Legislation is scrutinised by select committees. The committees can call for submissions from the public, thereby meaning that there is a degree of public consultation before a parliamentary bill proceeds into law. The strengthening of the committee system was in response to concerns that legislation was being forced through, without receiving due examination and revision. Each select committee has a chairperson and a deputy chairperson. MPs may be members of more than one select committee.
For the 48th Parliament, which finished with the 2008 general election in November 2008, there were 18 select committees in the House of Representatives, as follows:
| Select committee |
Members (Roles) |
| Auckland Governance Legislation |
- John Carter, National (Chairperson)
- Tau Henare, National (Deputy Chairperson)
- Jackie Blue, National (Member)
- John Boscawen, ACT (Member)
- Simon Bridges, National (Member)
- Hone Harawira, Māori (Member)
- George Hawkins, Labour (Member)
- Shane Jones, Labour (Member)
- Nikki Kaye, National (Member)
- Su'a William Sio, Labour (Member {Non-voting})
- Phil Twyford, Labour (Member)
|
| Business |
- Jim Anderton, Progressives (Member)
- Peter Dunne, United Future (Member)
- Te Ururoa Flavell, Māori (Member)
- Nathan Guy, National (Member)
- Darren Hughes, Labour (Member)
- Heather Roy, ACT (Member)
- Lockwood Smith, National (Chairperson)
- Metiria Turei, Greens (Member)
|
| Commerce |
- John Boscawen, ACT (Member)
- Charles Chauvel, Labour (Member)
- Shane Jones, Labour (Member)
- Clare Curran, Labour (Member)
- Lianne Dalziel, Labour (Chairperson)
- Te Ururoa Flavell, Māori (Member
- Melissa Lee, National (Member)
- Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, National (Deputy Chairperson)
- Katrina Shanks, National (Member)
|
| Education and Science |
- Chris Carter, Labour (Deputy-Chairperson)
- Catherine Delahunty, Greens (Member)
- Roger Douglas, ACT (Member)
- Aaron Gilmore, National (Member)
- Nikki Kaye, National (Member)
- Colin King, National (Member)
- Sue Moroney, Labour (Member)
- Allan Peachey, National (Chairperson)
- Maryan Street, Labour (Member)
|
| Emissions Trading Scheme Review |
- Charles Chauvel (politician), Labour (Member)
- Peter Dunne, United Future (Chairperson)
- Jeanette Fitzsimons, Greens (Member)
- Craig Foss, National (Member)
- Rodney Hide, ACT
- Paul Hutchison, National (Member)
- Rahui Katene, Māori (Member)
- Moana Mackey, Labour (Member)
- Hekia Parata, National (Member)
- David Parker, Labour (Member)
- Nicky Wagner, National (Member)
|
| Finance and Expenditure |
- Amy Adams, National (Member)
- David Bennett, National (Member)
- John Boscawen, Act (Member)
- Brendon Burns, Labour (Member)
- David Cunliffe, Labour (Member)
- Craig Foss, National (Chairperson)
- Paul Hutchison, National (Member)
- Raymond Huo, Labour (Member)
- Rahui Katene, Māori (Member)
- Peseta Sam Lotu-liga, National (Member)
- Stuart Nash, Labour (Member)
- Russel Norman, Greens (Member)
- Chris Tremain, National (Deputy Chairperson)
|
| Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade |
- Helen Clark, Labour (Member)
- Jacqui Dean, National (Deputy-Chairperson)
- John Hayes, National (Chairperson)
- Pete Hodgson, Labour (Member)
- Paul Hutchinson, National (Member)
- Keith Locke, Greens (Member)
- Todd McClay, National (Member)
- Phil Twyford, Labour (Member)
|
| Government Administration |
- Shane Ardern, National (Chairperson)
