QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

Wednesday, 28 March 2001

Questions to Ministers

1. Rt Hon JENNY SHIPLEY to the Prime Minister: Does she accept the criticism of Greg Sheridan that New Zealand is irresponsibly running away from all modern defence obligations and is taking "the bludger's option"?

2. GRAHAM KELLY to the Minister of Social Services and Employment: What reports has he received on the outlook for the New Zealand labour market?

3. RODNEY HIDE to the Minister of Finance: Is the Government proposing a change to the compensation package for Taranaki leaseholders this week, with very little notice, when the first Tribunal hearings start next Monday; if so, why?

4. Hon ROGER SOWRY to the Minister of Health: Does she agree with the expectations of the Associate Minister of Finance, Hon Trevor Mallard, that district health boards should achieve net fiscal savings and that savings will be made available for Government priorities which may or may not be within health; if not, why not?

5. KEITH LOCKE to the Minister assisting the Prime Minister on Auckland Issues: What did she mean when she said, on 13 December 2000, that "The Auckland region's proposal must be evaluated by the Government, in the context of New Zealand's national rail policy. Any decision made before such consideration would be putting the cart before the horse and risk short-sighted decisions being made."?

6. Hon TONY RYALL to the Minister of Police: Did overworked police officers and a lack of resources lead to the dismissal of relaid charges of alleged serious firearms offences against a Hawera man, as claimed by the Crown Solicitor, Mr Tim Brewer?

7. STEVE CHADWICK to the Minister of Health: What steps has the Government taken to improve adolescent dental services?

8. Hon Dr NICK SMITH to the Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage: Does she stand by the Minister's corrected answer to written question No 21052 with respect to "golden handshakes" by the Historic Places Trust, that "Two confidential settlements for termination/redundancy were made to former employees by the Historic Places Trust between 1 November 1999 and 24 November 2000 with a total value of $30,000."?

9. CHRIS CARTER to the Minister of Education: What steps is he taking to address school roll growth in the Auckland area?

10. LINDSAY TISCH to the Minister of Internal Affairs: What will be the status of firefighters on community safety team contracts under the Fire Service Commission offer to the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union?

11. HARRY DUYNHOVEN to the Minister of Transport: What reports has he received on the Government's initiative to encourage greater use of public transport?

12. Dr MURIEL NEWMAN to the Minister of Social Services and Employment: What is his response to the article in today's Independent newspaper relating to "flushing out the facts underlying a bit of bragging about his accomplishments by Employment Minister Steve Maharey"?

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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>>