QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

Thursday, 12 December 2002

Questions to Ministers

1. JILL PETTIS to the Minister of Research, Science and Technology: What progress has the Government made recently in encouraging private sector investment in research?

2. Dr MURIEL NEWMAN to the Minister of Labour: Does she believe that the Government should lead by example in the treatment of women in the workplace; if so, what actions have been taken in this regard?

3. JEANETTE FITZSIMONS to the Minister for the Environment: In light of the statement in the New Zealand Waste Strategy that "New Zealand is a signatory to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, [and] the Waigani Convention, ... . We must ensure existing legislation complies with these agreements,", when will New Zealand ratify the Ban Amendment (Decision III/1) to the Basel Convention?

4. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Minister of Police: How does he reconcile his statement on 6 June 2000 that "The Government has already taken steps to ensure that burglary is treated as a serious crime. The contract with police now requires all burglaries to be responded to within 24 hours", with the fact that police failed to respond to repeated complaints of burglary involving William Duane Bell, who only days after these complaints went on to commit three brutal murders at the Mt Wellington-Panmure RSA?

5. GORDON COPELAND to the Minister of Transport: Will the Government consider delaying its national interest decision on the proposed Air New Zealand-Qantas "alliance" until after the Commerce Commission has reached a decision, as suggested by groups like "Debate Air New Zealand"?

6. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Minister of Transport: Will he agree to the call from the "Debate Air New Zealand" group to defer any Government decision on the national interest until after the Commerce Commission has investigated the Qantas-Air New Zealand proposal; if not, why not?

7. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Associate Minister of Transport: Does he have any concerns that the latest incident with a jet engine on an Air New Zealand aircraft involves passenger safety issues?

8. Hon MURRAY McCULLY to the Associate Minister of Justice: When she said, in relation to the involvement of the then Race Relations Conciliator, Mr Gregory Fortuin, in mediating between different factions of the Alliance that the "involvement of the Race Relations Conciliator was inappropriate, regardless of who initiated it.", was she referring to the Prime Minister or the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff; if not, who was she referring to?

9. BRENT CATCHPOLE to the Minister for Biosecurity: What specific steps have been taken to improve border controls to safeguard the fragile agricultural and forestry exports from further outbreaks of unwanted pests from overseas, such as the painted apple moth, spiders and snakes?

10. RUSSELL FAIRBROTHER to the Minister of Internal Affairs: What further announcements has the Government made in relation to the building industry?

11. Dr DON BRASH to the Minister of Labour: Does she stand by her statement in the House on 5 December regarding bonuses paid to public servants who are members of unions that "those payments are made, as I understand, because of the benefits that attach to collective agreements, not to membership of a union."?

12. NANAIA MAHUTA to the Minister of Youth Affairs: What action, if any, is he taking to encourage young people to drive responsibly, especially over the Christmas period?

Questions to Members

1. RODNEY HIDE to the Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee: When does the Finance and Expenditure Committee next meet, and what business will it be considering?

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