Parliament Today 12 February 2014

Questions for Oral Answer.

Questions to Ministers 2.00-3.00PM.

  1. Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE to the Prime : Does he stand by his statement that “there are more children in poverty than at some point in the past”, and if so, does he remain concerned about child poverty levels in New Zealand?
  2. JAMI-LEE ROSS to the Minister of Finance: How is the Government's programme supporting stronger economic growth, more jobs and higher incomes?
  3. JACINDA ARDERN to the Minister for Social Development: Do her measures of success for vulnerable children include lowering child poverty, child abuse and child neglect rates; if not, why not?
  4. Dr CAM CALDER to the Minister of Health: What is the Government doing to assist areas that face difficulties recruiting and retaining health professionals?
  5. METIRIA TUREI to the Minister for Social Development: What papers or reports, if any, did her office produce in the last 12 months relating to the measurement of child poverty?
  6. RICHARD PROSSER to the Minister of : Does he stand by all his statements on the use of 1080 poison by the Department of Conservation?
  7. EUGENIE SAGE to the Minister for the : Why do the Government's proposals for improving freshwater management allow New Zealand rivers to have higher concentrations of nitrogen pollution than China's Yangtze River?
  8. COLIN KING to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment: What steps is the Government taking to strengthen the governance of New Zealand universities and wānanga?
  9. CHRIS HIPKINS to the Minister of Education: Is she satisfied that all of the funding allocated to Partnership Schools will be spent on educating students; if not, why not?
  10. JONATHAN YOUNG to the Minister for Communications and Information Technology: What recent reports has she received on the number of end users able to connect to the Government's Ultra-Fast Broadband and Rural Broadband Initiatives?
  11. Hon TREVOR MALLARD to the Prime Minister: Is the Hon Peter Dunne a suitable person to hold the position answerable in this House for the security of information held by Government in light of him repeatedly declining to deny, in the House yesterday, that he made the draft Kitteridge report available to a Fairfax reporter, and, if so, has he received an assurance from Mr Dunne that he did not make the document available to any reporter?
  12. Dr to the Minister of Veterans' Affairs: What progress is being made in planning for Gallipoli 2015 commemorations?

Questions to Members.

  1. Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM to the Member in charge of Members' Notice of Motion No 1: Why did he lodge the notice of motion requesting Trade Minister Hon Tim Groser to table any final text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement at least 28 days before it is approved by the Cabinet?

Today Labour are asking four questions. Two are on child poverty, one on partnership schools and one on the suitability of Peter Dunne to be a Minister.  The Greens are asking about Child Poverty and nitrogen pollution in New Zealand rivers.  New Zealand First is asking about 1080 pest poison.

Patsy of the day goes to Johnathan Young for Question 10: What recent reports has she received on the number of end users able to connect to the Government's Ultra-Fast Broadband and Rural Broadband Initiatives?

General 3.00-4.00PM.

A debate of one hour consisting of twelve speeches no more than five minutes in length.

Government Bills 4.00-6.00PM and 7.30PM-10.00

1. Airports (Cost Recovery for Processing of International Travellers Bill) – Third Reading

2. Building (Earthquake-prone buildings) Amendment Bill –  First Reading

3. Victims of Crime Reform Bill – Second Reading

The Airports (Cost Recovery for Processing of International Travellers Bill) is being guided through the house by the Minister of Customs, Maurice Williamson. This bill provides for cost recovery arising from processing of travellers in the aviation security, biosecurity, and customs areas.

The Building (Earthquake-prone buildings) Amendment Bill is being guided through the house by the Minister for Building and Construction, Maurice Williamson. This bill amends the Building Act 2004 to improve the system for managing earthquake-prone buildings.

The Victims of Crime Reform Bill is being guided through the house by the Minister of Justice, Judith Collins. This bill amends legislation so as to implement the Government's reform package for victims of crime.