Parliament - Live Stream and Question Time

Questions to Ministers Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? TIM COSTLEY to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has she seen on the economy? Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Does she stand by her statement, "On this side of the House, we take economic management extremely seriously"; if so, have her decisions since the Budget exemplified that? NANCY LU to the Minister responsible for RMA Reform: What recent announcements has he made about the Government's one-stop-shop fast-track legislation? Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS to the Minister for Energy: Does he agree with Mark Ogge, a climate and energy expert at the Australia Institute, that "only import liquefied natural gas if you like your energy very, very expensive, and if you want it to be very emissions intensive. Otherwise go for renewable energy, with storage, which is cheaper and virtually zero emissions"; if not, why not? CHLÖE SWARBRICK to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? MIKE BUTTERICK to the Minister for Energy: What steps is the Government taking to bolster New Zealand's energy security? Hon RACHEL BROOKING to the Minister responsible for RMA Reform: Does he stand by his statement that "we've replicated ... the same law that Labour adopted" about the proposed changes to the Fast-track Approvals Bill? JENNY MARCROFT to the Minister for Resources: What reports has he seen regarding the need for more resource extraction to support New Zealand's energy security? Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL to the Associate Minister of Health: Does she stand by her response to written question No. 405 (2024), "There was no specific document written. A range of information was provided to officials, including material like Hansard reports, the Coalition Agreement and previous NZ First policy positions"; if so, how is this consistent with her having now released the document in question under the Official Information Act? LAN PHAM to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? DAN BIDOIS to the Minister of Local Government: What recent announcements has he made on getting councils back to basics?

Questions to Ministers GREG FLEMING to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has she seen about the cost of living? Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS to the Minister for Energy: Has he received advice on the cost of purchasing liquefied natural gas from overseas markets; if so, what is the estimated price range provided in this advice? Dr PARMJEET PARMAR to the Minister for Children: What feedback, if any, has she received about Oranga Tamariki's work to ensure taxpayer money is being directed to where it can achieve the best outcomes for children and young people? Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Does she agree with the Prime Minister's statement, "we have delivered lower inflation"; if so, what specifically can she point to in the August Monetary Policy Statement that supports the claim that her Government has caused lower inflation? FRANCISCO HERNANDEZ to the Minister for the Public Service: Does she agree with the comments made by the Prime Minister yesterday that "central government focuses on must-haves, not nice-to-haves"; if so, were the more than 6,500, and counting, public servants whose jobs have been cut simply "nice-to-haves"? RIMA NAKHLE to the Minister of Local Government: What recent announcements has he made about getting local government back to basics? Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL to the Associate Minister of Health: Does she stand by her answer to my oral question No. 8 on 23 July, confirming that the vast majority of heated tobacco products sold in 2022 were by Philip Morris, and by the decision to grant a $216 million tax break for heated tobacco products? TOM RUTHERFORD to the Minister of Transport: What recent announcements has he made on investment in road policing? RICARDO MENÉNDEZ MARCH to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does she agree with Lifewise, who say cutting benefits for minor misdemeanors, including a missed appointment, would hurt the most vulnerable; if not, how will the traffic light system not hurt the most vulnerable? TAKUTA FERRIS to the Minister of Justice: Will he commit to reviewing the justice system to ensure it is meeting its objectives? Hon GINNY ANDERSEN to the Minister of Police: Does he agree with Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB when he marked crime 2/10, saying, "For all the noise, promises and headlines, I'm pretty sure the stats show it's going the wrong way"; if not, why not? CARL BATES to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: What recent announcements has he made about reforms to corporate governance? Hon WILLIE JACKSON to the Associate Minister of Housing: Does he stand by his statement relating to the drop in children living in emergency accommodation, "I'm not worried that some are now homeless"?

