State-Owned Enterprises Amendment Act 2012

Public Finance (Mixed Ownership Model) Amendment Act 2012

These Acts were divided from the Mixed Ownership Model Bill and allow the Government to sell up to 49% of the shares in Mighty River Power, Genesis Power, Meridian Energy and Solid Energy.  Once a company is ready to have its shares sold, an Order in Council will remove that company from the State-Owned Enterprises Act 1986 and instead make it subject to a new Part 5A of the Public Finance Act 1989.  The latter Act provides that mixed ownership companies must always have at least 51% of any class of shares and at least 51% of any voting securities owned by the Crown.  Additionally, no single person may own more than 10% of any class of shares or more than 10% of any voting securities in a mixed ownership company, unless exempted (e.g. trustee corporations and nominee companies).

Appropriation (2011/12 Supplementary Estimates) Act 2012

This Budget legislation grants Parliamentary authorisation for changes to the appropriations authorised by the Appropriation (2011/12 Estimates) Act 2011.

Imprest Supply (First for 2012/13) Act 2012

This Budget legislation provides the sole financial authority from the start of the 2012/13 financial year (1 July 2012) until the Appropriation (2012/13 Estimates) Bill is passed.  The amounts this Act approves are sufficient to provide supply until the end of August 2012.

Fair Trading (Soliciting on Behalf of Charities) Amendment Act 2012

This Act allows regulations to be made under the Fair Trading Act 1986 requiring fund-raisers making requests for donations on behalf of charities to disclose to potential donors the level of commission they receive and other specified matters.

Prisoners' and Victims' Claims (2012 Expiry and Application Dates) Amendment Act 2012

This Act extends the application of the Prisoner's and Victims' Claims Act 2005 for another year.  The 2005 Act was due to expire on 30 June 2012 (having been already been extended on two previous occasions) but will now expire on June 2013.  Last year the Government introduced the Prisoners' and Victims' Claims (Redirecting Prisoner Compensation) Amendment Bill to make the 2005 Act permanent and expropriate any money awarded to prisoners for human rights breaches.  It is understood that the Government is reconsidering that Bill and the future role of the 2005 Act, working with Labour's Justice spokesperson Charles Chauvel.