NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

1 JULY

Parliamentary Summary

Bills Introduced

Government Bills

(Minister/Member in Charge shown in parenthesis)

22 June 1993

Ozone Layer Protection Amendment (No. 2)
(Hon Rob Storey)
... Referred to Select Committee
... Planning and Development

Finance (No. 7)
(Hon Ruth Richardson)
... Not referred (S.O. 217(4))

Antarctica (Environmental Protection)
(Rt Hon Don McKinnon)
... Referred to Select Committee
... Foreign Affairs and Defence

Arts Council of New Zealand
(Hon D A M Graham)
... Referred to Select Committee
... Government Administration

Crimes Amendment (No. 5)
(Hon D A M Graham)
... Not referred (S.O. 217(4))

Summary of Bills Introduced

Ozone Layer Protection Amendment (No. 2)

Amends the Ozone Layer Protection Act 1990, to give effect to decisions made in Copenhagen in November 1992 to adjust the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. Effect has already been given to some of those decisions by way of Orders in Council made under the principal Act. Most of the bill is to come into force on assent.

The principal effects of the bill are as follows:

(a) The establishment of a new procedure to enable the importation of “used or recycled” bulk controlled substances without an import permit;

(b) A requirement that imports and exports of “used or recycled” bulk controlled substances be notified to the Minister of Commerce;

(c) New rules to control the importation of bulk halons, to take effect from 1 January 1994.

Finance Bill (No. 7)

Contains provisions relating to the indexation of excise duties for alcoholic beverages and tobacco products (Part I), the establishment of a new system for setting excise and tariff duties on beer (Part II), the validation of certain increases in rentals payable in respect of tenancies of State housing land (Part III), and the audit of the accounts of the New Zealand Dairy Board (Part IV).

By leave this bill was divided into two bills: Finance Bill (No. 7), consisting of Parts III and IV; and Finance Bill (No. 8), consisting of Parts I and II and the Schedules. Finance Bill (No. 8) was referred to the Finance and Expenditure Committee.

Antarctica (Environmental Protection)

Implements the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty. The enactment of this bill will enable New Zealand to ratify the Protocol.

The bill seeks to ban prospecting, exploration and mining in Antarctica. It will require organisers of all expeditions to inform the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and for the Minister to give directions in respect of an expedition’s proposed activities. Also contained is the general requirement that an environmental impact assessment be prepared for expeditions, and rules relating to waste disposal and the prevention of marine pollution.

The bill will also apply to both New Zealanders and non-New Zealanders in the Ross Dependency, and elsewhere in Antarctica subject to certain criteria.

Arts Council of New Zealand

Provides for the dissolution of the Queen Elizabeth the Second Arts Council of New Zealand and for the establishment of the Arts Council of New Zealand and two arts boards, the Arts Board and Te Waka Toi. The purpose of the Council and the boards includes the support of the arts in New Zealand for the benefit of all New Zealanders, recognition of the ethnic and cultural diversity of the people of New Zealand, and the role of Māori as tangata whenua in the arts.

The bill also outlines the membership, functions, powers and funding of the Council and arts boards.