QUESTIONS TO MINISTERS

1. Hon CLAYTON COSGROVE to the Minister for State Owned Enterprises: Does he take any responsibility as a shareholding Minister for Solid Energy’s precarious financial position?

2. MAGGIE BARRY to the Minister of Finance: What progress is the Government making in its programme to offer New Zealanders minority shareholdings in energy companies?

3. ANDREW WILLIAMS to the Minister of Energy and Resources: Does he agree with Grey Power New Zealand that “Privatisation means not only higher prices, but suppression of energy efficiency and household energy options that reduce electricity sales and profits”; if not, why not?

4. Dr RUSSEL NORMAN to the Minister of Finance: Does the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update 2012 state that the Government’s operating balance before gains and losses will be worse off by $441 million over the next five years if the Government proceeds with the partial sale of state owned assets; if so, why does his asset sale programme increase the Government’s budget deficit?

5. JACINDA ARDERN to the Minister for Social Development: Does she stand by all her statements on Tuesday, 26 February 2013 in relation to her welfare reform programme?

6. MELISSA LEE to the Minister for Social Development: What announcements has she made on the Social Media Innovations Fund, part of the Prime Minister’s Youth Mental Health package?

7. JULIE ANNE GENTER to the Minister of Transport: Why did he agree to building Transmission Gully as a Public Private Partnership, which would treble the cost to over $3.4 billion, as confirmed by NZTA CEO Geoff Dangerfield?

8. IAN McKELVIE to the Minister for the Environment: What announcements has the Government made today aimed at improving our resource management system?

9. Hon ANNETTE KING to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by his requirement for District Health Boards to operate within their agreed financial plans; if not, why not?

10. COLIN KING to the Minister of Conservation: Has he received the final report from the Board of Inquiry on King Salmon’s application for additional space in the Marlborough Sounds?

11. KEVIN HAGUE to the Minister of Health: Is he satisfied with District Health Boards’ performance against his targets for the health sector?

12. Hon PHIL GOFF to the Minister of Defence: Does he take responsibility for Defence Force morale reaching the lowest level since surveys began, attrition rates soaring to over 21 percent and reduced Defence Force capability; if not, why not?

ENDS

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Arguably Reassuring: Inspector-General Finds GCSB "Arguably" Legal

Of the 88 individuals:

• 15 cases involving 22 individuals did not have any information intercepted by GCSB.

• another four cases involving five individuals were the subjects of a New Zealand Security Intelligence Service warrant and the GCSB assisted in the execution of the warrants. The Inspector-General is of the view that there were arguably no breaches and the law is unclear.

• the Bureau only provided technical assistance which did not involve interception of communications, involving three of the individuals, so no breach occurred.

• the remaining cases involved the collection of metadata, and the Inspector-General formed the view that there had arguably been no breach, noting once again that the law is unclear.
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