Parliament - Live Stream and Question Time

NUK KORAKO to the Minister of Finance: How will the Family Incomes Package in Budget 2017 help families get ahead financially?

ANDREW LITTLE to the Prime Minister: Did the Minister of Finance tell him that last week’s Budget cut elective surgery funding by $10 million, means the average early childhood centre effectively loses $15,000, and provides new Crown land funding for only 1,200 houses?

JAMES SHAW to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government’s decisions?

SIMON O'CONNOR to the Minister of Health: Can he confirm that Budget 2017 will invest an extra $3.9 billion over four years into Vote Health, taking the total health investment to $16.77 billion in 2017/18?

Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by all his statements on the health of the New Zealand economy?

GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by his statement that “I just don’t think of the Budget in terms of the election cycle”?

SARAH DOWIE to the Minister responsible for Social Investment: How does Budget 17 support a social investment approach to Justice?

PHIL TWYFORD to the Minister for Social Housing: Does she believe an increase in the accommodation supplement will help to reduce the rate of rent or house price increases?

JOANNE HAYES to the Minister for Children: What recent announcements has she made regarding funding to support vulnerable children and young people?

CHRIS HIPKINS to the Minister of Education: What was the change in real terms in total annual Government funding per full-time equivalent child in early childhood education between 2009/10 and 2014/15 according to the data posted on the Education Counts website?

Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM to the Minister for Climate Change Issues: Does she agree that countries need to work together to combat dangerous climate change; if so, will her Government convey that view to the President of the United States this week?

ANDREW BAYLY to the Minister of Revenue: What improvements is the Government making to New Zealand’s tax system?

ANDREW LITTLE to the Prime Minister: Does he agree with Hon Alfred Ngaro that some of the media are manufacturing the housing crisis; or does he agree there is a housing crisis, given Auckland has a shortage of 40,000 homes according to Auckland Council?

DAVID SEYMOUR to the Minister of Finance: What are Treasury’s forecast OBEGAL surpluses for each year to 2021 according to the December Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update?

MATT DOOCEY to the Minister of Finance: How will Budget 2017 make a difference to New Zealanders most in need?

GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister of Finance: Is Colin James correct when he says that a 4 percent increase in spending in Budget 2017 is required just to stand still, given population growth and inflation; if not, what increase is required?

METIRIA TUREI to the Minister for the Environment: Does he agree with Environment Canterbury councillor Lan Pham that the way water is allocated does not always prioritised public use over private gain?

ANDREW BAYLY to the Minister of Conservation: What announcements has she made about increased support for the Department of Conservation in Budget 2017?

DENIS O'ROURKE to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements?

TODD BARCLAY to the Minister of Corrections: What recent announcement has she made regarding drug and alcohol testing for offenders in the community and defendants on bail?

CARMEL SEPULONI to the Associate Minister for Social Housing: Does he stand by his statement, “The Government takes its responsibility around homelessness seriously”; if so, why did he say some of the media were manufacturing a crisis?

JOANNE HAYES to the Minister for the Environment: What steps is the Government proposing to address the environmental impacts of synthetic gases used by the refrigerant and air conditioning industry?

Dr DAVID CLARK to the Minister of Health: Has he received reports that Waikato Hospital is advising against sick people visiting their hospital; and is advising people not to attend hospital now an acceptable strategy under his Government for reducing the gap between service demand and service delivery in the health system?

JAMES SHAW to the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector: Does he stand by his statement yesterday that “it is not the way this Government works”, in relation to his comments threatening funding cuts for organisations that spoke against the Government?

KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on the economy, ahead of Thursday’s Budget announcement?

ANDREW LITTLE to the Prime Minister: Did the Minister for Social Housing consult with him before announcing a housing plan without being able to say how many of the houses will be affordable?

Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements; if so, why?

JAMES SHAW to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement that “each generation bears its own burdens”?

SARAH DOWIE to the Minister of Tourism: What announcements has she made about increased support for tourism infrastructure?

GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister of Finance: Does he agree with the Prime Minister that the Government doesn’t do that good a job with people who have really serious needs, and needs to address New Zealand’s “long-running social problems”; if so, can he confirm that his Government has been in power for nearly 9 years and will shortly put forward its ninth Budget?

ANDREW BAYLY to the Minister for Social Housing: How is the Government utilising its residential land holdings in Auckland to support its social housing needs?

CHRIS HIPKINS to the Minister of Education: How many additional teachers will be trained each year, as part of her announcement last week that $5.2 million would be spent on addressing shortages of staff in hard-to-staff core subjects?

BARBARA KURIGER to the Minister of Transport: What roading projects is the Government delivering in Taranaki to support the region’s growth?

POTO WILLIAMS to the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector: Did he have any particular organisations in mind when he stated, “Do not play politics with us. If you get up on the hustings and start bagging us, then all the things you are doing are off the table. They will not happen.”; if so, which organisations was he thinking of?

