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Source: Office of the Clerk
What is a submission?
A submission is your chance to present your opinions, observations, and recommendations on a matter before a select committee. Submissions are written, but you may also ask to talk to the committee in person. This way, committee members can ask you more detailed questions about your recommendations.
When to make a submission
It is normal for committees to ask for submissions, but it is not compulsory. Select committees advertise for submissions in lots of different ways, but a list of what is currently open for submissions can be found here. You will also find information on the deadline for submissions and which committee is calling for the submissions.
How to make a submission
It is easier for a select committee to understand your submission if you present it well. You may write in English or Māori. The guides provided in the related content section below explain the submission process and the operation of select committees in more detail. The select committee FAQs might also be useful to you.
Quick Guide: Making a submission to select committees (with NZSL translation). Source: Office of the Clerk. [Video duration: 2 min 11 sec]
Making Submissions: What Happens Next?
Once you've made your submission, it can be released by the committee at any time, which means making it available to the public via the Parliament website. It can take a few months for submissions to be made available online.
The select committee may decide to hear from submitters who have asked to make an oral submission either face to face, by phone, or by video conference. A team of advisers read and analyse all submissions and present the results to the committee in a departmental report. Once the committee has finished its work on the bill, it will share what it's learnt and suggest recommended changes in a report to the House. Once the report has been presented, the bill will move on to its second reading. The departmental report and the committee's report will be published to the Parliament website.
27 August 2019: Making submissions - what happens next? Source: Office of the Clerk. [Video duration: 1 min 34 sec]
Visiting a Select Committee
Making an oral submission to a Select Committee at Parliament doesn't need to be an intimidating experience, even if it's your first time. This video can give you an idea of what to expect when you arrive at Parliament House on the day of your presentation.
26 April 2017: Visiting a Select Committee. Source: Office of the Clerk. [Video duration: 2 min 18 sec]
Making an oral submission by video conference
If you choose to talk to the committee in person and you live outside of Wellington or find it difficult to get to Parliament because of a disability, you may be given the option of making your oral submission remotely by video conference. To do this you will need to be able to connect to a video conference via PC, tablet, Android or Apple devices. If the select committee meeting is being live-streamed, your submission will appear on Facebook.
This video shows you how to make an oral submission by video conference.
13 June 2018: Video conferencing to Select Committees. Source: Office of the Clerk. [Video duration: 2 min 43 sec]