Questions For Oral Answer

Wednesday 3 October 2001

QUESTIONS TO MINISTERS

1. DAVID BENSON-POPE to the Associate Minister of Education (Tertiary Education): Is he committed to continuing to ensure the affordability of tertiary education?

2. Rt Hon JENNY SHIPLEY to the Prime Minister: Does she regret her comments about the viability of statutory management for Air New Zealand and recommending that small shareholders “hang on to” their Air New Zealand shares, and the effect these comments may have on the New Zealand taxpayer; if not, why not?

3. HELEN DUNCAN to the Minister of Education: What is the Government’s policy on funding private schools?

4. Hon RICHARD PREBBLE to the Minister of Finance: What justification is there for putting New Zealand taxpayer money into Air New Zealand?

5. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Minister of Health: What is the total number of New Zealanders currently on hospital waiting lists for surgery?

6. Hon MAX BRADFORD to the Minister of Defence: In light of the Defence Force inquiry which concluded that Major General Maurice Dodson had acted in an “unwise and inappropriate” manner when he ordered the shredding of a document ahead of an independent investigation, does he accept Major General Dodson’s assertions that he has “done nothing wrong” and that the issue was “a storm in a teacup”; if so, why?

7. JOHN TAMIHERE to the Minister for Sport, Fitness and Leisure: What action is the Government taking to enhance resourcing for developing coaches?

8. Hon MAURICE WILLIAMSON to the Associate Minister of Education (Tertiary Education): Are media reports last week correct that the fourth Tertiary Education Advisory Commission report makes 41 recommendations, including the introduction of a “relatively extensive” capping system?

9. GERRY BROWNLEE to the Associate Minister of Education (Tertiary Education): What plans does he have for the future of private training establishments?

10. IAN EWEN-STREET to the Minister for the Environment: Should those persons responsible for the toxic pesticide leak in Hawke’s Bay on Monday, which resulted in 21 people needing hospital treatment and 25 households being evacuated, be liable for all associated costs and compensation for those affected; if not, why not?

11. CHRIS CARTER to the Minister of Immigration: Has she received reports of any proposals to establish detention centres in New Zealand for the purpose of detaining all asylum seekers and illegal immigrants until their status is established; if so, what is her response?

12. Hon ROGER SOWRY to the Minister of Health: What action has she taken to resolve the dispute between the Otago District Health Board and the Ministry of Health over the handling of a $1.1 million funding shortfall for acute patient treatment?

ENDS

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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>>