QUESTIONS TO MINISTERS

1. Dr RUSSEL NORMAN to the Prime Minister: What policy directives has he given his two Ministers attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Doha?

2. KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI to the Minister of Finance: What progress is the Government making in managing its finances so it can return to surplus and start repaying debt?

3. GRANT ROBERTSON to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his promise to New Zealanders that “I expect high standards from my Ministers…if they don’t meet the standards I set then obviously I will take action if necessary”; if so, how have his actions in respect of Hon John Banks this year upheld that promise?

4. COLIN KING to the Minister of Science and Innovation: What investment is the Government making in new science projects?

5. JACINDA ARDERN to the Minister for Social Development: When was she first aware that the Transition to Work Grant had been used to pay for flights to Australia for job seekers who had an offer of employment?

6. Le'aufa'amulia ASENATI LOLE-TAYLOR to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his reported statement that the Prostitution Law Reform Act 2003 “hasn’t actually worked”?

7. Dr PAUL HUTCHISON to the Minister for Social Development: What progress has been made to ensure children in care have access to the health and education services they need?

8. JULIE ANNE GENTER to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by his statement that “there is no suggestion of the Government borrowing billions of dollars for motorways”?

9. Hon TARIANA TURIA to the Minister of Energy and Resources: Does he agree with Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ruanui that iwi are more likely to be on the ground in respect of oil and mineral operations, and therefore inclusion of iwi in the assessment of health, safety and environmental requirements is essential; if so, how does he intend to demonstrate this?

10. Hon PHIL GOFF to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Is he aware of the requirement in the Cabinet Manual “to behave in a way that upholds and is seen to uphold the highest ethical standards” and have the appointments he has made as Minister met that requirement?

11. Dr JIAN YANG to the Minister for Food Safety: What progress has been made to reduce the incidence of food poisoning in New Zealand?

12. Hon LIANNE DALZIEL to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements?

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On Failures Of Care For Those With Mental Disabilities

Hard to imagine a more disturbing insight into the treatment of the vulnerable than the Health Ministry report on Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau. The Ministry has found that the country’s only kaupapa Maori intellectual disability residential care provider has been “seriously dysfunctional.”

The ministry says the business has failed to recruit and retain quality staff – and says the kaimahi (caregivers) that have been employed are seriously unsuitable for the job, lacking basic knowledge. But Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau doesn’t get all the blame. The report says there’s a significant gap under disability laws to ensure there’s oversight by qualified clinical professionals. More>>