Parliament - Live Stream and Question Time

Dr PARMJEET PARMAR to the Minister of Finance: What factors show the New Zealand economy is well placed to withstand international uncertainty?

MARAMA FOX to the Minister for the Environment: How do Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements strengthen iwi participation under the Resource Legislation Amendment Bill?

Hon ANNETTE KING to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by his statement, “we are focused on results”?

JOANNE HAYES to the Minister of Health: Can he confirm that 10,376 extra orthopaedic First Specialist Assessments were carried out in 2015/16, compared with the 43,251 carried out in 2008/09, meaning a total 53,627 orthopaedic assessments were carried out?

PHIL TWYFORD to the Minister for Social Housing: Does she agree with Monte Cecilia Housing Trust chief executive Bernie Smith that the Government lacks a cohesive emergency housing plan, and Salvation Army social policy director Ian Hutson who says permanent accommodation is still lacking?

MATT DOOCEY to the Minister of Transport: What progress has the Government made with its Roads of National Significance Programme in Canterbury?

EUGENIE SAGE to the Minister for the Environment: Does he agree with former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer that the Resource Legislation Amendment Bill contains “at least three significant and dangerous trends” including “Greater Ministerial control and centralised decision-making” and “Reduced opportunities for public participation”?

Dr MEGAN WOODS to the Minister for the Environment: Why did he announce yesterday that he is going to seek the approval of Parliament to refer the Resource Legislation Amendment Bill back to select committee given that so many councils, environmental groups, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, and the Law Society have criticised the bill?

SCOTT SIMPSON to the Minister of Tourism: What announcements has the Government made about supporting tourism in regional New Zealand?

Hon DAVID PARKER to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Does he agree with the Auditor-General’s finding regarding the Saudi sheep deal that his Cabinet paper had significant shortcomings and Cabinet was provided a “lack of robust analysis”; if so, does he accept responsibility for failing to provide Cabinet with a robust analysis and quality information?

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

STUART SMITH to the Minister of Conservation: What announcements has she made on tackling the problem of wilding conifers?

JAMES SHAW to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his answers to Oral Question No 4 in the House yesterday?

ANDREW LITTLE to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement in relation to young people looking for work that they are “living in the wrong place, or they just can’t muster what is required to actually work”?

ALFRED NGARO to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on job prospects in the New Zealand economy?

GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by his statement, “there is no evidence that inequality in New Zealand is increasing”; if so, how can he continue to argue that when Statistics New Zealand data shows the cost of living for the poorest groups and superannuitants has risen almost twice as fast as for richer households since 2008?

MAUREEN PUGH to the Minister for Social Development: What recent announcements has she made regarding information sharing and the care and protection of vulnerable children and young people?

KELVIN DAVIS to the Minister of Corrections: Does she stand by her statement that her department’s behaviour regarding their handling of reports into fight clubs at Mt Eden prison was “disturbing and secretive”?

MARK MITCHELL to the Minister of Health: Can he confirm that 3,850 patients received a colonoscopy in August 2016 – an increase of 45 percent compared with 2,649 colonoscopies carried out in July 2013?

FLETCHER TABUTEAU to the Minister of Finance: Does he believe New Zealand has a surplus; if so, why?

STUART NASH to the Minister of Police: Does she agree with Detective Senior Sergeant Blair Burnett that more staff is the only way to combat the growing crime rate?

IAN McKELVIE to the Minister for Primary Industries: How many industry groups have now signed up to a Government Industry Agreement (GIA) biosecurity partnership?

JAN LOGIE to the Minister for Women: Does she support Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Jackie Blue’s proposal for companies with more than 250 employees to declare gender pay gaps?

PEENI HENARE to the Minister for Māori Development: Does he believe that the lives of Māori have improved during his time as Minister for Māori Development?

ANDREW LITTLE to the Prime Minister: Why did he say, regarding the Saudi sheep deal, that “the view of Cabinet was that there had been a case that at least the investor could put up, that we may well have to fight that in court”, and was he aware when he made that statement that there was no legal advice assessing the legal risk from the investor’s case?