- Darien Fenton, Labour (Deputy-Chairperson)
- Charles Chauvel, Labour (Member)
- Brian Connell, National (Member)
- Sandra Goudie, National (Member)
|
| Health |
- Sue Kedgley, Greens (Chairperson)
- Maryan Street, Labour (Deputy-Chairperson)
- Jackie Blue, National (Member)
- Jonathan Coleman, National (Member)
- Jo Goodhew, National (Member)
- Ann Hartley, Labour (Member)
- Sue Moroney, Labour (Member)
- Tony Ryall, National (Member)
- Tariana Turia, Māori (Member)
|
| Justice and Electoral |
- Lynne Pillay, Labour (Chairperson)
- Chris Finlayson, National (Deputy-Chairperson)
- Ann Hartley, Labour (Member)
- Nicky Wagner, National (Member)
- Richard Worth, National (Member)
|
| Law and Order |
- Martin Gallagher, Labour (Chairperson)
- Chester Borrows, National (Member)
- Winnie Laban, Labour (Member)
- Jill Pettis, Labour (Member)
- Simon Power, National (Member)
- Kate Wilkinson, National (Member)
|
| Local Government and Environment |
- Steve Chadwick, Labour (Chairperson)
- John Carter, National (Deputy-Chairperson)
- Martin Gallagher, Labour (Member)
- Eric Roy, National (Member)
- Nick Smith, National (Member)
- Metiria Turei, Greens (Member)
|
| Māori Affairs |
- Dave Hereora, Labour (Chairperson)
- Sharples, Pita, Māori (Deputy-Chairperson)
- Gerry Brownlee, National (Member)
- Tau Henare, National (Member)
- Mahara Okeroa, Labour (Member)
- Mita Ririnui, Labour (Member)
- Georgina Te Heuheu, National (Member)
|
| Officers of Parliament |
- Jeanette Fitzsimons, Greens (Member)
- Darren Hughes, Labour (Member)
- Ross Robertson, Labour (Member)
- Lindsay Tisch, National (Member)
- Anne Tolley, National (Member)
|
| Primary Production |
- David Carter, National (Chairperson)
- Ashraf Choudhary, Labour (Deputy-Chairperson)
- Nathan Guy, National (Member)
- Phil Heatley, National (Member)
- Dave Hereora, Labour (Member)
- Colin King, National (Member)
- Moana Mackey, Labour (Member)
|
| Privileges |
- Simon Power, National (Chairperson)
- Michael Cullen, Labour (Deputy-Chairperson)
- Gerry Brownlee, National (Member)
- Lianne Dalziel, Labour (Member)
- Peter Dunne, United Future (Member)
- Hone Harawira, Māori (Member)
- Rodney Hide, Act (Member)
- Wayne Mapp, National (Member)
- Lindsay Tisch, National (Member)
- Metiria Turei, Greens (Member)
|
| Regulations Review |
- Richard Worth, National (Chairperson)
- Charles Chauvel, Labour (Member)
- Eric Roy, National (Member)
- Pita Sharples, Māori (Member)
- Maryan Street, Labour (Member)
- Kate Wilkinson, National (Member)
|
| Social Services |
- Judith Collins, National (Deputy-Chairperson)
- Paula Bennett, National (Member)
- Sue Bradford, Greens (Member)
- Steve Chadwick, Labour(Member)
- Paul Hutchison, National (Member)
- Heather Roy, Act (Member)
- Anne Tolley, National (Member)
|
| Standing Orders |
- Michael Cullen, Labour (Deputy-Chairperson)
- Tim Barnett, Labour (Member)
- Gerry Brownlee, National (Member)
- Peter Dunne, United Future (Member)
- Te Ururoa Flavell, Māori (Member)
- Rodney Hide, Act (Member)
- Lindsay Tisch, National (Member)
|
| Transport and Industrial Relations |
- Maurice Williamson, National (Deputy-Chairperson)
- David Bennett, National (Member)
- Darien Fenton, Labour (Member)
- Wayne Mapp, National (Member)
- Sue Moroney, Labour (Member)
|
Occasionally a special Select Committee will be created on a temporary basis. An example was the Select Committee established to study the foreshore and seabed bill.