Questions for Oral Answer - 14 March 2006

Questions to Ministers

1. Dr PITA SHARPLES to the Minister of Maori Affairs: He aha tana whakautu ki te korero i roto i te Ripoata o te Tari Matua o Amerika mo nga Take Mana Tangata i Aotearoa nei i puta i tera wiki mo te noho rawa kore o nga tangata whenua o Aotearoa nei?

Translation: What will he do in response to the United States Department Report on Human Rights Practices in New Zealand, which reported last week on the disproportionate societal problems for indigenous people occurring in New Zealand?

2. Hon Dr NICK SMITH to the Minister of Conservation: Why did he overrule the decision by Environment Waikato, the agreement with the Department of Conservation and the decision of the Principal Environment Court Judge in respect to the Whangamata Marina?

3. MOANA MACKEY to the Minister of Education: Has he received any reports about ongoing improvements to the NCEA?

4. JUDITH COLLINS to the Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment (CYF): Does she stand by her evidence to the Social Services Committee, on 23 June 2005, that CYF is "moving into a phase of what I describe as performance excellence, and that is not a term I would use lightly"; if so, why?

5. H V ROSS ROBERTSON to the Minister of Police: What actions have police taken to address the problem of youth gangs in the South Auckland area?

6. JOHN KEY to the Minister of Transport: What is the Government's assessment of the findings of the Greater Wellington Regional Council/Transit New Zealand Hearing Sub-committee in favour of Transmission Gully, and will he make the funding available to ensure that Transmission Gully will be built?

7. Hon PETER DUNNE to the Minister of Finance: Can he confirm that, in accordance with the provisions of the Confidence and Supply Agreement between United Future and the Labour-led Government, and following the unequivocal recommendation in the recently released report of the Greater Wellington Regional Council/Transit New Zealand Hearing Sub-committee to proceed with the construction of a full 4-laned Transmission Gully motorway instead of the proposed Coastal Expressway, central Government funding, which is available for the Wellington regional roading programme, will be able to be used to fund the Transmission Gully motorway option?

8. Hon TONY RYALL to the Minister of Health: What is the number of individuals discharged from elective surgery in the 2001 calendar year, and how many individuals were discharged from elective surgery in the 2005 calendar year?

9. BARBARA STEWART to the Minister of Justice: What has been the Government's response to the result of the 1999 Citizens' Initiated Referendum regarding the size of the House of Representatives?

10. SIMON POWER to the Minister of Corrections: Does he have confidence in his department; if so, why?

11. NANDOR TANCZOS to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Will New Zealand support the right of states to have full information about any genetically engineered organisms traded across their boundaries, at the third meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol taking place in Brazil this week?

12. Hon DAVID CARTER to the Associate Minister of Local Government: Does she stand by her comments reported in the Timaru Herald on 17 February 2006 that the Government will not budge on section 36 of the Dog Control Act 1996 which will require newly-registered dogs to be microchipped from July 1?

END