BARBARA KURIGER to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on New Zealand’s prosperity?

RICHARD PROSSER to the Minister of Local Government: Does he stand by his statement on 23 September 2016, “It is imperative that steps are put in place to ensure core infrastructure including water, sewerage, and roads across New Zealand are well managed. Failures of infrastructure and service are unacceptable to New Zealanders”?

JAMES SHAW to the Prime Minister: Does he accept all of the findings regarding his Government in the Auditor-General’s report into the Saudi Arabia Food Security Partnership; if not, which findings does he not accept?

ANDREW LITTLE to the Prime Minister: Has he sought an explanation from the Minister for Social Development as to why the number of 18 to 24-year-olds receiving the Jobseeker Support – Work Ready payment who have been on a benefit for more than a year is rising?

Dr JIAN YANG to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment: What recent reports has he received on the value of international education to New Zealand?

Hon ANNETTE KING to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by all his statements?

MELISSA LEE to the Minister for Social Housing: What announcements has she made about the Government increasing support for emergency housing?

RON MARK to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement in relation to the Pike River Mine that “What I did promise is that we could do everything we can to get those bodies out”?

CATHERINE DELAHUNTY to the Minister for the Environment: Does he agree with the Environmental Protection Authority’s Chief Scientist Jacqueline Rowarth’s comment that the Waikato River is one of the five cleanest rivers in the world?

GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister of Finance: Does he agree with Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman, “A country’s ability to improve its standard of living over time depends almost entirely on its ability to raise its output per worker”; if so, can he confirm that real GDP per hour worked has not grown in New Zealand since 2012?

KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI to the Minister for Small Business: What steps has the Government taken to make it easier for small business to hire employees?

NUK KORAKO to the Minister of Finance: What progress is the Government making in its programme to get better results from public services?

JAMES SHAW to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Did he ask for, or receive, any advice or assessment from officials about the stated legal threat of up to $30 million from the Al-Khalaf group; if so, what was the nature of that advice?

GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister of Finance: Is he concerned that the New Zealand economy is unbalanced towards speculation in housing given that the value of New Zealand’s housing stock is now $998 billion, eight times the total value of the New Zealand stock market, and is that valuation of the housing market a risk to financial stability?

BRETT HUDSON to the Minister for Communications: What recent announcements has she made regarding improving rural broadband and mobile black spot coverage?

DARROCH BALL to the Minister for Social Development: Does she stand by all her statements?

PHIL TWYFORD to the Minister of Transport: Does he agree with the Auckland Transport Alignment Project that bus improvements can only address capacity constraints in central Auckland for up to 10 years and a higher capacity mode like light rail will be required?

BARRY COATES to the Minister of Trade: Why is he advancing the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, when it is widely reported that the agreement will not get through the US Congress this year and countries like Canada, Australia, and Vietnam have delayed their ratification processes?

DAVID SHEARER to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Was the Auditor-General mistaken when she said in her report on the Saudi Arabia Food Security Partnership that “We were told that Ministry legal advisers were not asked for input or made aware of this Cabinet paper or earlier related Cabinet papers”; if not, why did he claim on 27 June 2015 that Ministry legal advisers did provide legal advice for the Cabinet paper?

BARBARA KURIGER to the Minister for Primary Industries: What reports has he received on Government initiatives to help attract more young people into careers in the primary industries?

JENNY SALESA to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment: What is the total number of 15 to 24-year-olds not in employment, education, or training according to the Household Labour Force Survey released yesterday, and is this an increase or a decrease on the last quarter?

ALFRED NGARO to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: What announcements has he made to support the ongoing regulation of the business environment in New Zealand?

BARBARA STEWART to the Minister for ACC: Is he satisfied that clients are receiving a good standard of care from ACC providers?

Questions to Members

Hon DAVID PARKER to the Chairperson of the Local Government and Environment Committee: How many submitters were heard on the Resource Legislation Amendment Bill, referred to the Local Government and Environment Committee on 3 December 2015, and when were those submissions heard?