JULIE ANNE GENTER to the Minister of Transport: Is he confident that all transport investment decisions by his Government are best value for money, reliability, and reducing climate pollution?

Dr JIAN YANG to the Minister of Education: What recent announcements has the Government made to address teacher supply?

JACINDA ARDERN to the Minister of Finance: Has total spending on Working for Families decreased while his Government has been in office; if so, by how much?

CHRIS BISHOP to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on the New Zealand economy?

GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister of Finance: What conditions would need to be met for him to declare that the operating surplus in the Budget is sustainable?

MAUREEN PUGH to the Minister for Communications: What recent announcements has he made on the Ultra-Fast Broadband programme?

PHIL TWYFORD to the Minister for Building and Construction: How can the Government’s housing policy be a success, as the Prime Minster said, when four out of five renters cannot buy a house in their area without going into financial hardship?

Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Minister of Transport: Of the slips that have to be cleared to re-open State Highway 1 north and south of Kaikōura, how many had machinery and workers on the job clearing them yesterday, and how many didn’t?

Dr DAVID CLARK to the Minister of Health: How many more New Zealanders are accessing district heath board's mental health and addiction services nationally now than in 2007/08, expressed as a percentage increase; and what is the corresponding percentage growth in funding for mental health and addiction services over the same time period?

STUART SMITH to the Minister of Civil Defence: What reports has he received outlining recovery progress six months after the Kaikōura earthquake?

Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Minister for Economic Development: Does he think that his Government’s assistance package for quake–affected businesses, some who have lost 60 percent and more of their trade and clientele, is remotely adequate and fair?

JAN LOGIE to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety: Does he believe the draft Pay Equity Bill will make it easier for women to be fairly paid for their work?

BARBARA KURIGER to the Minister of Trade: What recent announcements has he made on New Zealand’s trade interests?

Hon DAVID PARKER to the Attorney-General: Does he believe the Hastings District Council bears primary responsibility for the contaminated water they supplied to their Havelock North residents, which caused over 5,000 people to become ill, some very seriously, and has been linked to the death of 3 people?

Questions to Members

CATHERINE DELAHUNTY to the Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee: Has the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee heard from all witnesses who wish to be heard on the petition of Maire Leadbeater urging the New Zealand Government to address the ongoing human rights situation in West Papua?

FLETCHER TABUTEAU to the Prime Minister: Does he have confidence in all his ministers?

ANDREW LITTLE to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his response to a mental health nurse who said they are so short-staffed they are working double shifts, that “they need to be consulting with their employers about the suitability of working those hours”; if so, does he know who sets the funding for DHBs that employ mental health nurses?

SIMON O'CONNOR to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on the Government’s financial accounts?

GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by his statement on tax policy to the House yesterday, “the Minister of Finance, who I am acquainted with, has not made any commitment in regard to any elements of the Budget package on 25 May”; if so, why did he say on the 28th of April, “We are not planning to do a reduction on rates this year”?

MARAMA FOX to the Minister for Māori Development: What recent announcements has he made about funding for marae and housing?

NUK KORAKO to the Minister of Education: What recent reports has she received regarding partnership schools?

JAMES SHAW to the Minister of Conservation: How will a coal mine on conservation land support today’s Threatened Species Strategy announcement?

BRETT HUDSON to the Minister of Science and Innovation: What announcements has he made to support New Zealand businesses invest in research and development?

PHIL TWYFORD to the Minister of Revenue: Does she agree with the IMF that removing “negative gearing” tax breaks for property investors would help redirect saving incentives to other, potentially more productive investments?

JOANNE HAYES to the Associate Minister for Social Housing: What announcements has he made about the results of the Relocation from Auckland Assistance scheme?

Dr DAVID CLARK to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by his statement about the authors of the People’s Mental Health Report, “they’re very left-wing, anti-Government protesters”; if not, when will he apologise to the 500 people who wrote their own stories about experiences with the mental health system as part of the report?

MELISSA LEE to the Minister for Small Business: What updates can she provide on how the Government is supporting small businesses’ uptake of digital technology?

Hon JO GOODHEW to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has he received on the status of the New Zealand economy?

JAMES SHAW to the Minister of Conservation: Would she like to see more coal mining on conservation land?

ANDREW LITTLE to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his response when asked did he think he was failing New Zealanders in mental health, “No no, I don’t think we are failing New Zealanders”; if so, is he saying that mental health services in New Zealand are in an acceptable state?

Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements; if so, how?

Dr SHANE RETI to the Minister of Health: Can he confirm that Budget 2017 will invest an extra $60 million over four years to enable Pharmac to provide more New Zealanders with access to new medicines?

GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister of Finance: Why did he say recently, “I wouldn’t be characterising anything we do primarily as tax cuts”, and would he still agree with former Prime Minister Rt Hon John Key that a meaningful tax cut package would require “$3 billion, I reckon”?

Dr PARMJEET PARMAR to the Minister for Building and Construction: How many people have purchased a first home with the assistance of the Government’s KiwiSaver Homestart in year one and year two of the scheme?

PHIL TWYFORD to the Minister for Infrastructure: How many houses, if any, have been completed as a result of the Housing Infrastructure Fund since it was announced in July last year?

PAUL FOSTER-BELL to the Minister of Education: What recent announcements has the Government made about funding for services for children who require additional learning support?

MICHAEL WOOD to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: What action, if any, has she taken since learning that Ron Hoy Fong and the Auckland Property Investors Association are actively promoting practices such as the use of fake bids and false names by property investors to take advantage of vulnerable home owners?

STUART SMITH to the Minister of Customs: What reports has he received regarding the eGate expansion project?

Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Does he stand by his reported comments that “the solution to conflict in the Middle East would be achieved by the people who live there”, and that “New Zealand should not pronounce how either party involved in Middle Eastern policy should behave”?

GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by his statements yesterday on the Household Labour Force Survey; if so, by how much has the number of 15 to 24-year-olds who are not in employment, education, or training increased since his Government took office?

TODD MULLER to the Minister of Finance: What is the Government’s plan for reducing net debt as a percentage of GDP?

Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Does he support the New Zealand sponsored UN Security Council resolution of 23 December 2016 that condemned the expansion of Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory?

SARAH DOWIE to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety: What recent announcements has he made in relation to Pay Equity?

KELVIN DAVIS to the Minister of Corrections: Does she stand by the statement of her predecessor, “breaking the cycle of imprisonment and reoffending is a key focus of this Government. That’s why we set the ambitious and challenging goal of reducing prisoner reoffending by 25 percent by 2017”; if so, does she agree with the decision to drop the Better Public Services Target of reducing re-offending by 25 percent?

PAUL FOSTER-BELL to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment: What reports has he received on the rate of employment in New Zealand?

CARMEL SEPULONI to the Minister for Social Development: Is she concerned that the March quarterly benefit figures show that only 42.3 percent of those who cancelled a benefit did so because they had obtained work?

Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Minister for the Environment: Does he stand by all his statements on Pike River mine; if so, how?

EUGENIE SAGE to the Minister for Primary Industries: Does he stand by his statement, “There’s no way that we can double the number of cows in New Zealand”?

TODD BARCLAY to the Minister of Corrections: What recent announcement has she made regarding online learning for prisoners?

DARROCH BALL to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment: Does he stand by the Government’s “social investment” approach when the number of 15 to 19-year-old youth not in employment, education, or training increased in the last quarter by over 3,000 young people to be at its highest level since 2011?

Dr DAVID CLARK to the Minister of Health: How many more New Zealanders are accessing mental health and addiction services now than in 2007/08, expressed as a percentage increase; and what is the corresponding percentage growth in funding for mental health and addiction services over the same time period?

NUK KORAKO to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on the progress of the New Zealand economy?

ANDREW LITTLE to the Prime Minister: Why, under his Prime Ministership, has the relationship with Australia reached the point where, according to him, Australia is making policies that are detrimental to New Zealanders living there “either without telling us or at short notice”?

Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements on Pike River mine; if so, how?

METIRIA TUREI to the Minister for Economic Development: Nā, ka uru atu ki roto i Te Mahere Mahi Ōhanga Tai Poutini West Coast, a Te Kāwantanga, he whakatuwheranga ake o te whenua taiao mō te mahi maina?

Translation: Will the Government’s Tai Poutini West Coast Economic Action Plan include opening up conservation land for mining?

JONATHAN YOUNG to the Minister of State Services: What updates can she give about the Government’s commitment to Better Public Services?

GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister of Finance: Does he agree with Prime Minister Rt Hon Bill English that “tax cuts are on the table” for Budget 2017?

Dr PARMJEET PARMAR to the Minister responsible for Social Investment: What recent announcements has she made about social investment?

CATHERINE DELAHUNTY to the Minister for the Environment: Does he stand by his statement that the Government is determined to move 1,000 kilometres of waterways per year to a higher swimming standard?

CHRIS HIPKINS to the Minister of Education: Is she satisfied that increased rates of NCEA attainment are leaving school leavers better prepared for further study, training, or employment?

DARROCH BALL to the Minister for Pacific Peoples: Is he confident with the integrity of all Pacific advisory appointments made by him or his predecessor?

CARMEL SEPULONI to the Minister for Social Development: Is she concerned that the latest quarterly benefit figures showed that more Kiwi families are unable to put food on the table, pay for children’s schooling costs, and are relying on emergency accommodation support?