Questions to Ministers Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? TIM van de MOLEN to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has she seen on interest rates? Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by his description of Commissioner Lester Levy's view of Health New Zealand's financial situation, "it's not underfunding, it's overspending", and does he agree with that analysis? CATHERINE WEDD to the Minister of Immigration: What recent announcements has she made about supporting businesses to access critical seasonal workforces? MARK CAMERON to the Associate Minister of Justice: Why is this Government rewriting the Arms Act 1983? Hon KIERAN McANULTY to the Minister of Housing: Does he agree with the Hon Tama Potaka's statement relating to the drop in children living in emergency accommodation, "I'm not worried that some are now homeless"; if so, is that why funding for community housing providers has reduced to only 750 new places a year under his Government? SUZE REDMAYNE to the Minister of Agriculture: What is the Government doing to support the rural economy? TAMATHA PAUL to the Associate Minister of Housing: Why has the Government restricted eligibility for emergency housing despite the Ministry of Social Development's advice that "Making these changes now creates a risk of increased levels of homelessness"? PAULO GARCIA to the Associate Minister of Housing: What impact is the Priority One category having on supporting families out of emergency housing? Hon JAN TINETTI to the Minister of Education: Does she agree with President of the New Zealand Principals' Federation Leanne Otene's statement that "The draft curriculum is still being written and no child tested on it had ever been taught it. The basis for the maths achievement 'crisis' was disinformation"; if not, why not? SCOTT WILLIS to the Minister for Energy: Does he consider the electricity market is broken, in light of the current electricity crisis and significant increase in gentailer profits? JENNY MARCROFT to the Minister for Regional Development: What reports has he seen regarding regional development in New Zealand?

Questions to Ministers CHLÖE SWARBRICK to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? STUART SMITH to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has she seen on the economy? Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Does she stand by her statement, "We've acted swiftly to root-out waste, reduce bureaucracy and move resources from the back-office to the front line"; if so, is she confident New Zealanders have gained more from the tax cuts than they lost from the Budget 2024 baseline savings exercise? KATIE NIMON to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has she seen on the banking sector? RICARDO MENÉNDEZ MARCH to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Has she read the analysis in the Welfare Expert Advisory Group's 2019 report that "There is little evidence in support of using obligations and sanctions (as in the current system) to change behaviour; rather, there is research indicating that they compound social harm and disconnectedness"; if so, what specific evidence, if any, has she seen that benefit sanctions support people into employment? Hon CARMEL SEPULONI to the Minister for Disability Issues: Does she stand by all her statements made during the Disability Issues Estimates hearing at the Social Services and Community Committee on 19 June 2024? DEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? Hon WILLOW-JEAN PRIME to the Minister for Children: How many Oranga Tamariki community service providers, if any, have had their funding increased, and by how much, if anything, as a result of the Budget 2024 Reduction in Contracting Service Costs? JOSEPH MOONEY to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What recent announcements has the Government made about supporting people on the jobseeker benefit into work? Hon GINNY ANDERSEN to the Associate Minister of Justice: Does she stand by her statement, "Good legislation involves everybody, and bad legislation is usually when somebody goes off and does something by themselves ... I'm never going to be arrogant enough to think that I have the answers to everything"; if so, why? Dr HAMISH CAMPBELL to the Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology: What recent announcement has the Government made about gene technology?

Questions to Ministers RYAN HAMILTON to the Minister of Local Government: What recent announcements has he made on Local Water Done Well? HANA-RAWHITI MAIPI-CLARKE to the Minister of Health: Can he guarantee that the proposed review of the Maori and Pacific Admission Scheme, which has admitted more than 700 Maori and Pasifika students to medical school in the last 10 years, will not lead to its disestablishment? Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Does she agree with the Prime Minister's statement, "This is a country where our economy is in real trouble. This is a country where we cannot deliver health and education services as well as we need to"; if not, why not? Dr VANESSA WEENINK to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What steps is the Government taking to support people on the jobseeker benefit into work? Hon WILLIE JACKSON to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Do recent unemployment figures show New Zealand is back on track; if not, why not? JAMES MEAGER to the Minister for Building and Construction: Why is the Government reviewing the earthquake-prone building legislation? DARLEEN TANA to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries: Does he agree with the statement by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment that the Resource Management (Extended Duration of Coastal Permits for Marine Farms) Amendment Bill is a "Bill that is a case of a sledgehammer being used to crack a nut"; if not, why not? Hon GINNY ANDERSEN to the Minister for Children: What evidence does she have to substantiate her statement, "For too many years, Oranga Tamariki has been the cash cow for community service providers who say they will provide services, and then don't"? LAURA TRASK to the Minister for Children: What recent announcement has she made regarding key performance indicators for Oranga Tamariki? Hon Dr DEBORAH RUSSELL to the Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills: Does she stand by her statement that Te Pukenga is a "financial mess, drowning in debt of over $250 million"; if so, why? DANA KIRKPATRICK to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: What announcements has the Government made regarding the economic regulation of water services? KAHURANGI CARTER to the Minister for Children: Does she stand by her statement that "Savings coming from getting money back where it hasn't been used are redirected to other front-line services"; if so, how is the budget for contracted services being cut by $120 million?

