Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Question Time

Question time for 25 February 2010 (duration: 59′24″)

1. PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA to the Minister of Finance: Why is the Government intent on rebalancing the economy, and what benefits will that bring?

2. Hon ANNETTE KING to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What reports, if any, has she received on programmes she has put in place since she became Minister?

3. SUE KEDGLEY to the Minister of Broadcasting: Has he told Radio New Zealand that its funding will be frozen for a number of years; if so, how many?

4. Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by all his recent statements?

5. Dr CAM CALDER to the Minister of Corrections: What steps are being taken to reduce the risk of assaults on prison staff?

6. Hon RUTH DYSON to the Minister of Health: Can he guarantee New Zealanders will not have reduced access to health services this year?

7. TODD McCLAY to the Minister of Defence: What progress has been made with Project Protector?

8. Hon TREVOR MALLARD to the Minister of Education: Does she understand the asTTle reporting system and the process leading to it?

9. KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI to the Minister of Internal Affairs: What reports has he received on the rollout of new passports?

10. MOANA MACKEY to the Minister of Housing: What is he doing to address the housing issues raised in the Salvation Army’s recent “State of the Nation” report?

11. MELISSA LEE to the Minister for Economic Development: What support will the Government provide for the 2011 International Paralympic Committee Athletics World Championships?

12. CHARLES CHAUVEL to the Minister of Energy and Resources: What actions, if any, is he taking to reduce power prices?

Questions for oral answer for 23 February 2010 - part 2 (duration: 40′49″)

Questions to Ministers

1. Hon PHIL GOFF to the Prime Minister: Does he still expect that the vast bulk of New Zealanders won’t be worse off under his proposed increase to GST and if so, which New Zealanders does he expect will be worse off?

2. CRAIG FOSS to the Minister of Finance: Why is it so important that the Government rebalance the economy towards savings and exports?

3. Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by his statement “substantial gains could be made by aligning the top personal tax rate and the trustee tax rate”?

4. Dr RUSSEL NORMAN to the Prime Minister: What was he referring to when he said his Government would “take action this year to remove particular regulatory roadblocks to … irrigation in Canterbury”?

5. Hon RUTH DYSON to the Minister of Health: What frontline health services are being cut?

6. SANDRA GOUDIE to the Minister of Police: What reports has she received about serious attacks on New Zealand Police officers over the last few days?

7. Hon TREVOR MALLARD to the Minister of Education: Does she understand and stand by all statements she has made on national standards?

8. ALLAN PEACHEY to the Minister of Education: What steps will the Government take to reduce red tape for crèches in gyms and shopping malls?

9. Hon LIANNE DALZIEL to the Minister of Commerce: What remedies, if any, are available to investors when company directors do not check an investment statement before it is released to the public despite claims that he or she is involved in managing the investment on a day-to-day basis?

10. JO GOODHEW to the Minister for the Environment: What response has he received regarding the independent review of the performance of Environment Canterbury?

11. CHARLES CHAUVEL to the Minister of Energy and Resources: Does he stand by his statement that “I have made it clear that the Government has no intention of mining high-value conservation land”?

12. JACQUI DEAN to the Minister for Building and Construction: What is the Government doing to assist New Zealanders to build quality homes and buildings?

Questions for oral answer for 23 February 2010 - part 1 (duration: 33′51″)

Questions to Ministers

1. Hon PHIL GOFF to the Prime Minister: Does he still expect that the vast bulk of New Zealanders won’t be worse off under his proposed increase to GST and if so, which New Zealanders does he expect will be worse off?

2. CRAIG FOSS to the Minister of Finance: Why is it so important that the Government rebalance the economy towards savings and exports?

3. Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by his statement “substantial gains could be made by aligning the top personal tax rate and the trustee tax rate”?

4. Dr RUSSEL NORMAN to the Prime Minister: What was he referring to when he said his Government would “take action this year to remove particular regulatory roadblocks to … irrigation in Canterbury”?

5. Hon RUTH DYSON to the Minister of Health: What frontline health services are being cut?

6. SANDRA GOUDIE to the Minister of Police: What reports has she received about serious attacks on New Zealand Police officers over the last few days?

7. Hon TREVOR MALLARD to the Minister of Education: Does she understand and stand by all statements she has made on national standards?

8. ALLAN PEACHEY to the Minister of Education: What steps will the Government take to reduce red tape for crèches in gyms and shopping malls?

