Questions to Ministers

1. JEANETTE FITZSIMONS to the Minister for Trade Negotiations: Has he told China, Korea and Argentina that New Zealand rejects their claim that energy efficiency standards and labels should be treated as non-tariff trade barriers; if not, why not?

2. Dr DON BRASH to the Prime Minister: Does she have confidence in her Minister for Social Development and Employment; if so, why?

3. GORDON COPELAND to the Minister of Justice: Does he agree with the statement made to the House by former Associate Minister of Justice, Hon David Benson-Pope, that "marriage has always been, and will continue to be, available solely to a man and a woman"; if so, is this still Government policy?

4. JUDITH COLLINS to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Who from his office supplied parts of the police files involving historic allegations against him to the Herald on Sunday, and did he authorise that action by his office?

5. MOANA MACKEY to the Minister of Education: What reports has he received about professional development support given to teachers?

6. SIMON POWER to the Minister of Police: Does she agree with her colleague the Minister for Social Development and Employment that the Southern Police District Commander used "bozo-ish" language when saying that there was a prima facie case against Hon David Benson-Pope; if not, why not?

7. Dr PITA SHARPLES to the Minister of Maori Affairs: He aha te tana whakautu ki te korero a te Kairipoata mo te Roopu Whakakotahi tangata o te Ao, ara, a Rodolfo Stavenhagen, "kei te tino awangawanga, kei te tipu ake te ahua o te rawa kore i waenganui i te Maori me etahi atu, a, kei muri te Maori a haere ana"? What is his response to the following statement from Professor Stavenhagen, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous peoples, that "There is also widespread concern that the gap in social and economic conditions is actually growing larger and that an increasing proportion of Maori are being left behind."?

8. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Minister for Tertiary Education: Did the Government pay $127,605 for the services of a development adviser appointed in June 2002 to assist the Council of Te Wananga o Aotearoa to improve governance of the institution and to attend Council meetings; if so, did that adviser report to the Ministry of Education or Ministers?

9. DIANNE YATES to the Minister of Defence: What was the purpose of Exercise Silver Warrior and what were the results of the exercise?

10. Hon MURRAY McCULLY to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: What assistance did he seek from the Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer to bring about a stronger relationship between New Zealand and the United States and what assistance did Mr Downer promise to provide?

11. LYNNE PILLAY to the Minister for Economic Development: What steps is the Government taking to encourage large budget screen productions to New Zealand?

12. JOHN KEY to the Minister of Revenue: Does he accept that scrapping the proposed carbon tax would also mean the end of proposed increases in personal income tax thresholds; if not, why not?

ENDS

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