Questions to Ministers Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? NANCY LU to the Minister of Finance: What approach is the Government taking to managing spending and reprioritisation in Budget 2025? CHLÖE SWARBRICK to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Does she stand by her statement, "Our Budget was very deliberate in the funding of core priorities because our priorities are the same priorities as New Zealanders"; if so, is she concerned that her priorities are disconnected from everyday New Zealanders? GRANT McCALLUM to the Minister of Education: What evidence has she seen to support her recent announcement on Make it Count, an action plan to transform maths education in New Zealand? DEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? Hon WILLIE JACKSON to the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage: Does he think it is appropriate that te reo Maori be used in an invitation for Matariki, a distinct holiday to celebrate the Maori New Year; if not, why not? Dr CARLOS CHEUNG to the Minister of Justice: What actions is the Government taking to reduce harm caused by gangs and make communities safer? Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL to the Minister of Health: Is it correct that he was advised of Health New Zealand's plan to block early access to the cancer drug Keytruda on Friday 2 August, and that he did not take action to address this issue until after it was made public? TODD STEPHENSON to the Minister of Internal Affairs: What recent announcements has she made about passports? KAHURANGI CARTER to the Minister for Children: Does she stand by the Government's Budget description of the Oranga Tamariki Contracting Service Costs savings initiative that "This initiative improves the efficiency of service delivery, with no reduction in frontline services"; if so, how is Oranga Tamariki ensuring no reduction in frontline service provision? Hon Dr DEBORAH RUSSELL to the Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills: Does she stand by her statement that "the previous government's Te Pukenga mega-merger has been nothing but an abject disaster"; if so, why?

Questions to Ministers MARK CAMERON to the Minister for Regulation: What initiatives, if any, is the Ministry for Regulation working on to improve the quality of regulations in New Zealand? Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? MILES ANDERSON to the Minister of Finance: What is the operating allowance for Budget 2025? CHLÖE SWARBRICK to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Does she stand by her statement, "Our Budget was very deliberate in the funding of core priorities because our priorities are the same priorities as New Zealanders"; if so, is she concerned that her choices are disconnected from everyday New Zealanders? TANYA UNKOVICH to the Associate Minister for Energy: What recent announcements has he made regarding fuel security? CATHERINE WEDD to the Minister of Education: What recent announcements has she made about transforming maths education? Hon WILLOW-JEAN PRIME to the Minister for Children: Does she stand by her statement that "stakeholder groups, Opposition parties, Governments, and Maori have all called for Oranga Tamariki to change. This is what change looks like"; if so, why? DEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? SUZE REDMAYNE to the Minister of Police: What feedback has he seen about Police's community beat patrols? Hon GINNY ANDERSEN to the Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence: Does she stand by her statement regarding the availability of services that support victims of family violence, "sometimes it's not about just throwing extra money at stuff. It's about making sure that the money is going to the right places. And we're working through where those gaps are and where the money we have currently got isn't being spent well and focusing it to where it is being spent well. So that is a process, and that takes time"; if so, when will that process be completed? CAMERON BREWER to the Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills: What recent actions have been taken to begin public consultation on the redesign of the vocational education and training system?

