QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER

Wednesday, 4 December 2002

Questions to Ministers

1. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Prime Minister: Does she have confidence in her Associate Minister of Justice responsible for race relations issues, and her recommendation to Cabinet to appoint Mr Joris de Bres as the Race Relations Commissioner; if so, why?

2. Dr ASHRAF CHOUDHARY to the Associate Minister of Education (Tertiary Education): What policies is the Government introducing to support and reward researcher excellence and excellent research in the tertiary education sector?

3. RODNEY HIDE to the Minister for Industry and Regional Development: Is he confident that Industry New Zealand is competent to evaluate business projects before providing taxpayer assistance, especially now that the Sovereign Yachts development that he had called the "triumph for the Jobs Machine" is threatening to leave New Zealand?

4. DAVID PARKER to the Minister of Education: What initiatives have been put in place to assist secondary schools to recruit teachers?

5. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Prime Minister: Is she concerned that the reported comments of the Race Relations Commissioner, Joris de Bres, that likened New Zealand's colonial history to Taleban vandalism, could lead to serious racial discord in New Zealand; if not, why not?

6. LARRY BALDOCK to the Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage: What progress, if any, has been made on resolving the wahi tapu dispute in Welcome Bay, Tauranga?

7. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Prime Minister: Does she accept the criticism of her comments on the true extent of the leaky homes crisis by building consultant Steve Alexander who said "It's a huge problem and I think the Prime Minister was very, very unwise to make [her] statement. In terms of saying this is a beat-up and it's not nearly as big as has been claimed, [she] is just simply wrong ... Just when we think we've seen the worst of it, we see something worse again."; if not, why not?

8. LYNNE PILLAY to the Minister of Housing: What reports has he received on the impact of income related rents for low-income State house tenants?

9. DEBORAH CODDINGTON to the Minister for Industry and Regional Development: Has he any concerns about the manner in which Industry New Zealand is handling applications for grants; if not, why not?

10. SUE BRADFORD to the Minister for Industry and Regional Development: Did Industry New Zealand address the possible impact of transport projects on the survival of rural communities when it was facilitating the development of Regional Transport Plans for Northland and Tairawhiti; if so, how?

11. Hon TONY RYALL to the Minister of Police: Has he been formally advised of a police staffing crisis in Auckland; if so, by whom?

12. RON MARK to the Minister of Police: Is he concerned that reported crippling staff shortages in Auckland's three police districts are leading to faltering morale; if not, why not?

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