QUESTIONS TO MINISTERS

1. DAVID SHEARER to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements?

2. HONE HARAWIRA to the Minister for Economic Development: Does he think the Government’s decision to grant 230 new pokie machines, 52 new gambling tables, and a 35-year licence extension is worth the increase in relationship breakdowns, depression, suicide, family violence, increased money laundering, job losses, increased problem gambling and financial problems, as identified by its own Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment-compiled regulatory impact statement; if not, why not?

3. MAGGIE BARRY to the Minister of Finance: How has the Government made the tax system fairer for New Zealand households and families?

4. METIRIA TUREI to the Minister for Economic Development: When he said that gambling-related harm from the SkyCity deal would be mitigated by “negotiated, significant additional harm minimisation measures” did he mean measures additional to those the casino is already obliged to use; if so, how?

5. SHANE ARDERN to the Minister of Health: What is this Government doing, as part of Better Public Services, to ensure that New Zealand children are better protected from preventable diseases such as whooping cough and hepatitis B?

6. Hon DAVID PARKER to the Minister of Finance: Given his statement yesterday that “Solid Energy was another example of where the incoming National Government had to clean up a mess left by the previous Government”, what was the level of debt held by Solid Energy on 30 June 2008 compared with the level of debt on 30 June 2012, and what is the total amount of dividends received by the Crown from Solid Energy since he became Minister of Finance?

7. CATHERINE DELAHUNTY to the Minister of Energy and Resources: Why did he grant a mining permit over Schedule 4 land in the Coromandel just six weeks after saying “I do not think there is any ambiguity in our policy. Let me say again that we have a very clear view against mining on Schedule 4 land”?

8. TIM MACINDOE to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment: What progress has the Government made on its Better Public Services target of increasing the proportion of 25-34 year olds with a Level 4 or above qualification?

9. JACINDA ARDERN to the Minister for Social Development: Does she believe that Child, Youth and Family have the resources they require to care for the needs of our most vulnerable children?

10. IAN McKELVIE to the Minister of Corrections: What progress has the Government made on its target of reducing re-offending by 25 percent by 2017?

11. DENIS O'ROURKE to the Minister of Transport: Does the Government believe that the future transport demands of New Zealand’s three main population centres will be less dependent on roading systems and instead utilise a greater proportion of alternatives to motorways?

12. Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE to the Minister of Revenue: How much to date has been spent on consulting costs for the IRD Business Transformation programme?

ENDS

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