Questions For Oral Answer - Tuesday, 28 March 2006
Questions to Ministers
1. Dr DON BRASH to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by her statement in relation to the agreement between Harmeet
Sooden’s family and Television New Zealand, “There’s been a lot of public interest and then to see the one media outlet
try to scoop everybody else I don’t think is very appropriate.”; if so, does she approve of the decision of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs and Trade to attempt to facilitate such an agreement?
2. MOANA MACKEY to the Minister for Tertiary Education: How many borrowers will save under the interest-free student
loan policy coming into effect on 1 April 2006?
3. Hon DAVID CARTER to the Minister of Agriculture: What action, if any, is he taking to further the cause to exempt
farm dogs from microchipping?
4. MARYAN STREET to the Minister of Education: What reports, if any, has he received about improvements in literacy
rates in schools?
5. JOHN KEY to the Minister of Finance: By how much did the New Zealand economy grow in the second half of 2005?
6. DIANNE YATES to the Minister of Trade: What reports, if any, has he received on New Zealand’s presence at the CeBIT
information technology exhibition in Germany?
7. SIMON POWER to the Minister of Corrections: Does he have confidence in his department; if so, why?
8. BARBARA STEWART to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: How many superannuitants and veterans will
benefit from changes to the rate of New Zealand superannuation and the veterans’ pensions from 1 April?
9. Hon TONY RYALL to the Minister of Health: Is he concerned about the Government’s ability to meet New Zealanders’ need
for elective surgery; if not, why not?
10. Dr PITA SHARPLES to the Prime Minister: He whakamanawatanga tô te Pirimia ki ôna Minita katoa; ki te kore, he aha
ai?
Translation: Does she have confidence in all her Ministers; if not, why not?
11. Hon Dr NICK SMITH to the Minister Responsible for Climate Change Issues: Does he stand by his statement in 2002 that
“New Zealand should have made significant greenhouse gas reductions on business as usual and be set towards a permanent
downward path for total gross emissions by 2012”; if not, why not?
12. METIRIA TUREI to the Minister Responsible for Climate Change Issues: What quantity of greenhouse gases will be
emitted into the atmosphere as a result of Solid Energy’s mines at Stockton and Happy Valley in Westland, and what are
the implications of this for New Zealand’s commitments under the Kyoto Protocol?
ENDS