QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

Thursday, 22 February 2001

Questions to Ministers

1. DAVID CUNLIFFE to the Minister of Finance: Has he received any further reports on the future of the New Zealand Post banking proposal?

2. Hon MURRAY McCULLY to the Minister for State Owned Enterprises: Has he or any ministerial colleague on his behalf been advised at any time by any State-owned enterprise of an intention to file proceedings with the purpose of securing a restraining order against any member of this House; if so, what response has been given to that State-owned enterprise?

3. SUE KEDGLEY to the Minister of Health: Will the Government give a firm undertaking to commence, within the next six months, a comprehensive study of former timber workers to establish whether they are suffering from dioxin-related diseases; if not, why not?

4. Rt Hon JENNY SHIPLEY to the Minister of Finance: Can he confirm that Government will not direct State-owned enterprises in the day-to-day operation of their businesses?

5. STEVE CHADWICK to the Minister of Health: Is she aware of any previous Child Mortality Review Boards; if not, is she concerned about Dr Hutchison's statement that "it's very negligent of the Government that they are discharging this Child Mortality Review Board without replacing it with anything tangible ..."?

6. Hon RICHARD PREBBLE to the Minister of Finance: What assurances, if any, have been given to the Green Party that the new State-owned bank will not be going after the market of those community financial institutions the Greens are purported to feel very strongly about, such as the Taranaki Savings Bank and regional credit unions, building societies and investment societies?

7. Hon BRIAN DONNELLY to the Minister of Education: How much was appropriated for his review of the Education Review Office and how much was the actual cost?

8. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Minister of Finance: Did the New Zealand Post business plan for the "People's Bank" anticipate a potential credit rating downgrade?

9. GRAHAM KELLY to the Minister for Trade Negotiations: Why is New Zealand seeking authority from the World Trade Organisation to impose retaliatory tariffs on products from Canada?

10. BOB SIMCOCK to the Minister of Social Services and Employment: Will all Care and Protection Resource Panel members be required to comply with the new letter of appointment which contains an amended provision which would forbid them from speaking to the media?

11. MARTIN GALLAGHER to the Minister of Finance: What steps is the Government taking to improve New Zealand's ability to monitor and to respond effectively to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other geological hazards?

12. Hon MARIE HASLER to the Minister of Immigration: What action, if any, will she be taking against the Immigration Service for their actions which led to secret payouts for two officials involved in the mistaken deportation of the Milla family last year?

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>