Committee finalising its recipe for scampi

By AUDREY YOUNG

Millions of dollars compensation to aggrieved scampi fishing operators may be recommended by the parliamentary select committee that conducted an inquiry into the allocation of permits.

The primary production select committee is thought to be close to finishing its report after hearings that began in February, which included allegations of corruption and unfairness.

It is a breach of Parliament's rules to publish the business or decisions of a select committee made in private - journalists can be punished by the privileges committee, including withdrawal of accreditation rights to cover Parliament. But speculation about a committee's finding is permissible.

Based on the evidence, the committee will probably reach no finding of criminal activity associated with the allocation of permits for the scampi fishery, but is likely to be critical of procedural unfairness by the Ministry of Fisheries which meant that some fishers were disadvantaged.

If the committee decides on a package for compensation, it will have to decide whether to limit it to fishers who appeared before the committee - or to deliver a general formula.

National MP David Carter chairs the committee, which is normally bipartisan. But given that much of the activity in question occurred during the tenure of a National Government, it is unlikely that the National MPs would agree to compensation.

To drive though any compensation decision, Labour MPs will need the support of New Zealand First leader Winston Peters on the committee.