Parliament 7 March 2012
Oral Questions 2 pm – 3 pm
- DAVID SHEARER to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements?
- PAUL GOLDSMITH to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on the performance of the public service?
- Dr RUSSEL NORMAN to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement about asset sales that it was the Governments intention that “every New Zealander who wants shares gets them”?
- SIMON O’CONNOR to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment: What progress has been made in expanding the Youth Guarantee Scheme to provide more 16 and 17 year-olds with fees-free tertiary training this year?
- Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE to the Minister for Economic Development: Does he stand by his statement that “the global financial crisis and the Canterbury earthquakes were not projected in any of those forecasts”?
- Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Minister of Local Government:Has he been in communication with the Auckland Council over financial management issues, and if so, on what occasions this year?
- MIKE SABIN to the Minister for Social Development: How will the Government’s recently announced changes target young people not in education, employment or training?
- DENISE ROCHE to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his comment that the Government has a “sinking lid policy” for pokie machines?
- Hon CLAYTON COSGROVE to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by the statement made on his behalf in answer to Oral Question No 1 on 1 March 2012, that “I do know what is in the coalition agreement” and, if so, does he agree that the United Future-National confidence and supply agreement does not require United Future to vote for the Government’s asset sales legislation?
- TODD McCLAY to the Associate Minister of Conservation: What benefits will the Game Animal Council Bill bring for recreational hunters?
- Hon ANNETTE KING to the Minister of Housing: What response has he received to the “Smarter. Faster. Fairer” tenancy service which provides an 0800 phone customer service centre response to people with housing needs?
- JAMI-LEE ROSS to the Minister for ACC: What initiatives are underway to help raise awareness about falls in the home?
Today there are five questions from National, four questions from Labour, two from the Greens and one from NZ First.
Patsy of the day goes to Q12 – What initiatives are underway to help raise awareness about falls in the home?
Labour are asking about PM standing by statements, financial projections, United Future on asset sales, and Housing NZ.
Greens are on asset sales and pokies.
NZ First is again on confidence in the financial management of the Auckland Council.
Government Bills 3.00 pm – 6.00 pm and 7.30 pm – 10.00 pm
- Financial Markets Conduct Bill – first reading continued
- Building Amendment Bill (No 3) – third reading
- Search and Surveillance Bill – committee stage
- Crown Pastoral Land (Rent for Pastoral Leases) Amendment Bill – committee stage
- Taxation (International Investment and Remedial Matters) Bill – third reading
The Financial Markets Conduct Bill was introduced in October 2011. It aims to to provide an enduring financial market conduct regulatory regime that promotes confident and informed participation in New Zealand’s financial markets. Labour and NZ First have indicated they will vote for it at first reading, and Greens will vote against.
The Building Amendment Bill (No 3) was introduced in October 2010 and aims to implement policy decisions from the 2009 Building Act review. It was passed on a voice vote at first reading but at second reading Labour, Greens, NZ First and Mana voted against.
The Search and Surveillance Bill was introduced in July 2009 and aims to implement the Government’s decisions on the legislative reform of search and surveillance powers”, based on the Law Commission’s report, “Search and Surveillance Powers”. It amends 69 different Acts and was supported at first reading by all parties except the Green Party.
The select committee did an interim report in August 2010 and a final report in November 2010. There was considerable opposition to the bill as originally drafted, such as by Tech Liberty. Significant changes were made by the select committee with the Greens noting “They generally restrict search and surveillance powers more than the original bill, and improve accountability provisions”. However they still oppose the bill, especially the provisions for Examination and Production Orders. Labour also opposes those two provisions.
At second reading Labour, Greens, NZ First, Maori and Mana voted against. An SoP will be considered at committee stage, which may be supported by Labour.
The Crown Pastoral Land (Rent for Pastoral Leases) Amendment Bill was introduced in December 2010 and aims to replace the land valuation basis for setting rents for pastoral leases with a property-earning-capacity basis for setting rents for pastoral leases. It was supported at first reading by National, Greens, ACT, Maori and United and opposed by Labour. Labour opposed the bill at select committee saying it “severely compromises the property rights of the land owner, the Crown, to negotiate a fair return on the full value of the land”.
The Taxation (International Investment and Remedial Matters) Bill was introduced in October 2010 and seeks to to reform the tax treatment of gains of New Zealand residents from income interests in overseas entities and gains of foreign residents from interests in New Zealand companies. It passed its first and second readings on a voice vote but at committee stage Labour and Greens voted against Part 3.