TUESDAY, 30 MAY 2000
QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER
QUESTIONS TO MINISTERS
1. CHRIS CARTER to the Prime Minister: How will New Zealand respond to the latest developments in Fiji?
2. Rt Hon JENNY SHIPLEY to the Prime Minister: Can she explain the apparent contradiction between her
reported view that employers who accused the Government of failing to listen to concerns about the Employment Relations
Bill were “political enemies” with the recent statement by the Minister of Finance about beginning to build bridges to
business?
3. SUE KEDGLEY to the Minister for Biosecurity: Can she give assurances that no seed imported into New
Zealand has been contaminated with genetically engineered seed following confirmation that contaminated seed has been
recently discovered in Sweden, France, Germany, Italy, Greece and Britain; if not, why not?
4. Hon MURRAY McCULLY to the Minister of Maori Affairs: Was he correctly reported in this morning’s
Dominion as urging disaffected Maori not to be influenced by the Fiji coup leader George Speight; if so, why did he make
that statement?
5. GEORGINA BEYER to the Minister for Trade Negotiations: What issues are to be discussed by APEC Trade
Ministers when they meet in Darwin in June?
6. Hon KEN SHIRLEY to the Minister of Health: Will she be introducing the Public Health and Disability
Services Bill this month as outlined in the memorandum to the Cabinet Social Policy and Health Committee; if not, can
she explain the reason for the delay?
7. GRANT GILLON to the Minister of Local Government: Is it the intention of the Government to propose
single transferable voting as an option for local authority elections?
8. Dr the Hon LOCKWOOD SMITH to the Minister of Labour: Does she support the recommendation to the select
committee on the Employment Relations Bill that it should take into consideration Treaty of Waitangi issues?
9. HELEN DUNCAN to the Minister of Education: Is the current Teacher Registration Board the appropriate
vehicle for promoting standards and professional development in the teaching profession; if not, why not?
10. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Minister of Finance: Will his proposed changes to the way the Overseas
Investment Commission deals with applications encourage inward investment?
11. CLAYTON COSGROVE to the Minister of Research, Science and Technology: What evidence has he received that
the Technology New Zealand programme is helping New Zealanders to create jobs?
12. Hon JOHN LUXTON to the Minister for Economic Development: Does he believe that international investment
is generally good or generally bad for economic developmenht?
13. Hon MAX BRADFORD to the Minister of Labour: What did she mean in Cabinet paper (00)10, when talking
about independent contractors, that “… I propose that the legislation allows for the broadening of the current catchment
of ‘employees’ by a targeted statutory provision so that the employment institutions can gradually shift the boundaries
between who is covered by employment law and who is not. This approach would allow particular groups to be targeted.”,
and if this is still Government policy how will she carry out her statement to Alliance, Green, and New Zealand First
members that “No one will be required to change their employment status unless they want to.”?
QUESTIONS TO MEMBERS
1. Hon RICHARD PREBBLE to the Chairperson of the Employment and Accident Insurance Legislation Committee:
Why is the select committee holding meetings in Auckland this week?
2. GERRY BROWNLEE to the Chairperson of the Employment and Accident Insurance Legislation Committee: Does
the committee intend seeking an extension to the report back date for the Employment Relations Bill, as indicated by the
Prime Minister?