Questions For Oral Answer Thursday, 29 July 1999

Question 1.

Hon. Roger F H Maxwell to the Minister of Finance:

Q: What is the Government's medium-term fiscal approach?

Question 2.

Hon. Dr Michael Cullen to the Treasurer:

Q: Does he remain committed to the long-term fiscal objectives outlined in the 1999 Budget; if not, why not?

Question 3.

Rodney Hide to the Minister of State Services:

Q: How does he reconcile the State Services Commission concluding that the Inland Revenue Department is "a very sound organisation with a good culture" with the statement by IRD's Manager Special Audit to new staff that "Criminals have networks in all Government departments including the IRD ..."?

Question 4.

Phillida Bunkle to the Minister of Health:

Q: When he attends the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Council meeting in Australia next Tuesday 3 August 1999 will he be voting for full labelling of all foods containing genetically engineered ingredients?

Question 5.

Ron Mark to the Minister of Veterans' Affairs:

Q: Does he support the conclusion of the Inquiry into the Health Status of Children of Vietnam and Operation Grapple Veterans, which reported on 8 June 1999, that they were unable to "convincingly demonstrate any causal connection between exposures to service personnel and health effects in their children."?

Question 6.

Steve Maharey to the Minister of Social Services, Work and Income:

Q: Will he ask the Audit Office to widen its investigation of the Chief Executive of Work and Income New Zealand regarding the spending of $165,000 of chartered planes to include management practices and financial accountabilities; if not, why not?

Question 7.

Gavan Herlihy to the Minister for Food, Fibre, Biosecurity and Border Control:

Q: Has the Government abandoned agriculture as New Zealand's economic backbone, as alleged by the National Business Review on 23 July 1999?

Question 8.

Judith Tizard to the Minister for Culture and Heritage:

Q: What additional resources has the Government allocated to the newly-announced Ministry for Culture and Heritage and what priority projects is such money to be used for?

Question 9.

Hon. Neil Kirton to the Minister of Health:

Q: Does he agree with the director of the Public Health Association that New Zealand's mortality statistic showing increased avoidable deaths between 1990 and 1995 is "appalling", "quite extraordinary" and "We are actually the basket case of health populations in terms of the OECD."?

Question 10.

Gilbert Myles to the Minister of Health:

Q: What reports has he received of the efforts made by Canterbury Health to comply with the recommendations of the Stent report?

Question 11.

Lianne Dalziel to the Minister of Social Services, Work and Income:

Q: What changes in the administration of Work and Income New Zealand have resulted from the attendance of senior managers at the World Masters in Business event?

Question 12.

Annabel Young to the Minister for Culture and Heritage:

Q: How has the Government recognised the value of the culture and heritage sector?

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>