March 21, 2012 1:27pm by David Farrar

Parliament 21 March 2011

Oral Questions 2 pm – 3 pm

  1. SHANE ARDERN to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on the economy?
  2. DAVID SHEARER to the Prime Minister: Does he expect all his Ministers to comply with the responsibilities set out in the Cabinet Manual?
  3. JONATHAN YOUNG to the Minister of Justice: What steps is the Government taking to improve public services in law and order?
  4. GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister of Local Government: Will he take the same approach to compliance with the Cabinet Manual as Minister for Local Government as he did as Minister for ACC?
  5. DENIS O’ROURKE to the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery: Does he stand by all his recent statements?
  6. EUGENIE SAGE to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement, “I am not going to do something silly with the Department of Conservation estate”?
  7. Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE to the Minister for Economic Development: What, if any, are the capital costs, write-downs and redundancy costs expected from the merger of the Ministry of Economic Development with the Ministry of Science and Innovation, Department of Labour and Department of Building and Housing?
  8. Dr PAUL HUTCHISON to the Minister of Health: What progress is being made in relation to the Government’s key result of increasing infant immunisation rates and reducing the incidence of rheumatic fever?
  9. Hon MARYAN STREET to the Minister of Health: Does he support Pharmac’s provisional decision to engage Auckland company, Pharmaco, to be the sole supplier of new diabetic meters?
  10. PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA to the Minister for Social Development: Has she received any reports on the Future Focus welfare changes in 2010?
  11. Hon PHIL GOFF to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Have New Zealand heads of mission overseas been recalled to a meeting in Wellington on 2 April, and if so what is the cost of holding this meeting?
  12. Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM to the Minister for Climate Change Issues: Is he concerned by a recent report of an international team of scientists that, even with a two degree celsius rise in average global temperature, future generations could face sea levels of up to 12 to 22 metres higher than at present?
Today there are four questions from National, five questions from Labour, two from the Greens and one from NZ First.

Patsy of the day goes to Q3 – What steps is the Government taking to improve public services in law and order?

Labour have two questions on Nick Smith, one on state sector, one on Pharmac and one on MFAT restructuring.

Greens are on the conservation estate and climate change. The climate change question is disgraceful scare-mongering talking of sea rises of 22 metres, when the IPCC projection is for a maximum 0.69 of a metre by 2100.

General Debate 3 pm – 4 pm

All eyes will be on Peters I suspect and what he may say re Nick Smith.

Private and Local Bills 4 pm – 6 pm and 7.30 pm – 10 pm 

This is the second non-Government bills sitting day this year.
 The Southland District Council Bill was introduced in May 2010 and seeks to establish a mechanism for applying a levy on people visiting Stewart Island/Rakiura. It was supported by all parties at first reading and at select committee. It passed second reading on a voice vote.
The South Taranaki Bill is was introduced in October 211 and specifies a process for the South Taranaki District Council to follow in order to authorise a transfer of the Cold Creek Rural Water Supply Scheme to Cold Creek Rural Water Supply Limited.
The Employment Relations (Secret Ballot for Strikes) Amendment Bill was introduced in February 2010. It seeks to  require unions to hold a secret ballot vote of their members to approve a strike before undertaking any strike action. It passed first reading without dissent on a voice vote. However some MPs have argued the bill is unnecessary as unions are already holding secret ballots.  The Transport and IR committee backed it, but Labour and Greens were against saying it could allow employers to take court action against unions.
The second reading saw Labour, Greens and Maori Party against. It is not known how NZ First plans to vote, but it should pass regardless.
The Military Manoeuvres Repeal Act was introduced in June 2010 and seeks to repeal the Military Manoeuvres Act 1915 which allows the Government to declare any land available for a period specified for military manoeuvres. It has not been used for over 30 years. It was supported by all parties at first reading and at select committee.
The Fair Trading (Soliciting on Behalf of Charities) Amendment Bill was introduced in November 2009. It seeks to increase the transparency and public accountability of third-party businesses that collect funds on behalf of registered charities, by mandating disclosure of how much money actually goes to the charity.
It was supported by all parties at first reading, and after amendment by the Commerce Committee by all parties.