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

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