QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

Tuesday, 18 December 2001

Questions to Ministers

1. GRAHAM KELLY to the Prime Minister: Did she discuss with the British Prime Minister New Zealand's participation in the United Nation's mandated multi-national force in Afghanistan when she was in London; if so, what was the outcome?

2. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Prime Minister: Has the Government deployed New Zealand Special Air Service troops to Afghanistan?

3. KEITH LOCKE to the Minister of Justice: Does he agree that substantial payments to witnesses should be disclosed during court proceedings to guard against witnesses altering their evidence to ensure payment, in light of the Tania Furlan case?

4. Hon KEN SHIRLEY to the Minister of Police: What action is he taking following 11 murders in the last two weeks and the statement from leading pathologists that their system was on the verge of collapse and there could be "monumental" mistakes in homicide and sudden death investigations?

5. HELEN DUNCAN to the Minister of Education: What steps has he taken to improve the academic standards of secondary school students entering tertiary education?

6. Hon DAVID CARTER to the Minister of Finance: Does he intend to remain within his self-imposed budget cap on new spending, following reported comments from the Prime Minister that she would tolerate him exceeding it for a second successive year?

7. DAVID CUNLIFFE to the Minister of Commerce: What action is the Government taking to reduce business compliance costs?

8. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Minister of Defence: Has he received the State Services Commission report into the activities of Major General Maurice Dodson, and when does he intend announcing what action, if any, he will be taking in response to it?

9. LUAMANUVAO WINNIE LABAN to the Minister of Pacific Island Affairs: What initiatives does the Government have to foster greater communication among Pacific communities throughout New Zealand?

10. Hon ROGER SOWRY to the Minister of Health: Has she given district health boards specific details of their funding levels for the next three budget years; if so, why have some district health boards stated that they are unable to comment because they have not been given enough detail on how much each region will receive?

11. RODNEY HIDE to the Minister of Labour: What consultation has she undertaken on the Government's policy on the Shop Trading Hours (Abolition of Restrictions) Bill, and what changes, if any, will she be proposing to the bill?

12. Hon TONY RYALL to the Minister of Police: What impact has last year's cancellation of recruit wings had on police numbers in Auckland?

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>>