QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

Wednesday, 21 March 2001

Questions to Ministers

1. MARK PECK to the Minister of Revenue: What steps is the Government taking to encourage the private sector to invest in research and development?

2. Rt Hon JENNY SHIPLEY to the Minister for Biosecurity: When he said in the House yesterday that "All realistic measures are being taken to ensure that New Zealand's defences against foot-and-mouth disease are as effective as possible.", does this mean there is nothing further the Government can or will do to prevent an outbreak in New Zealand?

3. JOHN WRIGHT to the Minister for Industry and Regional Development: What industries have been identified as having potential for rapid growth and what steps is the Government taking to work in partnership with them?

4. Hon Dr NICK SMITH to the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage: Has she ensured that all public agencies within the Arts, Culture and Heritage portfolio have complied with her statement "This Government wants to abandon the culture of golden handshakes negotiated in secrecy, and to abandon the culture of paying people to do nothing."?

5. JOHN TAMIHERE to the Minister of Justice: What reaction has he received to his recent announcement on sentencing and parole reform?

6. Hon MAX BRADFORD to the Prime Minister: What factors did the Government consider before she announced that New Zealand would pull out of the United States-led coalition taskforce in Kuwait?

7. Hon RICHARD PREBBLE to the Associate Minister of Justice: Are media reports that former teachers' union leader Rosslyn Noonan is poised to become the new Chief Human Rights Commissioner correct; if so, what consultation has there been with the parliamentary Opposition parties?

8. DOVER SAMUELS to the Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations: What progress has been made towards settling the treaty claims of the Muriwhenua iwi?

9. Hon PETER DUNNE to the Minister of Health: Why did the Health Funding Authority appoint Dr Joel Lexchin as the independent reviewer of Pharmac after his disclosure that he had "a reputation as being very critical of the pharmaceutical industry"?

10. Hon MURRAY McCULLY to the Minister of Health: When did the Health Funding Authority cease attempts to engage what their correspondence of 30 May to potential reviewers described as a "senior member of the legal profession" with "status and credibility" and "experience and understanding of both public law and commercial law issues" for the role of independent reviewer of Pharmac's policies, and what new "core competencies" brief was issued which made Dr Lexchin a suitable appointee?

11. NANAIA MAHUTA to the Minister of Education: What reports has he received on progress with improving numeracy skills among primary school students?

12. BOB SIMCOCK to the Minister of Social Services and Employment: Has he or the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services given the Associate Minister, Hon Tariana Turia, a commitment towards implementing the Puao-te-ata-tu strategy which was written for the Labour Government in 1986; if not, why not?

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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>>