Questions to Ministers

1. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Minister of Immigration: What is the total taxpayer cost to date for all legal costs, prison costs, court costs, and any other costs associated with Ahmed Zaoui since his arrival in December 2002, and has he consulted with all his Ministerial colleagues to ensure the figure given does not exclude any associated taxpayer costs?

2. MARC ALEXANDER to the Minister of Justice: Is he satisfied that section 97(3) of the Sentencing Act 2002 is sufficient to ensure that leave to apply for home detention is only granted to offenders who do not pose a risk to the community?

3. GERRY BROWNLEE to the Prime Minister: Will the Government be introducing legislation before the Easter adjournment which will affirm Crown ownership of the seabed and foreshore?

4. TIM BARNETT to the Minister of Defence: What reports has he received on the progress of the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Bamian, Afghanistan?

5. Hon ROGER SOWRY to the Minister of Labour: What reports has he received regarding the disestablishment of the Labour Market Policy Group?

6. SUE KEDGLEY to the Minister of Broadcasting: Does he think it is acceptable for a public broadcaster - TV2 - to screen 8.3 violent incidents in each hour of its
programming; if so, why?

7. Dr ASHRAF CHOUDHARY to the Minister for the Environment: What recent developments have there been to better protect public health and the environment from the risks posed by hazardous substances?

8. JUDITH COLLINS to the Associate Minister of Maori Affairs (Social Development): Does she stand by her statement that "the more control that parents have over their lives and destiny, the better they can care for their children."; if so, why?

9. HELEN DUNCAN to the Minister of Customs: What practical steps has the Customs Service taken to enhance security across the Asia Pacific Region?
10. SUE BRADFORD to the Minister of Health: What are the Government's plans for the future of Kaitaia Hospital?

11. Hon RICHARD PREBBLE to the Prime Minister: How does she justify her reported acceptance of a Minister abstaining from voting for a Government bill in light of paragraph 3.24 of the Cabinet Manual that states, " 'Agree to disagree' processes may only be used in relation to different party positions. Any public dissociation from Cabinet decisions by individual Ministers outside the agreed processes is unacceptable."?

12. DAVID PARKER to the Associate Minister of Health: What is the Government doing to support the health of rural New Zealanders?

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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>>