Questions for Oral Answer
As At Tuesday, 30 November 2004

Questions to Ministers

1. KEITH LOCKE to the Minister of Immigration: Is he confident that the Government's treatment of Ahmed Zaoui is in accord with New Zealand's international human rights obligations; if so, why?

2. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Associate Minister of Education (Tertiary Education): Does he stand by his statement that, "I have such a strong ethical framework that I am deeply concerned about anybody who has a conflict of interest."; if so, is he satisfied with the way Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology has managed conflicts of interest?

3. CLAYTON COSGROVE to the Minister of Finance: Has he received any reports on attitudes toward the New Zealand Superannuation Fund?

4. RICHARD WORTH to the Attorney-General: Does she agree with the reported view of Hon Trevor Mallard that it is "a pity" that the Supreme Court was not appointed on merit; if not, on what basis were the appointments to the Supreme Court made?

5. JILL PETTIS to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: How many industry partnerships have been established to address skill and labour shortages and assist people to move off a benefit and into employment?

6. DAIL JONES to the Minister in charge of the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service: Has she received any reports from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, Justice Paul Neazor, in relation to national security risks as a result of the recent Supreme Court declaration that it had the power to consider bail for Ahmed Zaoui?

7. GORDON COPELAND to the Associate Minister of Justice: Does he stand by his statement in last Thursday's press release that the Civil Union Bill offers "greater protection to couples in committed relationships"; if so, how does the bill achieve this?

8. PHIL HEATLEY to the Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations: Do the following Treaty Settlements still stand: with Ngai Tahu in 1998 and Ngati Tama in 2003 giving them a preferential tender right of up to 10 per cent of aquaculture space, with Ngati Awa in 2002 giving them a preferential tender right of up to 5 per cent, and with Ngati Ruanui in 2003 and Ngaa Rauru Kiitahi in 2003 also giving them preferential tendering rights to aquaculture space?

9. Hon MARK GOSCHE to the Minister of Transport: What reports has he received about the success of this Government's decision to buy back the rail network and encouraging road freight onto it?

10. PETER BROWN to the Minister for Transport Safety: Does he have any concerns that Heli Logging Ltd is being prohibited by the Civil Aviation Authority from using its ex-military Westland Wessex helicopters for the commercial purposes for which they were purchased; if so, what is he going to do about this?

11. JUDITH COLLINS to the Minister for Senior Citizens: When did she first become aware of the concerns of residents of the CulverdenCare Retirement Village?

12. HEATHER ROY to the Minister of Health: How does she explain, as found by Treasury, that in the last financial year a 7 per cent increase in hospital spending has produced only a 1.5 per cent gain in hospital service outputs, especially given that Treasury officers sounded the alarm on declining hospital productivity over a year ago?

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>>