Questions for Oral Answer
As At Tuesday, 2 March 2004

Questions to Ministers

1. Hon PETER DUNNE to the Prime Minister: Does Cabinet agree with the view expressed by Hon Steve Maharey that "It is perhaps time to set a date when all [Treaty] grievances must be settled so we can all move on"; if not, why not?

2. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Minister of Education: Was his spokeswoman correct when she said that he "kept cabinet colleagues apprised of the situation", with regard to school closures, or was the Prime Minister correct when she stated, "When colleagues start to see reports coming in from across the country they say what's happening? And then it appears there was a programme of network reviews and that was something that hadn't been anticipated"?

3. MOANA MACKEY to the Associate Minister for Industry and Regional Development: What benefits are there for New Zealand industry in the success of the Lord of the Rings trilogy of films?

4. RODNEY HIDE to the Minister for Economic Development: Has the New Zealand taxpayer contributed through Investment New Zealand to Brunswick Corporation's Chief Executive Officer Dr George Buckley's fly fishing trip to Tongariro on October 12 and 13, 2002; if so, what is the breakdown of the cost?

5. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Minister of Local Government: Is he happy with the Government's policy for local body management of assets on behalf of ratepayers?

6. Hon ROGER SOWRY to the Minister of Labour: Will he be reviewing the Employment Relations Law Reform Bill; if not, why not?

7. CLAYTON COSGROVE to the Minister of Finance: What measures will he introduce in an upcoming taxation bill to assist small business?

8. GERRY BROWNLEE to the Minister for Land Information: Does he consider that he enjoys the full confidence of the Prime Minister and his Cabinet colleagues; if not, why not?

9. KEITH LOCKE to the Prime Minister: Can the Prime Minister assure the people of New Zealand and the United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, that New Zealand was not involved, nor had any knowledge of, spying on United Nations officials following the Australian Broadcasting Commission report last Friday that New Zealand received transcripts of United Nations Chief Weapons Inspector, Hans Blix's intercepted phone calls?

10. JUDITH COLLINS to the Attorney-General: What steps did she take to satisfy herself as to the appropriateness of appointing Anthony Christiansen a Master of the High Court, in light of his earlier resignation from the position of District Court Judge?

11. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Minister of Immigration: Does he consider it as part of his immigration portfolio responsibilities that he must make every endeavour to ensure the health of the New Zealand population is not endangered through refugees and asylum seekers wishing to enter New Zealand carrying seriously infectious diseases?

12. GEORGINA BEYER to the Minister of Housing: What changes have been made to bring first home ownership within reach of more New Zealanders through the Government's Mortgage Insurance Guarantee scheme?

Questions to Members

1. Hon ROGER SOWRY to the Chairperson of the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee: How many submissions have been received by the committee on the Employment Relations Law Reform Bill?

2. Dr the Hon LOCKWOOD SMITH to the Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee: How long has the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee been receiving briefings on New Zealand's relationship with the United States of America?

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>>