Telecommunications changes set out
Communications Minister Paul Swain and Associate Commerce Minister Laila Harre this week unveiled a package of telecommunications regulatory reforms. They say the changes will bring greater certainty, investment, competition, opportunity and consumer benefit. The announcement was the government's response to the Fletcher inquiry into telecommunications. Key points were the decision to appoint a Telecommunications Commissioner as a specialist commissioner within the Commerce Commission. The commissioner's key functions will be to resolve disputes over regulated services; to report to the Minister on the desirability of regulating additional services and to monitor and enforce Kiwi Share obligations. The new policy will also require Telecom to spend about $100 million making all its network capable of basic internet access. In an important clarification, the Kiwi Share's definition of free local calling will explicitly include data and internet.
Bain case re-opened
Justice Minister Phil Goff announced this week that the Governor-General has deferred David Bain's application for a pardon, and referred a number of questions relating to his conviction to the Court of Appeal for an opinion. David Bain had petitioned the Governor General for exercise of the Royal prerogative of mercy in June 1998. Both the application and a number of supplementary submissions made by Bain's defence team have since been the subject of an investigation by the Ministry of Justice. The investigation included an independent peer review by a retired High Court Judge, Sir Thomas Thorp
Compliance cost panel named
Commerce Minister Paul Swain this week announced the members of the new Ministerial Panel on Business Compliance Costs. The panel's role will be to provide advice to the Government on ways to reduce compliance costs to business arising from existing central and local government regulation. The members are Alan Dunn (chairman), CEO of McDonald's New Zealand; John Albertson, chief executive of the Retail Merchants Association; Andrew Fox, a sheep and beef farmer from North Canterbury; Chye Heng, chief financial officer of Beca Group Ltd, Consulting Engineers; David Hoskin, managing director of Dave Hoskin's Carriers Ltd, Wanganui; Claire Johnston, head of MPI Clemenger BBDO.
Dougherty to be compensated
Minister of Justice Phil Goff announced that the government has agreed compensation should be paid to David Dougherty. In 1993 Dougherty was convicted on charges of abduction and sexual violation by rape of a girl then aged 11. He was acquitted on retrial in 1997. The Government has now accepted, following a report by Mr Stuart Grieve QC that Dougherty is innocent of these charges and that his eligibility for compensation for wrongful conviction and imprisonment has been established. The government has asked Mr Grieve to provide further advice as to the appropriate amount of compensation payable to Dougherty
New appeal system proposed
Attorney-General Margaret Wilson has released a discussion paper proposing the establishment of a final appeal Court in New Zealand and a consequent ending of links with the Privy Council. Ms Wilson says it is apparent that the Privy Council no longer functions as an effective court of final appeal, as it is increasingly referring cases back to New Zealand because of the inappropriateness of a foreign court deciding New Zealand cases. Most other former British colonies and Dominions have established their own appeal system, although some small countries such as Kiribati, Jamaica, and Mauritius still rely on the Privy Council.
Govt-Green package announced
Environment Minister Marian Hobbs and the co-leader of the Green Party, Jeanette Fitzsimons, have announced funding for an environmental legal aid pilot scheme as part of a $2.3 million environmental initiatives package. The money comes from the green issues fund agreed between the government and the Green Party at the time of the Budget in June. The legal aid pilot scheme is designed to assist community groups to participate better in the resource management process and to remove barriers to public participation under the Resource Management Act.
Fiscal update welcomed
Finance Minister Michael Cullen said this week that the December Economic and Fiscal Update shows New Zealand is well-placed to take advantage of favourable conditions for growth. The update shows a reduction in the current account deficit from 7.2 percent of GDP in June, 2000 to 3.1 percent in March, 2005; higher levels of employment and labour force participation combined with a slight decline in unemployment; and a modest tightening in monetary settings to keep second-round inflationary pressures under control. Dr Cullen says the economy has been through significant turbulence this year generated by volatility on global currency markets and by rising fuel prices. The 2000/01 financial year's growth forecast has been lowered to reflect a subdued first half but next year's has been raised to capture a stronger contribution from the export sector.
Creative industries and parallel importing
Commerce Minister Paul Swain and Associate Arts Culture and Heritage Minister Judith Tizard have released a public discussion document on parallel importing and creative industries. The government is committed to bans for periods of up to two years on the parallel importing of creative industries goods such as music CDs, motion picture videos and DVDs, software and books. The policy objective of the proposed bans is to encourage an increase in international investment in and overseas promotion of New Zealand creative talent. The discussion document is available from the Ministry of Economic Development web site: www.med.govt.nz
