Questions for Oral Answer - As At Thursday, 16 March 2006
Questions to Ministers
1. PETER BROWN to the Minister of Immigration: What are the general requirements for those seeking political asylum and
refugee status in New Zealand?
2. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Minister for Tertiary Education: Has he, as Minister for Tertiary Education, at any time
raised concerns with any agency about the validity of audit reports produced about Te Wananga o Aotearoa; if not, why
not?
3. DIANNE YATES to the Minister of Education: What reports, if any, has he received about improving quality in early
childhood education?
4. Dr WAYNE MAPP to the Minister of Labour: Will the Government reconsider its rejection of the Small Business Advisory
Group recommendation to introduce probation periods for new employees, now that the Employment Relations (Probationary
Employment) Amendment Bill has been referred to the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee; if not, why not?
5. SUE BRADFORD to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: When he announced "More Good News For 1 April",
in a media release on benefit changes, why did he omit to mention the abolition of the special benefit from that date?
6. Hon Dr NICK SMITH to the Minister of Conservation: What did he say in his conversation with Bob Harvey in respect of
the Whangamata Marina that resulted in the 3 March John Wilson emails stating "We have received confirmation from Bob
Harvey who contacted Shanksy to say the minister has got the balls to go ahead and stop the Marina going ahead at
Whanga." and "Chris Carter is going to pull the plug on the Marina but is asking for us to back him up."?
7. DARREN HUGHES to the Minister of Youth Affairs: What is the Government doing to increase opportunities for young
people?
8. Hon TONY RYALL to the Minister of Health: What overseas recruitment activity has and is being undertaken by
individual district health boards?
9. TIM BARNETT to the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector: What is the Government doing to support
volunteers?
10. PHIL HEATLEY to the Minister of Housing: Can he confirm his answer to written question 00910 (2006) that records a
New Lynn State household total net assessable income of $2,184.65 a week and a Hamilton State household total net
assessable income of $1,681.35 a week as at 31 January 2006, and what were the respective gross household incomes for
the New Lynn and Hamilton tenancies at that time?
11. HONE HARAWIRA to the Minister of Finance: Ka pehea te Wahanga Kaitohutohu Kaupapa Rawa e whai e mohio ranei i nga
whakapaunga putea Maori i roto i te Kawana, he aha hoki te rahi o te whakapaunga whai hua a te Maori?
Translation: How does the Treasury track expenditure for Maori across Government, and to what extent does this
expenditure contribute to Maori economic development?
12. Dr PAUL HUTCHISON to the Minister for Disability Issues: How long has she been aware of the complaints surrounding
care provided by Focus 2000?
ENDS