9. Hon LIANNE DALZIEL to the Minister of Commerce: What remedies, if any, are available to investors when company directors do not check an investment statement before it is released to the public despite claims that he or she is involved in managing the investment on a day-to-day basis?

10. JO GOODHEW to the Minister for the Environment: What response has he received regarding the independent review of the performance of Environment Canterbury?

11. CHARLES CHAUVEL to the Minister of Energy and Resources: Does he stand by his statement that “I have made it clear that the Government has no intention of mining high-value conservation land”?

12. JACQUI DEAN to the Minister for Building and Construction: What is the Government doing to assist New Zealanders to build quality homes and buildings?

Question time for 18 February 2010 (duration: 1h 9′02″)

Questions to Ministers

1. PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA to the Minister of Commerce: What will be the Government’s response to the report of the Capital Market Development Taskforce?

2. Hon ANNETTE KING to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his recent statements about Whanau Ora?

3. JOHN BOSCAWEN to the Minister of Research, Science and Technology: Did he seek advice before telling the House yesterday that the up-to-date schedule of adjustments made to the raw temperature data used in calculating NIWA’s official series “Mean annual temperature over New Zealand, from 1853 to 2008” is “not set out as a singular document … . Rather, it is a range of material, all of which is available on the institute’s website”; if so, from whom did he seek that advice?

4. JACINDA ARDERN to the Minister of Justice: Does he have confidence in the Ministry of Justice?

5. CATHERINE DELAHUNTY to the Minister of Women's Affairs: Does she stand by her statement “it is important that women and men stand shoulder to shoulder in our boardrooms”?

6. Hon JIM ANDERTON to the Minister for ACC: Can he explain why in the first six months of 2009, almost double the number of people applying for elective surgery under ACC were declined compared to the same period in 2008?

7. SIMON BRIDGES to the Minister of Agriculture: What steps is the Government taking to curb animal cruelty offences?

8. CHARLES CHAUVEL to the Minister of Energy and Resources: Does he stand by all his recent statements?

9. JACQUI DEAN to the Minister for the Environment: What steps is the Government taking to improve the efficiency of processing resource consents?

10. SUE MORONEY to the Minister of Women's Affairs: What highlights, if any, on gender equality and women’s empowerment will she report to the United Nations special general meeting in March?

11. NIKKI KAYE to the Minister of Youth Affairs: What progress has been made for Youth Parliament 2010?

12. LYNNE PILLAY to the Minister for ACC: Does he agree with the Strategic Priorities of ACC, which include “Ensuring New Zealanders have confidence in ACC”?

Question time for 17 February 2010 (duration: 1h 6′07″)

Questions to Ministers

1. Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by all his recent statements?

2. AMY ADAMS to the Minister of Finance: What is the Government doing to ensure value for money in its expenditure?

3. Hon PHIL GOFF to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his comment yesterday “I have been busy running the country. But I am the first to admit it was a bit sloppy”?

4. LOUISE UPSTON to the Minister of Education: What recent announcements has she made about National Standards?

5. Hon ANNETTE KING to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What work, if any, has she undertaken to extend Whanau Ora to all New Zealanders?

6. METIRIA TUREI to the Minister of Justice: Why is he proposing election campaign spending caps for political parties?

7. CHESTER BORROWS to the Minister of Justice: What is the proposed question format for the upcoming referendum on MMP?

8. Hon TREVOR MALLARD to the Minister of Education: Has she received the report entitled Step Change: Success the Only Option; if so, which recommendations does she agree with?

9. JOHN BOSCAWEN to the Minister of Research, Science and Technology: Does NIWA maintain an up-to-date Schedule of Adjustments of all changes made to the raw temperature data which are used in calculating the official series “Mean annual temperature over New Zealand, from 1853 to 2008”, published on the NIWA website; if not, why not?

10. PHIL TWYFORD to the Minister of Local Government: Is he satisfied with the performance of the Auckland Transition Agency?

11. TE URUROA FLAVELL to the Minister of Education: E pēhea e rerekē ai te noho o ngā tauira Māori i roto i ngā kura auraki nā runga i te aronga nui i te pūrongo Step Change ki te mātauranga ahurea, nā, kei te whakaae atu ia ki tā te ripoata “it is difficult to see how success for many students in New Zealand can be achieved without this component of learning”?

o Translation: How will the experience for Māori students in mainstream schools change as a result of the commitment to cultural competence outlined in the Step Change report; and does she agree that “it is difficult to see how success for many students in New Zealand can be achieved without this component of learning”?