Questions to Ministers Hon CARMEL SEPULONI to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does she stand by her statement that "We are focused on lifting New Zealand families out of hardship and giving them more opportunities to get ahead by helping all who can work into jobs"? SAM UFFINDELL to the Minister of Finance: Why were tax thresholds increased yesterday? KAHURANGI CARTER to the Minister for Children: Does she stand by her statement regarding cuts to Oranga Tamariki that "There will be no financial impact and there'[ll] be no impact on the frontline services. This is a guarantee"? Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Does she stand by her statement, "It's my view that the board [of Health New Zealand] didn't even know what questions to ask"; if so, does she agree with the Prime Minister that they lacked financial literacy? TAKUTA FERRIS to the Minister of Education: Does she consider the Waitangi Tribunal's report Kei Ahotea Te Aho Matua, regarding the urgent claim made by Te Runanga Nui o Nga Kura Kaupapa Maori, is of critical importance to the educational success and achievement of tamariki and rangatahi Maori? CARL BATES to the Minister for Infrastructure: What announcements has he made about the Quarterly Investment Report? Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL to the Minister of Health: Does he agree with the Prime Minister's statement in reply to a supplementary to oral question No. 3 yesterday that "there is no hiring freeze", and what advice has he given the Prime Minister on this matter? TIM COSTLEY to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What recent announcements has the Government made about supporting young people on the jobseeker benefit into work? LAN PHAM to the Minister responsible for RMA Reform: Does he agree with the Minister who responded on behalf of the Minister responsible for RMA Reform that "there is no licence to desecrate the taiao in this process" and "within the Fast-track Approvals Bill you see various protections for the taiao"? Hon WILLOW-JEAN PRIME to the Minister for Children: Does she stand by her statement about cuts to Oranga Tamariki that there will be no financial impact and no impact on front-line services and that this is a guarantee? Dr VANESSA WEENINK to the Minister for Tourism and Hospitality: What announcements has he made regarding the Regional Events Promotion Fund? Hon GINNY ANDERSEN to the Minister of Police: Does he stand by his statement, regarding leaving the Police force in a better position than he found it in terms of morale, culture, pay, job satisfaction, and safety, "that is what I'm here for, and that is what I spend most of my waking hours working hard to do"?

Questions to Ministers KATIE NIMON to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has she seen about tax relief for New Zealanders? TODD STEPHENSON to the Associate Minister of Health: What recent reports, if any, has he seen on Pharmac's obligations to consider the Treaty of Waitangi in its decisions? Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? RAWIRI WAITITI to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? CHLÖE SWARBRICK to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS to the Minister of Climate Change: Does he agree with the Prime Minister's statement that "we are very confident we can grow the economy and deliver on our emissions targets and goals"; if so, is this consistent with the Climate Change Commission's independent finding released yesterday that "there are significant risks to meeting the second and third emissions budgets"? Dr HAMISH CAMPBELL to the Minister of Housing: What recent announcements has he made about making it easier to build houses in New Zealand? Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by his decision to appoint a commissioner to Health New Zealand, and does he agree that "challenges with the operating model and governance of Health New Zealand had been identified from the early days of its establishment, in large part deriving from a lack of transparency from the Board", as stated in a Cabinet paper from 22 July? TOM RUTHERFORD to the Minister of Justice: What actions is the Government taking to ensure real consequences for crime? KAHURANGI CARTER to the Minister for Children: Does she stand by her statement regarding cuts to Oranga Tamariki that "There will be no financial impact and there'[ll] be no impact on the frontline services. This is a guarantee"? Hon Dr DEBORAH RUSSELL to the Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills: Does she stand by all her answers to oral question No. 10 on 30 July 2024, and oral question No. 5 on 8 May 2024; if not, why not? DAN BIDOIS to the Minister for Mental Health: What recent announcement has he made regarding the Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund?