Hon DAVID PARKER to the Chairperson of the Local Government and Environment Committee: Has he, as Chair, put on the agenda the giving of complete drafting instructions to the Parliamentary Counsel Office on the Resource Legislation Amendment Bill; if not, why not?

ANDREW LITTLE to the Prime Minister: Does he have confidence in his Minister for Building and Housing, given the nearly 8,000 shortfall in new houses in Auckland in the past year?

RON MARK to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements?

DAVID BENNETT to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on the economy?

Hon ANNETTE KING to the Minister of Health: Does he agree with Professor Max Abbott who said, “Ten DHBs are in financial strife despite big moves to increase efficiency and extend services the best they can. I think it does suggest that more funding is required to health generally and also mental health”; if not, who is out of touch, Professor Abbot or him?

Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM to the Minister for Climate Change Issues: Will the Government’s proposed approach to accounting for forestry and other land uses from 2021 reduce the quantity of greenhouse gas emissions New Zealand is liable for after 2021, when compared with the existing accounting approach; if so, by how much?

SARAH DOWIE to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment: What progress is being made on recovering student loan debt from overseas-based borrowers?

GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister of Justice: On what date was the decision taken to delay the introduction of legislation to implement Phase Two of the Anti-Money Laundering legislation, and what are the specific “compliance costs” that “average mums and dads” will face as a result of the implementation of that legislation?

Dr SHANE RETI to the Minister of Health: Can he confirm that primary-care funding has gone up from $667.2 million in 2008/09 to an estimated $892.7 million in 2016/17, an increase of about 34 percent, and what improvements to primary-care service does this increase deliver?

JAN LOGIE to the Associate Minister for Social Development: Is she confident that requiring community groups to hand over individual client details as a condition of funding will result in better outcomes for people who access those services?

TODD MULLER to the Minister for Social Development: What recent announcements has she made on the Government’s progress on Better Public Service Result one?

PHIL TWYFORD to the Minister of Transport: Does he support light rail from the Auckland city centre along Dominion Road to reduce congestion and improve urban amenity along the route?

MARK MITCHELL to the Minister of Customs: What announcements has she made regarding the Government’s investment into front-line drug detection equipment for Customs?

Questions to Members

Hon DAVID PARKER to the Chairperson of the Local Government and Environment Committee: How many submitters were heard on the Resource Legislation Amendment Bill, referred to the Local Government and Environment Committee on 3 December 2015, and when were those submissions heard?

Hon DAVID PARKER to the Chairperson of the Local Government and Environment Committee: Has he, as Chair, put on the agenda the giving of complete drafting instructions to the Parliamentary Counsel Office on the Resource Legislation Amendment Bill; if not, why not?

DAVID SEYMOUR to the Minister of Police: Does she believe the public has a right to be concerned about Police conducting roadside breath-screening tests with the intention of collecting personal information for investigations unrelated to road safety; if not, why not?

Dr PARMJEET PARMAR to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on the performance of the New Zealand economy?

ANDREW LITTLE to the Prime Minister: Does he have confidence in the Minister of Police, given crime rose by 5.5 percent in the last year?

JAMES SHAW to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements?

IAN McKELVIE to the Minister of Health: Can he confirm that 30 percent more hip and knee joint replacement operations were carried out in 2015/16 compared with the 8,439 in 2007/08, an increase of 2,573 operations?

Hon ANNETTE KING to the Minister of Health: What action, if any, has he taken to ensure that New Zealanders receive services in a timely manner?

MATT DOOCEY to the Minister of Education: What recent announcements has she made regarding education-related Better Public Service targets?

GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister of Justice: Does she stand by the Prime Minister’s statement to this House in September on phase two of the anti-money laundering measures that “there will be a bill in the House by the end of the year”; if not, why not?

JAMI-LEE ROSS to the Minister for Building and Housing: Can he confirm the latest reports on building activity in Auckland show an increase from $5.3 billion to $7.2 billion over the last year, or 36 percent?

Hon DAVID PARKER to the Minister for State Owned Enterprises: What was Solid Energy’s indebtedness (excluding performance bonds) in dollars and as a percentage of assets in December 2008 and December 2012?

