from the National Library to the Department of Internal Affairs. 
Part 3 amends the Public Records Act to reflect the change of status of Archives New Zealand from being a Public Service department to being part of the Department of Internal Affairs. It maintains the statutory office of the Chief Archivist and preserves the constitutional role requiring the Chief Archivist to make decisions independently of the Minister and the Chief Executive of the Department of Internal Affairs in relation to public offices and local authorities on the following: the disposal of records the issuing standards the provision of advice the monitoring of compliance with the Act and the exempting of a public office or local authority from compliance with a standard or instruction issued by the Chief Archivist. Part 3 also maintains the statutory role of the Archives Council and provides for the transfer of staff from Archives New Zealand to the Department of Internal Affairs. 
It is intended that the bill be divided into the following three separate bills at the Committee of the whole House stage: a Research Science and Technology Bill a National Library of New Zealand Amendment Bill and a Public Records Amendment Bill. 
The substance of this bill has been well signalled. Its purpose is to streamline and improve the delivery of the public services of New Zealand. Important safeguards and constitutional arrangements are maintained in order to enhance and protect the role of some designated officers. It also brings New Zealand into line with the way in which a number of other jurisdictions deal with these areas. I certainly commend the bill to the House.