Questions to Ministers Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Does she stand by her statement, "The rising number of visitors to our tax calculator reflects Kiwis' keen interest in understanding how the Budget will personally benefit them through the savings we've achieved and the tax relief we're implementing"; if so, how many of the 513,000 people that have used the calculator are unique individuals? KAHURANGI CARTER to the Minister for Children: What does she say to Tupua Urlich, a survivor of abuse in State care, who said of the proposal to repeal section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act, "We know time and time again they place children with strangers who go on to physically, sexually and mentally abuse these children." and "Whanau means more than mum, and dad and uncles - we have a wider hapu and iwi. There is no way the state can turn around and say there is no one safe enough to look after these children"? RYAN HAMILTON to the Minister of Finance: When was the last time personal income tax rates or thresholds were adjusted? Hon WILLOW-JEAN PRIME to the Minister for Children: Does she stand by all her statements and actions? MIKE BUTTERICK to the Minister of Transport: What recent announcements has he made about the Wairarapa and Manawatu commuter rail lines? Hon GINNY ANDERSEN to the Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence: Does she stand by her statement, "I expect people to be able to get the right response for their needs"? RICARDO MENÉNDEZ MARCH to the Minister for Child Poverty Reduction: Why has she made the choice to set child poverty targets for 2026/27, which would mean that approximately 17,000 more children experience material hardship than under the 2023/2024 target? PAULO GARCIA to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What steps is the Government taking to reduce the number of people receiving the jobseeker support benefit? Hon DAVID PARKER to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Does he accept the International Court of Justice ruling that Israel is acting illegally as an occupying force in Gaza; if so, why has he not said so? Dr VANESSA WEENINK to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: What recent steps has the Government taken to establish a consumer data right in New Zealand? MARIAMENO KAPA-KINGI to the Lead Coordination Minister for the Government's Response to the Royal Commission's Report into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions: How many of the 138 recommendations from the Whanaketia report on historical abuse in State care and faith-based institutions will the Government commit to adopting, if any? ARENA WILLIAMS to the Minister for Building and Construction: Do "People who are actively engaged in building homes in this country" tell him that building colder, damper houses, with less insulation, will result in more houses being built?

Questions to Ministers TANYA UNKOVICH to the Associate Minister of Police: What action is being taken to boost Police recruitment? NANCY LU to the Minister of Finance: How many people have used the Budget 2024 tax calculator? Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? CHLÖE SWARBRICK to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his Government's statements and actions? GRANT McCALLUM to the Minister of Transport: What recent announcements has he made on the four-lane roads of national significance between Auckland and Northland? Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Does she stand by her statement that "The Budget we delivered in May was a careful combination of investment in frontline services whilst also continuing to do our bit to keep inflation down"; if so, what specific initiative in her Budget, if any, can she point to that will reduce inflation? SCOTT WILLIS to the Minister for Building and Construction: Are new houses in New Zealand too well insulated; if not, why is he considering rolling back insulation standards? Hon SCOTT SIMPSON to the Minister of Conservation: What recent announcements has he made about conservation funding? Hon CARMEL SEPULONI to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does she stand by her statement that "We are focused on lifting New Zealand families out of hardship and giving them more opportunities to get ahead by helping all who can work into jobs"; if so, why has the number of beneficiaries continued to rise across the country? CAMERON BREWER to the Minister for Building and Construction: What announcements has the Government made about remote inspections? MARK CAMERON to the Minister of Internal Affairs: What recent announcements has she made about lotteries for charitable purposes? Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL to the Minister of Health: Does he agree with Health New Zealand Commissioner Lester Levy that "we don't need more money"; if so, on what date did he first become aware that HNZ was on track for significant overspend?

Questions to Ministers CATHERINE WEDD to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has she seen on the economy? Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? CAMERON LUXTON to the Minister for Children: What recent announcements has she made about addressing youth crime? Dr CARLOS CHEUNG to the Minister of Health: What steps has the Government taken to improve the performance of Health New Zealand and to deliver better health outcomes for New Zealanders? Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Does she stand by her statement that "The Budget we delivered in May was a careful combination of investment in frontline services whilst also continuing to do our bit to keep inflation down"; if so, did she refuse any requests of funding for additional frontline services? CHLÖE SWARBRICK to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his Government's statements and actions? CARL BATES to the Minister of Transport: What recent announcements has he made about fixing potholes? Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL to the Associate Minister of Health: Is it correct that annual returns submitted to the Ministry of Health show $4,044,956.49 worth of heated tobacco products were sold in New Zealand in 2022, and that $3,924,816.06 of those sales were by the tobacco company Philip Morris? RIMA NAKHLE to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What changes has the Government made to support young people into work? DEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER to the Minister for Maori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti: Does he believe that the Government has a responsibility to uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi? Hon GINNY ANDERSEN to the Minister of Police: Does he stand by his statement relating to his position as Minister of Police, "Absolutely, I stand by my statement that if people haven't seen a change, then I should leave and someone else should come in"? HUHANA LYNDON to the Minister of Health: In what specific sectors of Te Whatu Ora has overspending occurred, and was it raised with him in the last eight months of the Crown observer appointment?

