Questions for Oral Answer
As At Thursday, 26 February 2004

Questions to Ministers

1. Dr DON BRASH to the Minister of Immigration: Does he stand by the Government's decision to accept an internal enquiry by the Secretary of Labour as an appropriate response to allegations that officials had agreed to "lie in unison", and how is he able to reconcile Dr Buwalda's finding that there was "no evidence that officials deliberately misled the Ombudsman" with the conclusions in the Ombudsman's report released today?

2. JILL PETTIS to the Minister of Labour: Has she received any reports on the Holidays Act 2003?

3. BARBARA STEWART to the Minister of Health: Does she have any concerns regarding current waiting lists; if so, what does she intend to do about them?

4. LYNNE PILLAY to the Minister of Education: What steps is he taking to improve the quality of early childhood education?

5. Dr WAYNE MAPP to the Associate Minister of Justice: Will the Government be reviewing its foreshore and seabed proposal to ensure that there will be no dual title of public domain and customary title, given her answer last week that the Government's proposals provide "methods of communication that are already provided for in the Resource Management Act"?

6. NANAIA MAHUTA to the Associate Minister for Biosecurity: What recent progress has been made to protect New Zealand's marine environment from incursions of exotic marine pests?

7. STEPHEN FRANKS to the Deputy Prime Minister: Is the Government foreshore and seabed policy proceeding on the basis that either or both Maori ancestral connection or mana moana are enough to establish customary title over the foreshore or seabed; if so, why?

8. GEORGINA BEYER to the Minister of Conservation: Has he received any reports on the Department of Conservation's efforts to assist communities during recent natural disasters?

9. Hon ROGER SOWRY to the Minister for Small Business: Who was he referring to when he was talking about the "big end of town" in a recent speech, and does he stand by his statement that he is "getting a bit tired of hearing their knee-jerk responses and a tendency to view everything by way of victimhood, with the Government to blame"?

10. GORDON COPELAND to the Minister of Customs: Has he received any reports that discuss the merits of his proposed border security levy; if so, have any of the report's findings given him cause to reconsider whether or not to go ahead with the proposed levy?

11. Hon KEN SHIRLEY to the Minister of Maori Affairs: What does he believe customary title confers?

12. KEITH LOCKE to the Associate Minister of Immigration: Will he review his decision to allow the deportation of a 16 year-old Sri Lankan girl in light of questions being raised as to whether the plan he put in place for her care in Sri Lanka will provide for her welfare or indeed even exists?

ENDS

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