Questions for Oral Answer

As At wednesday, 11 August 2004 Questions to Ministers

1. RODNEY HIDE to the Minister of Maori Affairs: What message, if any, has he sent to officials in Te Puni Kokiri about their potential involvement in the Maori Party; if none, what involvement are they allowed?

2. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Minister of Immigration: What has been done since the briefing to the incoming Minister in 2002 to deal with stated concerns about the need to resolve the multitude of issues created by "sweat shop" operations?

3. SUE BRADFORD to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What are his plans for the future of the Community Employment Group?

4. CLAYTON COSGROVE to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on the state of the economy?

5. KATHERINE RICH to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Have Community Employment Group officials raised any concerns about the fraudulent use of funds by any groups receiving grants; if so, what was the nature of the fraud?

6. Hon MARK GOSCHE to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: How many jobs have been created since the election of the Labour-led Government?

7. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Associate Minister of Education (Tertiary Education): Can he confirm his statement with regard to community education funding at Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology that "I am looking forward to seeing more money paid back."; if so, does this mean the Polytechnic will be required to pay back money for up to 13,298 enrolments where they have been unable to demonstrate student engagement or further learning?

8. HELEN DUNCAN to the Minister of Education: What steps, if any, is the Government taking to improve the teaching of maths skills?

9. LARRY BALDOCK to the Minister of Local Government: Has he undertaken to review local government funding; if so, what progress has been made on the review to date?

10. GERRY BROWNLEE to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What information or instructions did the acting Minister receive from the Prime Minister regarding the extent and appropriateness of Community Employment Group staff involvement in the Maori Party, and did that information specifically name any official?

11. SUE KEDGLEY to the Minister for Food Safety: What steps, if any, has the Food Safety Authority taken following the 2003 study by Otago University microbiologists which found that up to fifty-two percent of chicken flocks were contaminated by antibiotic resistant bacteria?

12. MARTIN GALLAGHER to the Minister of Customs: Is he concerned at the increase of drug seizures at the borders? Bottom of Form 1

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>>