Questions for Oral Answer
As At Thursday, 6 May 2004

Questions to Ministers

1. GERRY BROWNLEE to the Minister of Maori Affairs: Does he agree with the Prime Minister's statement that she has "always been there for Maori."; if so, why?

2. MARTIN GALLAGHER to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Has he received any recent reports into possible changes to New Zealand's nuclear free status?

3. Hon RICHARD PREBBLE to the Prime Minister: Given the Sunday Star-Times poll published last weekend that showed three out of five New Zealanders think race relations are worsening; does she accept any responsibility for the deterioration?

4. GORDON COPELAND to the Minister of Local Government: Is the Government considering any steps to reduce the rates burden in light of the defeat of the Local Government (Rating Cap) Amendment Bill?

5. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Associate Minister of Education (Tertiary Education): Has he asked Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology how it enrolled 96,610 people in classification 5.1 community education courses in 2003; if not, why not?

6. STEVE CHADWICK to the Minister for Food Safety: What recent reports has she received regarding the safety of New Zealand food?

7. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Prime Minister: Does she have any concerns regarding the reported allegations by suspected fraudsters that New Zealand is a soft touch?

8. METIRIA TUREI to the Minister of Maori Affairs: What representations, if any, will he be making to the Government to address the opposition to the foreshore and seabed legislation expressed by yesterday's hikoi?

9. Dr LYNDA SCOTT to the Minister of Health: What action is she taking to ensure our hospital accident and emergency departments are safe when the Ministry of Health's district health board scorecard quarterly report shows that 17 out of 21 district health boards' emergency response times are not up to scratch?

10. DIANNE YATES to the Minister of State Services: What progress is the Government making towards implementing the State Sector Retirement Savings Scheme?

11. DONNA AWATERE HUATA to the Prime Minister: Is it her Government's intention to repeat the land confiscations of the 19th and 20th centuries; if so, is that why she did not meet the hikoi yesterday?

12. BARBARA STEWART to the Minister of Health: Is she concerned that over one half of New Zealand five-year-old children living in poorer communities have dental decay; if so, what does she intend to do about this?

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>>