February 7, 2012 1:15pm by David Farrar

Oral Questions 7 February 2012

SIMON BRIDGES to the Minister of Finance: What are the Government’s priorities for the economy in its second term?
DAVID SHEARER to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement “National will deliver a strong, stable government – and build a stronger economy with less debt and more jobs”?
Dr RUSSEL NORMAN to the Minister for State Owned Enterprises: What steps, if any, has he taken to ensure that should the Government sell 49 percent of Mighty River Power, Meridian, Genesis and Solid Energy, “New Zealand investors will be at the front of the queue for shareholding, and that there will be widespread and substantial New Zealand share ownership”?
NIKKI KAYE to the Minister of Education: What reports has she received on the 2011 NCEA results?
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Prime Minister: Does he have confidence in all his Ministers?
GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister for the Environment:What is the estimated total cost for the clean up after the grounding of the Rena?
PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA to the Minister for Social Development: What progress has been made on the Government’s Green Paper for vulnerable children?
Hon DAVID PARKER to the Prime Minister: Does he have confidence in the decisions of all of his Ministers who were involved in the process for the sale of the Crafar farms?
SHANE ARDERN to the Minister for Primary Industries: What is the purpose of the Government’s recently announced proposed changes to the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act 2001?
Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: What has the Government publicly said in response to the attack by Syrian forces on its own citizens in Homs, and how does it see the crisis there being resolved?
JACINDA ARDERN to the Minister for Social Development: Has she read the Children’s Commissioner’s newsletter Children and poverty: moving beyond rhetoric?
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE to the Minister of Customs: What recent reports has he received about SmartGate?

So we have five patsies from National. Labour have four questions – Shearer, Robertson, Parker and Ardern – their “top four”. Shearer focusing on the economy (sensible), Robertson on the Rena, Parker on the Crafar farms and Jacinda on child poverty. The crafar question likely to be the most vigorous.

The Greens have two questions – on SOE part-sales and Syria. God knows why they are wasting a question on Syria (it is an important issue, but our influence is zero on it).

The 12th question is NZ First and of course asked by Winston. His is the general do you have confidence in all your Ministers which can go anywhere. He may have an alleged scandal to drop, but more likely will focus on the Maori Party Ministers and National.

After question time, the address in reply debate continues for another 16 hours. If the House adjourns it, then the the top five bills on the order paper are: