Parliament Today 15 October 2013
Questions for Oral Answer 2.00PM – 3.00PM
Questions to Ministers
- Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement that “One of the risks for us is that there’s heavily pronounced economic development in Auckland, but not in the rest of the country”?
- Hon KATE WILKINSON to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on the Government’s financial position and especially progress in meeting its target of returning to surplus by 2014/15?
- METIRIA TUREI to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement that Mighty River Power’s buy back of $50 million worth of shares is “highly normal”?
- CHRIS HIPKINS to the Minister of Education: Is she satisfied that she is fulfilling all of her legal obligations under the Education Act 1989; if so, why?
- NICKY WAGNER to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment: What recent reports has he received on the value of the international education industry to New Zealand?
- PHIL TWYFORD to the Minister of Housing: When he carried furniture into a Housing New Zealand tenant’s house, was he consciously comparing himself to Michael Joseph Savage?
- METIRIA TUREI to the Minister of Education: Does she believe that she has effectively explained National Standards to earn the trust of parents and the teaching profession; if so, why?
- MIKE SABIN to the Associate Minister of Social Development: What new measures have recently begun to help prevent fraudulent criminal activity in our welfare system?
- GARETH HUGHES to the Minister of Energy and Resources: Does he stand by his statement that “there may well be” a relief rig present during the drilling of Anadarko’s exploratory deep sea oil wells; if so, can he guarantee that there will be a relief rig?
- Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Prime Minister: Has he briefed the Cabinet on the progress and details of negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement; if not, why not?
- MOANA MACKEY to the Minister for the Environment: Does she agree with all the comments made by her colleague the Minister for Energy and Resources, Hon Simon Bridges, on Campbell Live last night relating to the regulation and risk management of offshore oil and gas exploration?
- Dr JIAN YANG to the Associate Minister of Health: What initiatives is the Government taking to address mental health?
Today Labour are asking four questions. These are about the economic development of New Zealand outside of Auckland, the responsibilities of the Minister of Education, Housing and oil drilling. The Greens are asking about the Mighty River Power share float, and oil drilling. New Zealand First is asking about the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement.
The patsy of the day award goes to Mike Sabin for Question 8: What new measures have recently begun to help prevent fraudulent criminal activity in our welfare system?
Government Bills 3.ooPM-6.00PM and 7.30PM-10.ooPM
1. Telecommunications (Interception Capability and Security) Bill – Second Reading
2. Maritime Transport Amendment Bill – Third Reading
3. Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Amendment Bill – Third Reading
The Telecommunications (Interception Capability and Security) Bill is being guided through the house by the Minister for ICT, Amy Adams. This bill seeks to repeal and replace the Telecommunications (Interception Capability) Act 2004 in order to ensure that interception obligations applying to the telecommunications industry are clear, do not impose unnecessary compliance costs, and are sufficiently flexible to respond to current and future operational needs and technological developments. It also seeks to require network operators to engage with the Government on network security matters, inform the Government of certain proposed decisions, courses of action, or changes in relation to an area of “specified security interest”, and work with the Government to apply any specific risk-based and proportionate security measures. David wrote about the bill earlier here.
The Maritime Transport Amendment Bill and Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Amendment Bill (formerly the Marine Legislation Bill) are being guided through the house by the Minister of Transport, Gerry Brownlee. This is an omnibus bill in two parts. Part 1 seeks to amend the Maritime Transport Act 1994; part 2 seeks to amend the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act 2012. The Maritime Transport Act would be amended to provide for local regulation of maritime safety and maritime-related activities by regional councils; to regulate alcohol consumption by seafarers; to implement four international maritime conventions; to create offences and prescribe penalties for the improper operation of ships; and to make other miscellaneous changes.