CHRIS BISHOP to the Minister for Small Business: What initiatives has the Government implemented through the Business Growth Agenda that assist small business?

RON MARK to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements?

BRETT HUDSON to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on the diversification of the New Zealand economy?

GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister of Finance: Has he read the latest Reserve Bank M10 Housing release, and if so can he confirm that it indicates that the value of New Zealand’s housing stock as at the end of June this year was valued at $959 billion or 381 percent of nominal GDP?

JAN LOGIE to the Minister for Māori Development: Does he stand by all the Government’s policies that relate to the Māori Development portfolio?

MELISSA LEE to the Minister of Health: What steps has the Government taken to reduce childhood obesity since the launch of the Childhood Obesity Plan one year ago?

Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Deputy Prime Minister: What justification or excuse does he have to cancel a meeting scheduled with two prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy figures this week?

TIM MACINDOE to the Minister of Transport: What roading projects is the Government delivering to support and increase economic growth in Waikato?

Hon ANNETTE KING to the Minister of Health: Is he confident that health professionals have the resources required to provide quality health outcomes for New Zealanders?

CATHERINE DELAHUNTY to the Minister of Education: How many schools in Aotearoa, including state schools and special schools, have seclusion rooms?

CARMEL SEPULONI to the Associate Minister of Social Development: How much money has the Government invested in the Growing Up in New Zealand study, broken down by development costs and annual running costs?

JOANNE HAYES to the Associate Minister of Local Government: What recent announcements has the Government made around supporting local democracy?

TRACEY MARTIN to the Minister of Education: Does she stand by all her statements?

JENNY SALESA to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment: Does he agree with the Prime Minster that a “huge number of young New Zealanders are in apprenticeships”; if so, can he confirm that there were more than 10,000 additional apprentices in 2008?

ANDREW LITTLE to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement that “we are on the cusp of something special”, given P is cheaper and easier to get, youth unemployment has risen nearly 30 percent on his watch, and the average home in Auckland now costs over $1 million?

DAVID BENNETT to the Minister of Finance: What steps is the Government taking to improve early intervention in social services as part of responsible fiscal management?

RON MARK to the Minister of Immigration: Does he stand by all his statements; if so, how?

Hon ANNETTE KING to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by Jonathan Coleman’s statement that the Government should have instigated a review of mental health services after years of evidence showing the system was failing people; if so, why is a review not needed now?

MELISSA LEE to the Minister for Social Development: What recent announcements has she made regarding young people in State care?

Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM to the Prime Minister: Will he make public the official advice, if any, he has received on the weapon status of the American, UK, Chinese, and French military ships scheduled to visit New Zealand in November; if not, why not?

FLETCHER TABUTEAU to the Minister of Finance: Does he think it is acceptable that 20 multinational companies paid just $1.8 million in income tax in 2014, despite recording nearly $10 billion in annual sales in New Zealand?

PHIL TWYFORD to the Minister for Building and Housing: Is the construction sector report released today correct, that labour productivity in the sector has increased only 1 percent since 2012; if so, will he back the industry’s call for more Government involvement in the building sector including procuring houses at scale?

MATT DOOCEY to the Minister of Education: What recent announcements has the Government made about investment in education infrastructure in Christchurch?

JAMES SHAW to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements?

STUART NASH to the Minister of Police: Does she agree with the new Police Association President Chris Cahill, who described the front line as being at “crisis point”?

IAN McKELVIE to the Associate Minister for Primary Industries: What recent announcements has she made regarding erosion-prone land?

Questions to Members

FLETCHER TABUTEAU to the Member responsible for the Land Transfer (Foreign Ownership of Land Register) Amendment Bill: Why did he introduce the Land Transfer (Foreign Ownership of Land Register) Amendment Bill?

BARBARA STEWART to the Member responsible for the Land Transfer (Foreign Ownership of Land Register) Amendment Bill: What is the intention of the Land Transfer (Foreign Ownership of Land Register) Amendment Bill?

