Questions for Oral Answer
As At Thursday, 29 July 2004

Questions to Ministers

1. DAVID PARKER to the Minister of Local Government: Has he received any reports on proposals for future reforms of local government?

2. DEBORAH CODDINGTON to the Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage: Did she receive an assurance at a meeting in February or the two meetings since February from Creative New Zealand that the selection criteria for the artist to represent New Zealand at the Venice Biennale 2005 had been followed correctly; if not, why did she not seek that assurance?

3. RON MARK to the Minister of Police: Is he confident that the Police are sufficiently resourced?

4. Hon Dr NICK SMITH to the Minister for Economic Development: Has he been advised of reports from the New Zealand Forest Industries Council and the Forest Owners Association concerned about the lack of investment in wood processing in New Zealand due to problems with the Resource Management Act 1991, notably that Australia has 21 mills under development while New Zealand has none; if so, what advice has the Ministry of Economic Development provided on reforming the Resource Management Act 1991?

5. TIM BARNETT to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade: What steps has New Zealand taken in response to the humanitarian crisis in Darfur?

6. SUE KEDGLEY to the Minister for Food Safety: When, if ever, will the New Zealand Food Safety Authority release both the names of the 30 or so products affected by lead contamination, and the test results which satisfied the Government that products which were not recalled "pose no safety concerns"?

7. Hon ROGER SOWRY to the Minister of Energy: Is he confident Transpower New Zealand Limited will be able to carry out required future upgrades of the national grid, and ensure continued security of electricity supply; if so, why?

8. NANAIA MAHUTA to the Minister of Maori Affairs: Ka pewhea te Kaawanatanga i tautoko i te reo Maaori i roto i ngaa kainga? How has the Government promoted the use of Maaori language in homes?

9. BARBARA STEWART to the Associate Minister of Health: Does she have any concerns regarding the current health needs of the elderly; if so, what does she intend to do to address these concerns?

10. MURRAY SMITH to the Minister of Justice: Is he satisfied with clause 336 of the Lawyers and Conveyancers Bill that dispenses two thirds of the remaining assets of the Solicitors' Fidelity Guarantee Fund to the New Zealand Law Society once the fund is wound up; if so, why?

11. DONNA AWATERE HUATA to the Associate Minister of Education (Tertiary Education): Can he confirm that any polytechnic found to have breached the intent of classification 5.1 funding, either by way of payments to enrol students or by not ensuring that students are engaged in learning, will be required to return the money; if not, why not?

12. Dr PAUL HUTCHISON to the Minister of Corrections: Does he believe that public money used for prison consultation should be used prudently and accounted for scrupulously?

Questions to Members

1. Hon KEN SHIRLEY to the Chairperson of the Fisheries and Other Sea-related Legislation Committee: Did he initially claim that leave was not required for the Fisheries and Other Sea-related Legislation Committee to sit after 6 pm last evening; if so, why?

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>>