Questions to Ministers Hon WILLOW-JEAN PRIME to the Minister for Children: Does she stand by all her statements and actions? HANA-RAWHITI MAIPI-CLARKE to the Minister of Justice: Does he stand by his statements and actions? TIM van de MOLEN to the Minister of Finance: What changes come into effect on 1 July? Hon Dr DEBORAH RUSSELL to the Minister of Revenue: Is he confident that all wage and salary earners will receive the full tax benefits, as outlined in Budget 2024 and the Tax at a Glance leaflet, on their first pay day on or after 31 July 2024; if not, why not? RICARDO MENÉNDEZ MARCH to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does she support disabled people being paid as low as $2 per hour due to minimum wage exemptions; if not, why did she discontinue the wage supplement that would replace exemptions while protecting existing jobs? JOSEPH MOONEY to the Minister of Transport: What announcements has he made about land transport investment in New Zealand? Hon GINNY ANDERSEN to the Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence: Does she stand by her statement regarding the development of a family violence reduction target, "I didn't feel it was appropriate to have a target in this space"; if so, is the reason she did not feel it was appropriate because justice sector Ministers were advised that family violence victimisations are unlikely to change over a 3- to 6-month period? SUZE REDMAYNE to the Minister of Agriculture: What actions has the Government taken to support the primary sector? LAN PHAM to the Minister of Conservation: Does he agree that every Government, no matter their politics, has a duty of care on behalf of all New Zealanders in the conservation of Te Taiao? Hon PEENI HENARE to the Minister for Maori Development: What reports, if any, has he seen regarding his support for cuts to Matariki funding by 45 percent in Budget '24? MIKE BUTTERICK to the Minister for Building and Construction: What announcements has the Government made about building and construction? Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN to the Minister of Conservation: Does he stand by all his statements made at the Estimates hearing of the Environment Committee on 18 June?

Questions to Ministers Hon MARAMA DAVIDSON to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his Government's statements and actions? RYAN HAMILTON to the Minister of Finance: What was the final operating allowance in Budget 2024? Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? Dr PARMJEET PARMAR to the Associate Minister of Justice: How will the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill ensure consequences for repeat serious violent and sexual offenders while delivering justice for victims? ANDY FOSTER to the Minister for Regional Development: What announcements has he made about investing in regional economic growth? Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS to the Minister of Finance: Does she stand by her statement that her Budget will have "less verbiage, fewer pretty pictures, and a lot more substance"; if not, why not? DAN BIDOIS to the Minister of Justice: What recent announcements has the Government made about law and order? Hon MARAMA DAVIDSON to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his Government's statements and actions? TANGI UTIKERE to the Minister for State Owned Enterprises: Does he stand by his answers to oral question No. 10 yesterday that the KiwiRail iReX contract with Hyundai has been "repudiated and ongoing discussions are continuing around the exit cost of that"; if so, was that repudiation a unilateral decision by KiwiRail or agreed by all parties? KATIE NIMON to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What recent changes, if any, has the Government made to contribute to the target to have 50,000 fewer people on the jobseeker benefit by 2030? CAMILLA BELICH to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety: Will she take steps to progress work on addressing modern slavery and exploitation in New Zealand's supply chain; if so, when? TIM COSTLEY to the Minister for Building and Construction: What announcements has the Government made about making it easier to build granny flats?

