June 27, 2013 1:06pm by speters

Parliament: 27 June 2013

Questions to Ministers

  1. MAGGIE BARRY (NAT) to the Minister of Finance: How has the Government’s economic plan helped New Zealand families to get ahead since the recession five years ago?
  2. PHIL TWYFORD (LAB) to the Minister of Transport: Why is the Government planning to fund the City Rail Link from 2020 and not 2016 as proposed by the Auckland Council?
  3. IAN McKELVIE (NAT) to the Minister for Primary Industries: What announcements has he made on boosting productivity and environmental outcomes in the primary sector?
  4. Dr DAVID CLARK (LAB) to the Minister for Economic Development: Why has the number of small business start-ups declined from an average of 8,000 a year under the previous Government to fewer than 5,500 under this Government?
  5. JULIE ANNE GENTER (GRE) to the Minister of Transport: Does he agree with Auckland business leaders Michael Barnett and Kim Campbell that the Auckland City Rail Link is a “game-changing project … which is ready to go”; if so, will he prioritise the project so that it can be up and running by 2021?
  6. JONATHAN YOUNG (NAT) to the Minister of Tourism: What recent reports has he received on the number of tourists coming to New Zealand?
  7. DENIS O’ROURKE (NZF) to the Prime Minister: Has he read the open letter to him dated 25 June 2013 written on behalf of the quake families who lost 185 of their loved ones in the collapse of the CTV building in the February 2011 earthquake?
  8. SUE MORONEY (LAB) to the Minister of Women’s Affairs: Has she requested or received any briefings from Ministry officials on the Equal Pay Act case, which commenced this week in the Employment Court?
  9. SCOTT SIMPSON (NAT) to the Minister for Courts: What progress is being made on preparing for changes to criminal procedure next week?
  10. DARIEN FENTON (LAB) to the Minister of Labour: Does he stand by his statement to the Safeguard conference that the Ministry’s programme includes an increase in the number of health and safety inspectors from the current 139 to 158, all with increased capability; if so, will all 158 inspectors be in place by 1 July 2013?
  11. TE URUROA FLAVELL (MAO) to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment: What feedback, if any, has he received about the impact that the new restrictions in student allowance eligibility for those aged 40 and over will have on the goal to increase the number of Māori students enjoying success at higher qualification levels, particularly the significant numbers of Māori who have accessed second chance education opportunities?
  12. IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY (LAB) to the Associate Minister of Transport: When was he or his predecessor first made aware of concerns about the installation and operation of security cameras used in taxis and the regular failure of some cameras to deliver images that Police could use to investigate allegations of violent crimes?

Questions to Members

  1. Dr MEGAN WOODS (LAB) to the Chairperson of the Education and Science Committee: When will he present the report on the 2013/14 Estimates Review for Vote Education to the House?
  2. Dr MEGAN WOODS (LAB) to the Chairperson of the Education and Science Committee: Was he contacted by the Minister of Education, her staff or her officials following her appearance at the hearing of evidence on the 2013/14 Estimates Review for Vote Education yesterday concerning her readiness to return to the Committee at a later date to answer questions around the responses to 2013/14 Estimates Review for Vote Education questions received by the Committee; if so, what was the nature of any discussion?
  3. Dr MEGAN WOODS (LAB) to the Chairperson of the Education and Science Committee: Did he invite the Minister of Education to return to the Committee for further questioning on the 2013/14 Estimates Review for Vote Education?
  4. Dr MEGAN WOODS (LAB) to the Chairperson of the Education and Science Committee: On which date and time did he receive the Minister of Education’s written responses to the 2013/14 Estimates Review for Vote Education?
  5. Dr MEGAN WOODS (LAB) to the Chairperson of the Education and Science Committee: Did he agree to an extension of the due date and time set by the Committee for the Minister of Education’s written responses to the 2013/14 Estimates Review for Vote Education?

Today there are five questions from Labour, four from National, and one each from the Greens, Māori Party, and NZ First. Labour are asking on Auckland’s City Rail Link, small business start-ups, the Equal Pay Act case before the Employment Court, health and safety inspectors, and security cameras in taxis. The Greens are also asking on Auckland’s City Rail Link, NZ First is asking on the CTV building collapse, and the Maori Party is asking on student allowance eligibility.

Patsy of the day goes to Ian McKelvie for question 3 to the Minister for Primary Industries: What announcements has he made on boosting productivity and environmental outcomes in the primary sector?

Megan Woods is also asking Cam Calder five questions in his capacity as Chairperson of the Education and Science Committee, on the 2013/14 Estimates Review for Vote Education.

Government Bills

  1. Taxation (Livestock Valuation, Assets Expenditure, and Remedial Matters) Bill – second reading (cont.)
  2. Health and Safety (Pike River Implementation) Bill – first reading
  3. Psychoactive Substances Bill – second reading

The Taxation (Livestock Valuation, Assets Expenditure, and Remedial Matters) Bill makes amendments to several Acts to implement measures foreshadowed in Budget 2012 to broaden the tax base. New Minister of Revenue Todd McClay is in charge, and only NZ First voted against it at first reading.

The Health and Safety (Pike River Implementation) Bill makes legislative changes to implement the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy, and is under the guidance of Simon Bridges.

The Psychoactive Substances Bill regulates psychoactive substances including party pills and other legal highs. It was introduced by Peter Dunne and is now being guided by new Minister of Revenue (EDIT: more relevantly, also new Associate Minister of Health) Todd McClay.