QUESTIONS TO MINISTERS

1. LOUISE UPSTON to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on the economy?

2. GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment: Does he stand by his statement that those providers who have received funding for foundation level courses in the recent contestable process were chosen because of their ability to “deliver to those most at need of foundation education programmes”?

3. COLIN KING to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment: What progress is the Government making with strengthening the performance of our tertiary education system?

4. Hon DAVID PARKER to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by his statement that “I just don’t think the world will let us run 7 and 8 percent current account deficits. It just won’t. I think you’d get the kind of sharp adjustment that the textbooks tell you would happen in the exchange rate or interest rates”; if so, has he seen NZIER’s forecast for New Zealand’s current account deficit as a percentage of GDP for 2014 and 2017?

5. Dr RUSSEL NORMAN to the Minister of Finance: Does he agree with the Prime Minister that the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement is worth about US$2.9 billion to the New Zealand economy; if so, has he or the Treasury seen this forecasting?

6. MAGGIE BARRY to the Minister of Health: What announcements has the Government recently made on new facilities in the public health service?

7. DARIEN FENTON to the Minister of Labour: What steps is he taking to implement the recommendations of the Pike River Mine Royal Commission Inquiry?

8. Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA to the Minister of Energy and Resources: What recent update has he received on Transpower’s North Island Grid Upgrade?

9. Hon PHIL GOFF to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Has he read the Owner’s Expectations Manual prepared by the Crown Ownership Monitoring Unit, and does he require directors he recommends for appointment to government companies to also read that manual?

10. RICHARD PROSSER to the Minister for Primary Industries: What is the latest estimate by the Ministry of Primary Industries of the total cost to the kiwifruit industry of the PSA outbreak?

11. Dr CAM CALDER to the Minister of Commerce: What regulations came into force this month that target unsolicited or “low ball” share offers?

12. JAN LOGIE to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Has the Government diverted money from its aid budget in order to pay for its $30 million pledge over three years to help developing countries address climate change?

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On The 2013 Budget

Among Thursday’s main talking points:

We are apparently on track for a margin-of-error $75 million surplus, now in sight for 2014/15. But this sickly creature is hobbling out of the lab on the basis of all kinds of facilitative conjuring: such as trimming by $200 million the amount of new spending next time around.

With this strictly nominal surplus in sight, the 1984-ish justification for eternal austerity will have a news talisman: namely, getting Crown debt down to 20% of GDP by 2020. More>>

Budget Report, Lockup Audio & Images: Budget Day 2013 As always and especially after the managerial mishaps of the past few weeks and months, (e.g. Aaron Gilmore, the Mighty River Power share float, the GCSB mishaps) Budget Day 2013 was always going to be a pageant of reassurance... More>>

Budget 2013 Comment: Plain Sailing, But It's No America's Cup Pattrick Smellie: Compared to the last four budgets, this year's reflects an economy moving out of recession and into calmer waters... Yet if the fastest annual growth rate we can expect over the next two years is 3 percent - with the Christchurch rebuild in full swing - then you'd have to say New Zealand's underlying low-growth problem is far from fixed. More>>

Auckland Discord: Govt’s Power Hungry Housing Approach A Threat - Labour

Last week the Government said this, ‘The Government commits not to use any proposed or existing powers ... to override the council's planning and consenting processes’. But its housing Bill says this; ‘If an accord cannot be reached in an area of severe housing unaffordability, the Government can intervene by establishing special housing areas and issuing consents for developers’. More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - Housing accords legislation passes first reading - Legislation For Housing Accords, Land Supply - Housing package improves affordability, access
• Greens - Budget numbers show National’s failure on home affordability
• Auckland Chamber of Commerce - Budget 2013: Housing intervention needed
• Out-Link - Gareth Morgan: Response to housing problem limp-wristed
• Earlier, Pre-Budget - Auckland Accord announced

Extending Protest Ban, Relaxing Permit Rules: Govt Abuses Urgency To Extend Anadarko Amendment

The Government is trying to pass legislation under urgency which would make the Anadarko Amendment – which limits protest at sea – apply to an additional 1.7 million square kilometres, the Green Party said today. More>>

ALSO:

• Parliament Today - Parliament Resumes To Pass Budget Bills
• Labour - Government to extend protest ban
• Greenpeace NZ - Oil Companies Lacking ‘Expertise’ and ‘Financial Ability’ Set to Be Handed Drilling Permits
• 2010 image via: Pacific.Scoop - Media watcher gives NZ press nil score card for China oil spill coverage