12. DAVID BENNETT to the Minister of Transport: What progress has been made on the transport stimulus projects announced last February?

Questions to Members

1. Hon CLAYTON COSGROVE to the Chairperson of the Law and Order Committee: When did the Committee last meet to consider the Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill?

2. Hon CLAYTON COSGROVE to the Chairperson of the Law and Order Committee: What is the timeline for submissions on the revised Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill?

3. Hon CLAYTON COSGROVE to the Chairperson of the Law and Order Committee: When does she expect the Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill will be reported back to the House?

Question time for 16 February 2010 (duration: 1h 3′28″)

Questions to ministers

1. CRAIG FOSS to the Minister of Finance: What does the latest GDP data show about New Zealand’s recent growth performance?

2. Hon PHIL GOFF to the Prime Minister: How many times, if any, has he told New Zealanders that he would not increase GST?

3. PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA to the Minister of Energy and Resources: How many New Zealand homes have been retrofitted through the Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart scheme and is he satisfied with the quality of that retrofit work?

4. Hon ANNETTE KING to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement “This Government is not prepared to turn its back on our most vulnerable citizens”?

5. MICHAEL WOODHOUSE to the Minister for ACC: What steps is the Government taking to secure the long-term future of ACC and why are these necessary?

6. Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by his statement “any move with tax, tax affects everybody, any move with it has to be not only fair but seen to be fair”?

7. Dr RUSSEL NORMAN to the Minister for Land Information: How many hectares of land does the Government own in the Mackenzie Country, and has the Government given consent for any of this land to be converted to irrigated dairy farming?

8. Hon MARYAN STREET to the Minister for ACC: Does he stand by his statement “This legislative reform is part of the Government’s objective to secure the long-term future of ACC as an efficient and fair 24/7, no-fault insurance scheme for all New Zealanders”?

9. CHESTER BORROWS to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What reports has she received on the effectiveness of current supervision orders for young offenders?

10. Hon NANAIA MAHUTA to the Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does she agree with all the recommendations proposed by the Whanau Ora Taskforce in the report released to her last week; if so, when does she intend to release the report?

11. KATRINA SHANKS to the Minister of Housing: What steps is the Government taking to get the best out of state housing for those most in need?

12. Hon PETE HODGSON to the Prime Minister: Did he declare his interest in Jackson Mining when any Cabinet papers concerning mining in the Department of Conservation Estate were discussed; if not, why not?

Question time for 11 February 2010 (duration: 59′58″)

1. Hon ANNETTE KING to the Minister of Finance: What advice, if any, has he received on the likely impact of an increase in GST on New Zealand families?

2. METIRIA TUREI to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement “if there is an increase in mining…., New Zealand’s natural environment would also be improved”?

3. AARON GILMORE to the Minister of Finance: How would the Government ensure that all income groups are compensated for with any increase in GST?

4. Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE to the Minister of Finance: What was his public response to Treasury’s suggestion in the 2008 briefing to the incoming Minister that he consider a “move towards a tax system more heavily weighted towards consumption taxes”?

5. Hon TAU HENARE to the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations: What progress has recently been made towards achieving the Government’s goal of settling historic Treaty of Waitangi claims by 2014?

6. Hon RUTH DYSON to the Minister of Health: Have there been any cuts to frontline health services since he became Minister?

7. SANDRA GOUDIE to the Minister of Corrections: Can she provide an update on efforts to manage New Zealand’s growing prison population?

8. Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA to the Minister of Māori Affairs: What advice, if any, has he received this week from Te Puni Kōkiri on issues crucial to Māori?

9. COLIN KING to the Minister for Economic Development: What measures has the Government undertaken to help New Zealand aquaculture companies take advantage of emerging offshore opportunities?

10. Hon MARYAN STREET to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does she stand by her statement that “This Government has made unemployment our number one priority during the course of this recession”?

11. Dr RUSSEL NORMAN to the Minister of Finance: Will he guarantee that any changes to the tax system in this year’s Budget will decrease inequality in New Zealand?

12. TE URUROA FLAVELL to the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations: Kua whiwhi i a ia he ripoata e pā ana ki ngā whiriwhiringa o te Kotahitanga o Tāmaki Makaurau me Te Hiku o Te Ika? * Translation: Has he received any reports regarding the negotiations involving the Tāmaki Makaurau collective and Te Hiku o Te Ika?

