August 14, 2012 12:09pm by David Farrar

Parliament 14 August 2012

Oral Questions 2.00 pm – 3.00 pm

  1. DAVID SHEARER to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his recent statements?
  2. Hon TAU HENARE to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on the cost of living?
  3. Dr RUSSEL NORMAN to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment: How many New Zealanders are unemployed and by how many has that number increased since the quarter immediately before National came to power in 2008?
  4. Hon DAVID PARKER to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment: How many people were employed in the manufacturing sector when he took office in 2008, and how many people are employed in the manufacturing sector now, according to the most recent data produced by Statistics New Zealand?
  5. Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA to the Minister for Social Development:What reports has she received on the public submissions on the Green Paper for Vulnerable Children about how to better protect our most vulnerable children from abuse and neglect?
  6. JACINDA ARDERN to the Minister for Social Development: Does she stand by her statement “I want to make sure the Ministry of Social Development is focused on its core responsibilities in the years ahead, in particular those families stuck in long-term poverty. I don’t underestimate the challenges associated with this, but I intend to make it a priority.”?
  7. HOLLY WALKER to the Minister of Housing: What are Housing New Zealand’s time frames for responding to maintenance requests, and in what percentage of cases are those timeframes met?
  8. KATRINA SHANKS to the Minister for Courts: What recent announcements has he made on the modernisation of our courts system?
  9. Hon NANAIA MAHUTA to the Minister of Education: Does she agree with the Prime Minister that National Standards data is currently “very ropey”?
  10. NIKKI KAYE to the Minister of Housing: What reports has he received on his alleged visit to 44 Symonds Street earlier this year?
  11. BRENDAN HORAN to the Associate Minister of Transport: Is he satisfied that everything is being done to maintain KiwiRail safety?
  12. PHIL TWYFORD to the Minister for State Owned Enterprises: What advice has he received on the likelihood of KiwiRail finding $3.85 billion from its own balance sheet as required by the Turnaround Plan?
  13. MOANA MACKEY to the Chairperson of the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee: How many submissions have been received on the petition of Meng Foon “that the House of Representatives note that 10,240 people have signed a petition calling on KiwiRail and the Government to repair the Gisborne to Napier railway line, and that the House support this demand”?

Today there are four questions from National, five questions from Labour, two from the Greens and one from NZ First. Also one question to a select committee chair.

Patsy of the day goes to Q8 – What recent announcements has he made on the modernisation of our courts system?

Labour are asking a gotcha to John Key, unemployment. poverty, national standards and Kiwirail.

Greens are on unemployment and state housing and NZ First also on Kiwirail.

Government Bills 3.00 pm – 6.00 pm and 7.30 pm – 10.00 pm

  1. Appropriations (2013/13 Estimates) Bill – committee stages continued
  2. Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Bill – committee stage

There are three hours and 40 minutes left on the Appropriations Bill which sould last until around 8 pm, so I expect the EEZ bill will not complete its committee stage by 10 pm

The Appropriation (2012/13 Estimates) Bill was introduced in May 2012 and authorises expenditure for 2012/13. It passed first reading 64 to 57 with National, Maori, ACT and United Future voting for supply and Labour, Greens, NZ First and Mana against.

The Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Bill was introduced in August 2011. It seeks to establish an environmental management regime for New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf. At first reading it was supported by National, Greens, ACT, Maori, United and C Carter and opposed by Labour, Progressive and Mana. The Local Government and Environment Committee reported it back, with opposition from Labour, Greens and NZ First. It passed second reading 64 to 57 with Labour, Greens, NZ First and Mana against.