Questions for Oral Answer
As At Tuesday, 12 October 2004

Questions to Ministers

1. SUE BRADFORD to the Minister of Finance: Does he have any plans to bring forward or increase his Working for Families package in light of the Public Health Advisory Committee's findings on child poverty; if not, why not?

2. RON MARK to the Prime Minister: What is her Government's policy on initiating, conducting and funding inquiries?

3. Dr DON BRASH to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by her reported statement that the Te Arawa offer sets a precedent for a new style of settlement; if not, why not?

4. CLAYTON COSGROVE to the Minister of Finance: What were the main items for discussion at the International Monetary Fund meeting he attended in Washington last week?

5. GERRY BROWNLEE to the Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations: Why did the Government make the offer to transfer title of Rotorua lakebeds to Te Arawa in 2001 when the matter of lakebed ownership was dealt with in 1922 and the chairman of Te Arawa Maori Trust Board reportedly said the iwi had not even begun negotiations about the lakes' ownership when the offer suddenly arrived on his desk?

6. MARTIN GALLAGHER to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade: What steps has New Zealand taken to extend the scope of working holiday schemes for New Zealanders travelling overseas and for young overseas visitors coming to New Zealand?

7. SIMON POWER to the Minister of Conservation: Does he agree with the view of his department that aspects of the settlement offer to Te Arawa do not "advance special circumstances that are sufficient to justify an exception to principles or confine the precedent risk"; if not, why not?

8. LUAMANUVAO WINNIE LABAN to the Minister for Small Business: What recent reports has he received on small business confidence in the Wellington region?

9. Hon Dr NICK SMITH to the Associate Minister for the Environment: How does he reconcile his statement in the House last Thursday "I have never denied the existence of a list of major infrastructure projects" with his 20 September response to an Official Information Act request "I am advised that no specific list of major projects suitable for non-local decision making process has been part of the RMA review process. My office therefore holds no such list."; an email from his office on 28 September "neither the Minister, nor the Ministry for the Environment holds a list of projects suitable for non-local decision making.", and the 24 June 2004 Ministry for the Environment paper entitled "Package of Improvements to the Resource Management Act" of which page 11 entitled "Possible candidates for non-local decision making with the RMA" lists 38 projects?

10. PETER BROWN to the Minister for Transport Safety: Is he satisfied that the East Coast Main Trunk line carrying tonnage to and from the Port of Tauranga is safe; if so, why?

11. RODNEY HIDE to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by her reported statements in the Hindustan Times that "There has been many a time during my tenure that there has been a danger of nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan but the resolution of the nuclear issue lies in the resolution of the Kashmir issue, I think Kashmir is the flashpoint," and that Kashmir is "a conflict driving point, and that has really put pressures on India and Pakistan to go nuclear,"; if not, what parts are not correct?

12. LARRY BALDOCK to the Minister of Conservation: Does he agree that large game animals such as tahr have been in New Zealand long enough to be considered indigenous and should therefore be treated as an indigenous resource by the Department of Conservation and not as an exotic pest for eradication; if not, why not?

Questions to Members

1. Dr MURIEL NEWMAN to the Chairperson of the Social Services Committee: Does she intend to call for further evidence or submissions on the Charities Bill?

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