Questions for Oral Answer - As At Thursday, 24 August 2006

Questions to Ministers

1. JEANETTE FITZSIMONS to the Minister of Finance: Can he confirm that tourism is our major export earner; if so, does he wish to review his comment in the House yesterday that, "We do not export anything via the Overlander."?

2. Hon TONY RYALL to the Minister of Justice: Is the Ministry of Justice undertaking any work on resolving the issues foreshadowed in the Auditor-General's draft report on advertising from parliamentary funds; if so, what is that work?

3. JUDY TURNER to the Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment (CYF): Does the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services record the number of complaints received from those who feel unfairly treated by the actions, procedures or decisions of the department; if so, how many complaints have been received in the last five years?

4. JOHN KEY to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by his statement to the House yesterday that "I do not think even the New Zealand Herald journalists believe that I have the capacity to bully them."?

5. SHANE JONES to the Minister of Finance: What enhancements, if any, does he plan to introduce to the KiwiSaver scheme?

6. Dr the Hon LOCKWOOD SMITH to the Minister of Immigration: Is he satisfied Taito Phillip Field provided the Associate Minister of Immigration, Hon Damien O'Connor, with all relevant information prior to the Minister's decision to issue a special direction for a work visa for Mr Sunan Siriwan; if not, what additional information should Taito Phillip Field have provided in order for the Minister to make an appropriate decision?

7. TE URUROA FLAVELL to the Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations: What interactions, if any, has he or his department had with Nga Kaihautu o Te Arawa regarding the status of Ngati Rangiteorere, subsequent to the initialling of the Te Arawa deed of settlement at Parliament on 8 August 2006?

8. Dr the Hon LOCKWOOD SMITH to the Minister of Immigration: When he told the House on Wednesday 26 July that his department "attempted to ensure that Mr O'Connor was in receipt of relevant information from Samoa about Mr Field's relationship with Mr Siriwan", how effectively did his department achieve that?

9. MOANA MACKEY to the Minister of Education: What is the Government doing to further reduce pupil-teacher ratios?

10. Hon TONY RYALL to the Minister of Health: How many elective surgical discharges were there in 2005/06 and how does this compare with the previous year?

11. MARTIN GALLAGHER to the Minister of Corrections: What is the Government doing to promote drug and alcohol rehabilitation in prisons?

12. Hon Dr NICK SMITH to the Minister for the Environment: Will the Government reform the Resource Management Act 1991 given that this month's "mood of the boardroom" survey found the most negative Government policy on productivity and growth was the RMA legislation, with 88 percent saying it was negative, 12 percent saying it was neutral, and 0 percent saying it was positive?

Questions to Members

1. CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON to the Chairperson of the Justice and Electoral Committee: What further evidence, if any, has she requested before the committee can conclude its Inquiry into the 2005 General Election?

ENDS

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