Questions to Ministers SAM UFFINDELL to the Minister of Finance: What recent announcements has she made about personal income tax? Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? DEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his Government's statements and actions? Dr HAMISH CAMPBELL to the Minister of Health: What recent announcements has the Government made about increasing access to medicines? Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS to the Minister of Finance: Does she stand by her statement that "I can swear, better times are ahead"; if so, how many additional people will be unemployed in 2025 according to her Budget? LAURA TRASK to the Associate Minister of Health: What announcements has he made about delivering more medicines to New Zealanders? CHLÖE SWARBRICK to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his Government's statements and actions? Hon CARMEL SEPULONI to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does she stand by all her statements made at the Estimates hearing of the Social Services and Community Committee on 19 June? Dr VANESSA WEENINK to the Minister of Education: What recent announcements has she made about specialist schools in New Zealand? TANGI UTIKERE to the Minister for State Owned Enterprises: Can he guarantee that the Government's replacement ferries for the Cook Strait will be cheaper than those to be delivered in the cancelled iReX project; if not, why not? TAMATHA PAUL to the Minister for Children: Does she agree with the Chief Children's Commissioner, who said on the creation of the Young Serious Offender category and military-style bootcamps that she wants "to see an approach that helps to rehabilitate these young people and help them on to a better pathway, rather than labelling them"; if not, is she taking an approach that will have "unnecessarily punitive impacts" on young people? TOM RUTHERFORD to the Minister of Police: What recent announcements has Police made about deployments in our city centres?

Questions to Ministers Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? CHLÖE SWARBRICK to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his Government's statements and actions? NANCY LU to the Minister of Finance: What impending announcements is she planning on the Budget? Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Will her Budget be a success if families do not get the $250 per fortnight as outlined in the fiscal plan and if it causes inflation to stay higher for longer? GREG FLEMING to the Minister of Education: What recent announcements has she made on improving education outcomes for New Zealand children? Hon KIERAN McANULTY to the Minister of Housing: On what date, if any, did he seek Cabinet committee approval for the structure and makeup of the review into Kainga Ora? JAMES MEAGER to the Minister of Justice: What recent statistics has he seen on victims of crime? Hon WILLIE JACKSON to the Minister for Maori Development: Does he stand by his statement that the Treaty "is fundamental to our nation"? TANYA UNKOVICH to the Minister for Resources: What announcements has he made on doubling the value of New Zealand's mineral exports by 2035? MIKE BUTTERICK to the Minister of Police: What commentary has he seen on Police's announcement of the National Gang Unit? GLEN BENNETT to the Minister for Economic Development: Does she agree with the Auditor-General that public sector organisations must have "clear policy, guidance, and procedures to manage the risks to procurement processes that can arise from actual, potential, and perceived conflicts of interest"?

Questions to Ministers DEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? STUART SMITH to the Minister of Finance: What recent announcements has she made about the Budget? Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS to the Prime Minister: Does he agree with the then Leader of the Opposition, Christopher Luxon, who stated on 19 September 2023, regarding the National Party's proposed tax cuts, that "for an average household income family with young kids, that would mean $250 a fortnight"? CHLÖE SWARBRICK to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his Government's statements and actions? RIMA NAKHLE to the Minister of Housing: What announcements has he made regarding social housing places? Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Does she stand by her statement, "These savings and revenue initiatives are the same as those in the National Party's tax plan, with some adjustment to reflect coalition agreements"? LAURA TRASK to the Associate Minister of Education: What progress has he made in making student attendance data more available? Hon KIERAN McANULTY to the Minister of Housing: Does he stand by his statement that the review into Kainga Ora was "thorough"? Hon MARAMA DAVIDSON to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his Government's statements and actions? CARL BATES to the Minister of Education: What recent pre-Budget education announcements has she made? Hon JAN TINETTI to the Minister of Education: How many, if any, teachers will lose their jobs due to cuts to Reading Recovery? Dr CARLOS CHEUNG to the Minister for Mental Health: What comments has he seen regarding his recent announcement about Gumboot Friday?

