QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

Tuesday, 17 December 2002

Questions to Ministers

1. RODNEY HIDE to the Minister for State Owned Enterprises: Did New Zealand Post Limited chief executive Elmar Toime seek a reference from former ECNZ chief executive Dr Roderick Deane before employing Mr Drew Stein; if so, did Dr Roderick Deane comment on Mr Stein's ability to control expenditure?

2. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Minister of Immigration: Did she say with respect to Ahmed Zaoui "The fact that he was picked up ... represents the security system working well," and why?

3. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Prime Minister: Was her chief of staff, Heather Simpson, informed by the then Race Relations Conciliator, Mr Gregory Fortuin, that he was going to mediate between the different factions of the Alliance; if so, when?

4. DAVID CUNLIFFE to the Minister of Revenue: How has the Government moved to make it easier for salary and wage earners to claim their tax refunds?

5. KEITH LOCKE to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Has the Government assessed whether any New Zealand association with, or involvement in, a possible US-led attack on Iraq would be consistent with our obligations under the New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone Disarmament and Arms Control Act 1987, especially in light of recent Bush administration announcements on the possible use of nuclear weapons; if not, why not?

6. DAVID BENSON-POPE to the Minister of Education: What changes is the Government making to property provision for intermediate schools?

7. Hon MURRAY McCULLY to the Minister for State Owned Enterprises: Does he accept the findings of the Auditor-General's report in relation to the New Zealand Post Limited subsidiary Transend, or does he dismiss this as a continuation of the "innuendo unsigned and unattributed statements half truths and personally motivated witchhunts." which he complained of in March of this year?

8. GRAHAM KELLY to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade: What support is New Zealand giving to the recovery and reconstruction of Afghanistan?

9. SUE KEDGLEY to the Minister for Food Safety: Did New Zealand support Australia New Zealand Food Standards Authority application A443 which would permit the irradiation of specified tropical fruits and facilitate access to New Zealand markets for Australian tropical fruit growers; if so, why?

10. Hon ROGER SOWRY to the Minister of Internal Affairs: What advice has the Fire Service Commission received regarding the Health and Safety in Employment Amendment Bill, particularly relating to volunteer fire fighters?

11. Dr ASHRAF CHOUDHARY to the Minister for Ethnic Affairs: What initiatives has the Government undertaken to engage with New Zealand's ethnic communities?

12. MARC ALEXANDER to the Minister of Corrections: Is he satisfied that parole board decision-making processes and their outcomes are sufficiently robust and accountable?

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