MAUREEN PUGH to the Minister for Children: What changes has the Government made to Better Public Services Result 4 – to reduce the number of children experiencing physical abuse?

METIRIA TUREI to the Minister for the Environment: Ki Te Minita mō Te Taiao: Ka tukua e ngā paerewa e whakaarohia akehia nei mō te pai ake o te wai i roto i te pūhera Wai Mā, te kaha kē atu, te iti kē iho rānei o te uru atu o te tūkinotanga ki roto i ō tātou awa wai, e ngā mea whakakapi?

Translation: Do the proposed standards for water quality in the Clean Water package allow more pollution or less to enter our waterways than the ones they will replace?

BRETT HUDSON to the Minister of Finance: How much is the Government committing to spend on infrastructure over the next 4 years?

ANDREW LITTLE to the Prime Minister: Given his predecessor told the Pike River families, “I’m here to give you absolute reassurance we’re committed to getting the boys out, and nothing’s going to change that”, when, if ever, will he be announcing the re-entry of the drift?

STUART SMITH to the Minister of Transport: What announcements has he made recently regarding the Government’s commitment to reinstate key transport links following the Kaikōura earthquake?

JACINDA ARDERN to the Minister for Children: When was she first notified that the Ministry for Vulnerable Children Oranga Tamariki, or its predecessor CYF, were placing children and younger persons in a hotel or motel for short-term care without a supervisor, and what was her first action, if any?

MELISSA LEE to the Minister of Health: Can he confirm that 55,000 care and support workers will share in the $2 billion pay equity settlement announced on 18 April 2017?

GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister of Finance: Does he agree with the Dominion Post editorial that his Government has “singularly failed to answer the pressures of Auckland”; if not, why does he think they would write this?

ANDREW BAYLY to the Minister for Building and Construction: How do the latest reports on the level of building activity in Auckland and nationwide for the month, quarter, and year compare with 2016?

Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements; if so, how?

PHIL TWYFORD to the Minister of Transport: Why has the completion of the $2.4 billion Western Ring Route been delayed, and when can Aucklanders expect the new motorway to be open?

EUGENIE SAGE to the Minister of Conservation: Is it Government policy to increase the logging of native forests on West Coast conservation land?

Dr MEGAN WOODS to the Minister supporting Greater Christchurch Regeneration: Does she agree that the first homes in the East Frame will be completed 5 months ahead of schedule?

Questions to Members

CLARE CURRAN to the Chairperson of the Commerce Committee: Does she intend to call for further submissions on the petition of Dame Fiona Kidman before it is reported back to the House, in light of the recently released footage shot inside the drift of the Pike River mine?

PHIL TWYFORD to the Minister for Social Housing: Does she stand by her statement on emergency housing, “We are on track to have 8,600 places across the country available. We want to have the bulk of those in place by this winter”; if so, can she guarantee there won’t be more families living in cars and garages this winter?

JAMES SHAW to the Minister for Climate Change Issues: Does the Government agree with the conclusions and recommendations in the Vivid Report Net Zero in New Zealand: Scenarios to achieve domestic emissions neutrality in the second half of the century?

CHRIS BISHOP to the Minister of Finance: How are the mixed ownership companies performing under their new ownership structures?

CHRIS HIPKINS to the Minister of Education: Which of the following best describes her tenure as Minister of Education: her abandoned plan to increase class sizes, her proposed Christchurch school closures, her closure of residential special schools, the introduction of charter schools, the decline in international achievement ratings, or the roll out of Novopay?

RON MARK to the Prime Minister: Does he have confidence in his Minister of Police; if so, why?

Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM to the Minister for Climate Change Issues: Which of the four scenarios in the March 2017 Vivid Report – “Off Track”, “Innovative”, “Resourceful”, or “Net Zero 2050”, is the Government considering using as the basis for its own climate planning?

SARAH DOWIE to the Minister of Education: What recent announcements has she made regarding NCEA results?

Dr DAVID CLARK to the Minister of Health: Does the funding that district health boards receive per head for mental health services fully cover their mental health and addiction services’ ring-fenced expenditure?

Dr PARMJEET PARMAR to the Associate Minister of Health: What announcements has she made regarding a new provider for Autism Spectrum Disorder programmes, previously run by IDEA Services?

Aupito WILLIAM SIO to the Minister for Pacific Peoples: Has he asked the Ministry for Pacific Peoples to do any work into the impact of the recent typhoid outbreak on the Pacific community; if so, what?

ANDREW BAYLY to the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage: How will New Zealand mark Anzac Day 2017?

FLETCHER TABUTEAU to the Minister of Energy and Resources: Will she use her section 18 powers under the Electricity Industry Act 2010 to order a review of the Transmission Pricing Methodology, given the effect it will have on the West Coast, Ashburton, Eastern Bay of Plenty, Auckland, and Northland?