QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER
Wednesday, 4 December 2002
Questions to Ministers
1. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Prime Minister: Does she have confidence in her Associate Minister of Justice responsible
for race relations issues, and her recommendation to Cabinet to appoint Mr Joris de Bres as the Race Relations
Commissioner; if so, why?
2. Dr ASHRAF CHOUDHARY to the Associate Minister of Education (Tertiary Education): What policies is the Government
introducing to support and reward researcher excellence and excellent research in the tertiary education sector?
3. RODNEY HIDE to the Minister for Industry and Regional Development: Is he confident that Industry New Zealand is
competent to evaluate business projects before providing taxpayer assistance, especially now that the Sovereign Yachts
development that he had called the "triumph for the Jobs Machine" is threatening to leave New Zealand?
4. DAVID PARKER to the Minister of Education: What initiatives have been put in place to assist secondary schools to
recruit teachers?
5. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Prime Minister: Is she concerned that the reported comments of the Race Relations
Commissioner, Joris de Bres, that likened New Zealand's colonial history to Taleban vandalism, could lead to serious
racial discord in New Zealand; if not, why not?
6. LARRY BALDOCK to the Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage: What progress, if any, has been made on
resolving the wahi tapu dispute in Welcome Bay, Tauranga?
7. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Prime Minister: Does she accept the criticism of her comments on the true extent of the
leaky homes crisis by building consultant Steve Alexander who said "It's a huge problem and I think the Prime Minister
was very, very unwise to make [her] statement. In terms of saying this is a beat-up and it's not nearly as big as has
been claimed, [she] is just simply wrong ... Just when we think we've seen the worst of it, we see something worse
again."; if not, why not?
8. LYNNE PILLAY to the Minister of Housing: What reports has he received on the impact of income related rents for
low-income State house tenants?
9. DEBORAH CODDINGTON to the Minister for Industry and Regional Development: Has he any concerns about the manner in
which Industry New Zealand is handling applications for grants; if not, why not?
10. SUE BRADFORD to the Minister for Industry and Regional Development: Did Industry New Zealand address the possible
impact of transport projects on the survival of rural communities when it was facilitating the development of Regional
Transport Plans for Northland and Tairawhiti; if so, how?
11. Hon TONY RYALL to the Minister of Police: Has he been formally advised of a police staffing crisis in Auckland; if
so, by whom?
12. RON MARK to the Minister of Police: Is he concerned that reported crippling staff shortages in Auckland's three
police districts are leading to faltering morale; if not, why not?