Committees

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES

2022 – 2023 

Parliamentary committees are a group of members of Parliament who work together to investigate and consider matters and issues of national interest on behalf of Parliament. They are able to meet with people and call for documents to assist them in their work. They report their findings to Parliament and can make recommendations for changes to laws and administration. Parliament must officially respond to the recommendations made by Committees.

There are three types of Parliamentary committees in the Parliament of the Cook Islands:

1. Select Committee
2. Standing Committee
3. Special Committee

Select Committees and Standing Committees are established at the commencement of each Parliament, at the first sitting and remains convened until Parliament is dissolved.

Special Committees are established by Parliament for a particular purpose or issue of national concern and may continue in existence until it submits its reports to Parliament.

1. Select Committees

There are two select committees of the Parliament, they are –

1.1. Public Accounts Committee and their functions are to scrutinize and review on 

• the annual financial statements, the Audit Report on the annual financial statements of the Government, budget policy statements, fiscal strategy reports, economic and fiscal updates and annual reports and other financial reports required to be submitted to Parliament;
• ministerial and departmental financial management and performance;
• any legislation or petition relating to public finance, revenue or taxation;
• all accounts and expenditure of the Parliament (including expenditure and reports on constituency allowances);
• any other matters within its subject area;
• Consider and report back to the Parliament on any matter referred to it as stated above.

1.2. Bills, Petitions and Papers Committee and their functions are to –

• Scrutinize and review any Bill, petition, report or other matter referred to it by the Parliament;
• Consider and report back to the Parliament on any matter referred to it as stated above.

2. Standing Committees

Standing Committees primarily focus more on internal matters of Parliament.  Parliament has the following standing committees –

2.1. Business Committee – which determines the business to be considered by Parliament each sitting day;

2.2. Privileges Committee – a Parliamentary Committee responsible for the oversight of processes dealing with the rights and privileges of Members of Parliament, which considers breaches of privilege that may be committed by any person; and

2.3. Standing Orders Committee – The functions of the Standing Orders Committee are to –

• at least once in every term of Parliament review the Standing Orders, procedures, and practices of the Parliament:
• consider and report to the Parliament on any matter relating to the Standing Orders, procedures, and practices of the Parliament:
• recommend to the House the amendment, revocation, or addition of any Standing Order or the alteration of any procedure or practice of the Parliament:
• consider and report to the Parliament on any matter referred by the Parliament or otherwise under the Standing Orders.

3. Special Committees

Special committee are established by resolution of Parliament to carry out the assignment specified in the resolution. It continues in existence until it completes its assignment with a report to Parliament; or Parliament resolves to discharge the committee.