DARROCH BALL to the Member responsible for the Land Transfer (Foreign Ownership of Land Register) Amendment Bill: Why is it necessary for the Land Transfer (Foreign Ownership of Land Register) Amendment Bill to be advanced at this time?

PITA PARAONE to the Member responsible for the Land Transfer (Foreign Ownership of Land Register) Amendment Bill: What information will the register collect?

CLAYTON MITCHELL to the Member responsible for the Land Transfer (Foreign Ownership of Land Register) Amendment Bill: What sanctions are available if a person or persons breach the Land Transfer (Foreign Ownership of Land Register) Amendment Bill?

RICHARD PROSSER to the Member responsible for the Land Transfer (Foreign Ownership of Land Register) Amendment Bill: What indications of support has he received for the Land Transfer (Foreign Ownership of Land Register) Amendment Bill?

TODD BARCLAY to the Minister of Finance: How is the Government’s management of the economy creating opportunities for New Zealanders?

ANDREW LITTLE to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement that “we are seeing a record number of houses being built”, given 2016 isn’t even in the top 5 years for number of dwelling consents issued?

Dr PARMJEET PARMAR to the Minister of Transport: What recent progress has been made on construction of the Government’s Western Ring Route motorway in Auckland?

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

Hon ANNETTE KING to the Minister of Health: Did district health boards receive enough funding in 2016/17 to meet all demographic, wage, and inflationary cost pressures; if not, what is the amount of the shortfall?

JONO NAYLOR to the Minister for Social Development: What recent announcements has she made regarding efforts to prevent reoffending by known child sex offenders?

GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister of Finance: Why did he break his commitment with respect to the New Zealand Super Fund, “when surpluses return we will resume contributions”, and will he make restarting contributions to the New Zealand Super Fund a higher priority than tax cuts?

BARBARA KURIGER to the Minister of Corrections: What is the Government doing to ensure our prisons have the capacity they need?

JAMES SHAW to the Minister of Finance: Would he act to further regulate Crown Financial Institutions if they were found to still be directly or indirectly investing in companies involved in the manufacture of cluster bombs, nuclear weapons, land mines, tobacco, or whaling?

STUART NASH to the Minister of Police: Is the Government winning its so-called “war on P”, given the drug is now cheaper, more pure, and more readily available than ever, according to the Police Association?

RON MARK to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements; if so, how?

DENISE ROCHE to the Minister for the Environment: Will he support a charge paid by customers on single-use plastic bags in order to reduce waste and provide revenue for waste-minimisation programmes and education; if not, why not?

JAMES SHAW to the Minister responsible for HNZC: How much more money will he have to give Housing New Zealand so that it can continue to operate after February 2017?

DAVID BENNETT to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on the Crown’s finances?

PHIL TWYFORD to the Minister responsible for HNZC: What changes, if any, did he make to Housing New Zealand’s draft Statement of Performance Expectations received by his office on 20 May 2016, and why has the statement still not been published five months later?

JOANNE HAYES to the Minister for Building and Housing: What reports has he received to show the Government’s housing reform programme is increasing the supply and affordability of housing?

RON MARK to the Minister of Police: Does she stand by all her statements; if so, how?

JACINDA ARDERN to the Minister of Police: Does she stand by all her statements?

NUK KORAKO to the Minister for Social Development: What recent announcements has she made regarding support for offenders into employment?

JULIE ANNE GENTER to the Minister of Health: Will he now investigate a sugary drink tax, given the World Health Organization is citing evidence that increasing taxes on such drinks will contribute to reducing obesity and improving nutritional health?

CHRIS HIPKINS to the Minister of Education: Is she satisfied that schools are receiving adequate funding to fully deliver the curriculum and offer New Zealand children the free education that the Education Act 1989 promises?

PAUL FOSTER-BELL to the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector: How is the Government working to enable growth in the social enterprise sector?

MARAMA FOX to the Minister for Social Housing: What action, if any, will she take to address the deeply held concerns of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in respect of children’s rights to an adequate standard of living and access to housing?

STUART NASH to the Minister of Police: Why did she sign off on Police’s Four Year Plan on 27 May 2016 that stated there would be no increase in Police numbers?