Parliament 5 April 2016

The order paper is here.

Oral Questions 2.00 pm – 3.00 pm

  1. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Prime Minister: How does he stand by all his statements?
  2. ANDREW LITTLE to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement that New Zealand is not a tax haven because “New Zealand has full disclosure of information”, given Cone Marshall, a law firm specialising in establishing trusts for foreigners, says “The identity of the settlor need not be disclosed and the trust deed is not registered with any tax or Government authority” and “There is no obligation to file any trust accounts with any person or institution or to have such accounts audited”?
  3. BARBARA KURIGER to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received showing total New Zealand exports are growing, despite the dairy downturn?
  4. ANDREW LITTLE to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement from 2013 that if Auckland prices continue at the same rate the bubble would burst and “you would leave a lot of potentially first home buyers with very large loans and an over-valued property and effectively negative equity where they owe more than the property's actually worth”?
  5. to the Minister for the Environment: What steps is he taking to ensure that regional councils are effectively implementing the objectives of their regional resource management plans related to the protection of quality from further degradation?
  6. SCOTT SIMPSON to the Minister of Health: What initiatives has the Government put in place to support health services in rural communities?
  7. JULIE ANNE GENTER to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement that “New Zealand has full disclosure of information” with respect to allegations of New Zealand being a tax haven?
  8. BRETT HUDSON to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety: What changes were made yesterday to modernise New Zealand's health and safety law?
  9. GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister of Revenue: Has he sought advice from the Treasury on the impact of multinational company on the Government's fiscal position; if so, what was the advice he received?
  10. MARK MITCHELL to the Minister of Local Government: What recent reforms has he announced to improve local government services for ratepayers?
  11. Hon DAVID PARKER to the Minister for the Environment: Does he accept that people wanting a swimmable standard for rivers are seeking to stop pollution by farms, factories and towns making otherwise swimmable rivers so dirty that they are unsafe to swim in at normal, rather than flood, flows?
  12. to the Minister for Disability Issues: How is the Canterbury employment pilot scheme Project 300 helping disabled people and people with health conditions into work?

National: Five questions on exports, rural health services, OSH, local government and Canterbury employment

Labour: Four questions on tax havens, Auckland house prices, multinationals' tax and water

Greens: One question on tax havens

NZ First: One question on PM standing by his statements

Maori Party: One question on water quality

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

Environment Canterbury (Transitional Governance Arrangements) Bill – committee stage

This bill provide governance arrangements for the Canterbury Regional Council to operate during the 2016 to 2019 local authority election-cycle period”, being seven elected Councillors and six appointed Counillors.

  • Introduced August 2015
  • 1st reading: October 2015, passed 62 to 59 with Labour, Greens, NZ First and United Future against
  • SC report: February 2016, supported with amendments by majority with Labour and Greens dissenting
  • 2nd reading: March 2016, passed 62 to 59 with Labour, Greens, NZ First and United Future against

There is no time limit for the committee stage but it is estimated to be a five hour debate as the bill has four parts and preliminary provisions to debate.

Te Pire mō Te Reo Māori / Māori Language Bill – committee stage

This bill repeals the Māori Language Act 1987 and Part 4A of the Act 1989 to establish an independent entity, Te Mātāwai, to provide leadership on behalf of iwi and Māori regarding the health of the Māori language.

  • Introduced July 2014
  • 1st reading: July 2014, passed unanimously but Greens and NZ First against (forgot to call for a party vote)
  • SC report: February 2016, supported unanimously with amendments
  • 2nd reading: March 2016, passed

There is no time limit for the committee stage but it is estimated to be a five hour debate as the bill has four parts and preliminary provisions to debate.