QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

Tuesday, 6 November 2001

Questions to Ministers

1. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Minister of Finance: Can he confirm media reports that the Government has delayed the introduction of paid parental leave because of fears the slowing world economy will cut Government income?

2. H V ROSS ROBERTSON to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade: What reports has he received about humanitarian assistance going into Afghanistan?

3. RODNEY HIDE to the Minister of Labour: Did her department recommend to her 15 names for the Employment Relations Authority before she rang Ms Susan Bathgate to check her availability for membership of the Authority; if not, what is the correct sequence by which Ms Bathgate came to be appointed a member?

4. Hon PETER DUNNE to the Minister for Economic Development: Is the Government planning to spend an additional $250 million a year on new roads to offset the effects of a global recession?

5. Hon ROGER SOWRY to the Minister of Health: Why did the Ministry of Health's chief medical advisor state last week that the guidelines for radiation treatment of breast cancer patients are for treatment within 12 weeks of surgery, when the Ministry of Health's July 2001 report Improving Non-Surgical Treatment Services in New Zealand states that the maximum acceptable time is for treatment to start within four weeks?

6. JUDY KEALL to the Minister of Health: What reports has she received recently about improving management of health information?

7. Hon TONY RYALL to the Minister of Police: Does he accept reports that Police have admitted to a growing problem with substandard work in court cases due to mounting pressure in areas of high population growth, such as Auckland; if so, what is he going to do about this problem?

8. CHRIS CARTER to the Minister of Immigration: How long do refugee status claimants have to wait from the point of applying for refugee status before being interviewed by the New Zealand Immigration Service's Refugee Status Branch, and how does that compare with previous years?

9. Hon MAX BRADFORD to the Prime Minister: Does she agree with the former United States Ambassador to New Zealand, Carol Moseley Braun, that New Zealand no longer existed in a "benign strategic environment" and could not afford to be complacent about security because of its distance from the world's conflicts; if not, why not?

10. DIANNE YATES to the Minister of State Services: Has he received any reports on human resource capability in the public sector; if so, what are the main findings?

11. SIMON POWER to the Minister of Labour: Did she sign a CAB 50 form to nominate Ms Susan Bathgate as a member of the Employment Relations Authority; if so, will she table it?

12. Dr MURIEL NEWMAN to the Minister of Social Services and Employment: Is he removing work-testing for domestic purpose beneficiaries; if so, what is his evidence that work-testing has not worked?

Questions to Members

1. KEITH LOCKE to the Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee: What draft amendments to the Terrorism (Bombings and Financing) Bill have been proposed, and will all members of the public have an opportunity to make submissions on these proposals?

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>>