QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

Wednesday, 12 September 2001

Questions to Ministers

1. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Attorney-General: Does the Government propose to sever ties with the Privy Council, as stated in a report yesterday, which also stated that she had told the Justice and Electoral Committee in July that "legislation aimed at breaking ties with London could be introduced but not immediately implemented"; if so, on what constitutional basis does the Government propose to do this?

2. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Minister of Finance: Can he confirm media reports that the Air New Zealand proposal, sent to the Government on 12 July, made it clear that Ansett Australia had lost $327 million in the year to June and its position was deteriorating?

3. GRAHAM KELLY to the Prime Minister: What security measures has New Zealand taken in response to the terrorist attack on the United States of America?

4. Hon MAX BRADFORD to the Minister of Defence: Does he consider that saying "the Judge Advocate General, Judge Peter Trapski, will conduct the inquiry in a proper manner" is an adequate response to the question "Can the Minister guarantee that the Judge Advocate General's inquiry will be heard in public, that witnesses and evidence can be subpoenaed, and that all evidence will be given on oath?"; if so, which parts of the question does he consider he answered?

5. CHRIS CARTER to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Has he received any reports of any New Zealand casualties from the terrorist attacks in the United States?

6. Dr the Hon LOCKWOOD SMITH to the Minister for State Owned Enterprises: Will he provide the House with details of the unaudited accounts concerning the profits made by the State-owned electricity companies during the winter power crisis; if not, why not?

7. KEITH LOCKE to the Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Official Development Assistance): Will the new aid agency announced yesterday be focussed on the reduction of poverty; if so, when can Pacific nations expect to see increased New Zealand aid for primary education?

8. OWEN JENNINGS to the Prime Minister: In light of international events, will the Government be reviewing its total security requirements?

9. MARK PECK to the Minister of Finance: Has he received any reports on the possible economic implications for New Zealand of the terrorist attacks in the United States?

10. Hon MURRAY McCULLY to the Minister for State Owned Enterprises: Did he receive advice from the Crown Company Monitoring Advisory Unit, in relation to New Zealand Post Ltd's decision to issue proceedings against Hon Richard Prebble, that if the chairman, Dr Armstrong, had not received prior board approval "there would be strong grounds for seeking Dr Armstrong's resignation" and advising that it was "necessary and appropriate" that he conduct further enquiries; if so, do the minutes of the board meeting of 21 February support his statement to the House that the injunction proceedings had "board approval"?

11. KEVIN CAMPBELL to the Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Official Development Assistance): Why did he commission a report on the delivery of New Zealand's overseas aid?

12. Dr PAUL HUTCHISON to the Minister of Health: Does she support the Ministry of Health's proposal to remove the choice of women to attend private obstetricians, paediatricians and anaesthetists by confining access to all publicly-funded specialist services through public hospitals only?

© Scoop Media

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>>