Jeanette Fitzsimons delivers her valedictorial speech (duration: 14′41″)

Speech incomplete.

Question time for 10 February 2010 (duration: 1h 2′57″)

Questions to ministers

1. CRAIG FOSS to the Minister of Finance: Why is the Government embarking on a comprehensive economic programme in 2010?

2. Hon PHIL GOFF to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements on GST?

3. ALLAN PEACHEY to the Minister of Education: What reports has she received on support for National Standards?

4. Hon ANNETTE KING to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What action, if any, is she taking to address unemployment?

5. JEANETTE FITZSIMONS to the Prime Minister: When he referred yesterday to avoiding “overly-ambitious climate change targets”, did he mean that the minimum target of 25-40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020, which the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says is necessary to keep global warming below two degrees, is overly ambitious?

6. Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE to the Minister of Finance: What advice, if any, has he received outlining the effect of an increase in GST on families?

7. PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA to the Minister of Energy and Resources: What evidence does he have that oil and gas production has the potential to lift New Zealand’s economic growth?

8. Hon NANAIA MAHUTA to the Minister of Māori Affairs: What advice, if any, has he received from Te Puni Kōkiri on the effect a rise in GST will have on the well-being of Māori families?

9. JOHN BOSCAWEN to the Minister of Finance: Does he agree with the Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard that “I don’t think we can catch Australia”, but “there’s a lot of crumbs come off the Australian table we can take advantage of”?

10. DARIEN FENTON to the Minister of Labour: Does she stand by her statement “The goal is to match Australian income levels by 2025” and if so, will the 25 cent change in the minimum wage achieve that?

11. NICKY WAGNER to the Minister of Transport: What progress has been made on the Christchurch Motorways Road of National Significance?

12. JACINDA ARDERN to the Minister of Youth Affairs: Does she agree with commentator Bernard Hickey that the Prime Minister’s statement yesterday sent a clear message to young New Zealanders “leave the country now”?

Response to John Key's Statement to Parliament by Phil Goff (duration: 20′42″)

Phil Goff replies to John Key's address to Parliament.

Statement to Parliament - Hon. John key (duration: 19′44″)

John Key's opening speech for the year.

Question time for 16 December 2009 (duration: 52′54″)

Questions to Ministers

1. Hon PHIL GOFF to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his answers yesterday in the House about protecting families from the recession?

2. CRAIG FOSS to the Minister of Finance: What steps has the Government taken to manage the economy in 2009?

3. Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE to the Minister of Finance: Did he say at the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update lockup yesterday that while the Government does not plan privatisation in this term of Parliament, it recognises various assets as not well managed or struggling to keep up with the pace; and did he single out four entities in this context?

4. JO GOODHEW to the Minister of Education: What reports has she received about the teaching of reading and writing in years 1 and 2 at primary school?

5. Hon ANNETTE KING to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his comment “this Government is not prepared to turn its back on our most vulnerable citizens”?

6. Dr RUSSEL NORMAN to the Prime Minister: Does he agree with his Associate Minister for Climate Change Issues that it is “extremist” for small developing countries like Tuvalu to push for a legally binding agreement from the Copenhagen climate conference?

7. MOANA MACKEY to the Minister of Housing: What new affordable housing initiatives has he implemented since becoming Minister?

8. PAUL QUINN to the Minister of Transport: What reports has he received on yesterday’s announcement of a strategic plan for the State Highway 1 Wellington to Levin corridor?

9. DARIEN FENTON to the Minister for ACC: What is the basis for the changes in the treatment of using holiday pay towards the costs of being injured at work in the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Amendment Bill?

10. JONATHAN YOUNG to the Minister of Commerce: What priority will the Government give to responding to the recommendations of the Capital Markets Development Taskforce?

11. Hon DAVID PARKER to the Minister of Energy and Resources: Has he received my invitation dated 14 December to accompany me, after Parliament rises, on the Gillespie Pass tramping circuit in the north-eastern parts of the Mount Aspiring National Park, so that he can inspect first-hand areas in the conservation estate included in his stock-take of mineral resources, and will he accept it?

12. COLIN KING to the Minister of Agriculture: What steps has the Government recently made to progress agricultural greenhouse gas research?