Wednesday, 21 May 2003
QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER
QUESTIONS TO MINISTERS
1. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Prime Minister: Has the Minister of Finance kept her informed of taxation matters, and
does he have her confidence?
2. GEORGINA BEYER to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What is the Government doing to assist more New
Zealanders into paid employment?
3. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Prime Minister: Does she have the full support of her executive for her comments that “The
1937 nationalisation of oil and gas reserves took place in the public interest,”; if not, why not?
4. GORDON COPELAND to the Minister of Energy: Has the Government received any reports from Trans Power New Zealand
Limited regarding a need to upgrade the electricity transmission lines that comprise the national grid?
5. RODNEY HIDE to the Minister of Maori Affairs: Since receiving from me the emails between Te Mangai Paho’s Mr Tame Te
Rangi and Maori Sportscasting International, what action has he taken, and does he now accept that Mr Te Rangi accepted
“payment for services”?
6. IAN EWEN-STREET to the Minister for Rural Affairs: What steps is he taking to ensure that Government policy takes
into account the views of rural communities?
7. JANET MACKEY to the Minister for Rural Affairs: What reports has he received on the Government’s decision to extend
the Sustainable Farming Fund for another three years?
8. STEPHEN FRANKS to the Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations: Under what circumstances does she
consider that the national interest should override rights under the Treaty of Waitangi, and does she agree with the
Prime Minister’s reported rejection of a Treaty claim in respect of oil and gas on the grounds that “The Crown considers
it [nationalisation] still to be in the public interest”?
9. Dr ASHRAF CHOUDHARY to the Minister for the Environment: What progress has been made towards implementing the New
Zealand Waste Strategy?
10. GERRY BROWNLEE to the Minister of Energy: Does yesterday’s announcement that electricity consumers may soon pay a
levy to fund reserve generation, which would be made available at a higher price to flatten out price spikes in dry
years, mean consumers will pay twice for that reserve electricity; if not, why not?
11. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Minister of Police: Does he agree with the comments of the Prime Minister made in
respect to an oral question last week “I can say that for Asian New Zealanders the rate of crime is actually rather
low.”?
12. Hon ROGER SOWRY to the Minister of Maori Affairs: Does he have any concerns regarding the Government’s relationship
with Maori, given that Whanganui River Trust Board chairman Archie Taiaroa said yesterday that Maori were losing
confidence in their MPs and “Maori are saying, ‘Where are the politicians?’ I know our people are wanting them to come
out and start talking.”; if not, why not?