Parliament – 10th July
Questions for Oral Answer – 2pm to 3pm
Questions to Ministers
- DAVID SHEARER to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements?
- HONE HARAWIRA to the Minister for Economic Development:Does he think the Government’s decision to grant 230 new pokie machines, 52 new gambling tables, and a 35-year licence extension is worth the increase in relationship breakdowns, depression, suicide, family violence, increased money laundering, job losses, increased problem gambling and financial problems, as identified by its own Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment-compiled regulatory impact statement; if not, why not?
- MAGGIE BARRY to the Minister of Finance: How has the Government made the tax system fairer for New Zealand households and families?
- METIRIA TUREI to the Minister for Economic Development:When he said that gambling-related harm from the SkyCity deal would be mitigated by “negotiated, significant additional harm minimisation measures” did he mean measures additional to those the casino is already obliged to use; if so, how?
- SHANE ARDERN to the Minister of Health: What is this Government doing, as part of Better Public Services, to ensure that New Zealand children are better protected from preventable diseases such as whooping cough and hepatitis B?
- Hon DAVID PARKER to the Minister of Finance: Given his statement yesterday that “Solid Energy was another example of where the incoming National Government had to clean up a mess left by the previous Government”, what was the level of debt held by Solid Energy on 30 June 2008 compared with the level of debt on 30 June 2012, and what is the total amount of dividends received by the Crown from Solid Energy since he became Minister of Finance?
- CATHERINE DELAHUNTY to the Minister of Energy and Resources: Why did he grant a mining permit over Schedule 4 land in the Coromandel just six weeks after saying “I do not think there is any ambiguity in our policy. Let me say again that we have a very clear view against mining on Schedule 4 land”?
- TIM MACINDOE to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment: What progress has the Government made on its Better Public Services target of increasing the proportion of 25-34 year olds with a Level 4 or above qualification?
- JACINDA ARDERN to the Minister for Social Development: Does she believe that Child, Youth and Family have the resources they require to care for the needs of our most vulnerable children?
- IAN McKELVIE to the Minister of Corrections: What progress has the Government made on its target of reducing re-offending by 25 percent by 2017?
- DENIS O’ROURKE to the Minister of Transport: Does the Government believe that the future transport demands of New Zealand’s three main population centres will be less dependent on roading systems and instead utilise a greater proportion of alternatives to motorways?
- Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE to the Minister of Revenue: How much to date has been spent on consulting costs for the IRD Business Transformation programme?
Today, Labour are asking 4 questions to ministers on topics ranging from Solid Energy, resourcing of Child Youth and Family, consultants costs and the stock standard question from David Shearer (Potential ex Leader of the Opposition). The Green Party are asking 2 questions to ministers about Skycity and Mining with New Zealand First and Mana asking 1 question each.
Pasty Question of the Day
Today’s pasty question of the day goes to question 5 from Shane Ardern to the Minister of Health which askes,
What is this Government doing, as part of Better Public Services, to ensure that New Zealand children are better protected from preventable diseases such as whooping cough and hepatitis B?
Members Orders of the Day – 3.00pm to 6pm and 7.30pm to 10pm
1) Prohibition of Gang Insignia in Government Premises Bill – Mark Mitchell – Committee Stage
This bill seeks to remove the right of people to wear gang patches and other such symbols on government premises such as a local hospital,school or other government owned buildings such as a Work and Income place. This bill was originally created by the Hon Tood McClay prior to him becoming a Minister in the John Key lead government and is based upon the original bill used in Whanganui which allowed the council to ban gang patches being shown and used in areas around Whanganui. Recently, during the second reading of this bill, Schools got included as a area that gang members will not be able to wear there patches as a result of submissions to the select committee.
At the second reading of this bill, it passed by 69 to 51 with Labour, Greens, Mana and the Maori Party opposing the bill.
Mark Mitchell gave a really emotive speech during the second reading of the bill which summed up why this bill is required. Feel free to view the video here.
2) Gambling (Gambling Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill – Te Ururoa Flavell – Second Reading
This bill was introduced in September 2010 by Te Ururoa Flavell. It seeks to allow “local authorities, in consultation with their communities, to reduce the number of, or even eliminate, pokies from those suburbs and towns where they are particularly concentrated or doing particular harm”. This bill since the first reading has been rewritten to make some changes to the bill to be able to waterdown some of the effects of the original bill with a deal done between Hon Chris Tremain and Te Ururoa Flavell last week to ensure National Party support.
At the last reading of the bill it passed by use of a personal vote with 83 MPs in favor and 7 against. A list of who voted for and against can be found here.
3) Employment Relations (Statutory Minimum Redundancy Entitlements) Amendment Bill – Continuation of 1st reading – Sue Moroney
This debate is a continuation of the 1st reading of this bill with around 4 speeches left to go. The purpose of the bill is to add a new clause to the Employment Relations Act 2000 in order to allow for redundancy payments to workers to are dismissed.
4) Electricity (Renewable Preference) Amendment Bill – 1st reading – Moana Mackey
This bill is designed to bring back a 10 year ban on the creation of thermal generation of power. This 10 year ban was originally removed in the Electricity (Renewable Preference) Repeal Bill 2008. The 10 year ban on thermal generation of power was apart of the original Emissions Trading Scheme. Expect some attacks on Labour over the 72% percent rise in power during there time in Government.