Questions to Ministers TANYA UNKOVICH to the Prime Minister: What update can he provide on the coalition Government's commitment to Gumboot Friday? HON CARMEL SEPULONI to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? RICARDO MENÉNDEZ MARCH to the Associate Minister of Immigration: Is she committed to ensuring that disabled asylum seekers and refugees face no barriers to obtaining residency on the basis of their disability; if so, why are their residency applications tested against the "acceptable standards of health" requirements? GRANT MCCALLUM to the Minister of Transport: What recent announcements has he made on roadside drug testing? HON BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Does she stand by her statement that "our tax cuts will reduce inflationary pressures"? SUZE REDMAYNE to the Minister of Agriculture: What actions has the Government taken to reduce regulatory burden on the primary sector? HON KIERAN MCANULTY to the Minister of Housing: Does he stand by his statement that "The Government has made a deliberate choice to reprioritise low value expenditure to more important policy priorities"; if so, does he consider the provision of transitional housing places "low value expenditure"? JAMIE ARBUCKLE to the Associate Minister for Regional Development: What update can he provide from his recent trip to the South Island? CAMERON BREWER to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: What steps has the Government taken to encourage greater competition through the introduction of the Customer and Product Data Bill? HON PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN to the Minister for Disability Issues: Why have disability support funding criteria changed recently to now exclude the use of funding during school hours, and does she accept that many disabled people and children rely on flexible funding to be able to access critical support? MARIAMENO KAPA-KINGI to the Minister of Local Government: What is his response to the Waitangi Tribunal's finding regarding his bill to reinstate binding polls on Maori wards that "the Crown has breached the Treaty principle of partnership by prioritising coalition agreement commitments and completely failing to consult with its Treaty partner or any other stakeholders"? CELIA WADE-BROWN to the Minister of Local Government: Is he concerned that over 50 of the country's mayors and regional council chairpeople have signed an open letter opposing mandatory referendums for Maori wards; if so, why is he introducing legislation that directly overrides local government?

Questions to Ministers RT HON CHRIS HIPKINS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? HON MARAMA DAVIDSON to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his Government's statements and actions? TIM VAN DE MOLEN to the Minister of Finance: What does the operating balance excluding gains and losses (OBEGAL) measure? HON BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Does she stand by her answers to oral questions on Tuesday, 21 May? PAULO GARCIA to the Minister of Housing: What announcements has he made regarding social housing? HON KIERAN MCANULTY to the Minister of Housing: Is it correct, as reported yesterday on Newshub, that the Government intends to scrap grants to first-home buyers? MARIAMENO KAPA-KINGI to the Minister for Children: Does she stand by all her statements and actions in relation to the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill? HON NICOLE MCKEE to the Minister for Children: What reports, if any, has she seen on section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989? HON GINNY ANDERSEN to the Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence: Does she agree with the omission of a reduction in family violence from the Prime Minister's Public Service targets? TAMATHA PAUL to the Minister of Housing: Does he believe everyone in New Zealand should have a secure home; if so, how does he reconcile this with his Government's intention to make it easier to evict people from their homes? CATHERINE WEDD to the Associate Minister of Transport: What recent announcements has he made regarding lifeguards and Coastguard? HON WILLOW-JEAN PRIME to the Minister for Children: Does she stand by her expectation of Oranga Tamariki "that the best interests of our young people are at the forefront of all their decision making"?

Questions to Ministers CHLÖE SWARBRICK to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? MILES ANDERSON to the Minister of Finance: What announcements has she made about the operating allowance for Budget 2024? RT HON CHRIS HIPKINS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? KATIE NIMON to the Minister of Housing: What announcements has he made regarding the independent review into Kainga Ora? HON BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: What reports, if any, has she seen to confirm that the economic conditions are right for delivering tax cuts, and will she commit to them applying from 1 July 2024? KAHURANGI CARTER to the Minister for Children: Does she agree with reports that the repeal of section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 could cripple trust built up with Maori communities and put vulnerable children at greater risk? TIM COSTLEY to the Minister of Transport: What recent announcements has he made on roads of regional significance? HON DR MEGAN WOODS to the Minister responsible for RMA Reform: Does he agree with the Prime Minister's statement on 8 May referring to West Wind that "Well, what I am very well aware of is it took eight years to consent a simple wind farm not very far from this place here in Wellington"? JOSEPH MOONEY to the Minister of Police: What recent announcements has Police made about the policing of gangs? HON WILLOW-JEAN PRIME to the Minister for Children: Does she stand by the decision to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989? LAURA TRASK to the Associate Minister of Education (Partnership Schools): What recent announcements has he made about lifting educational outcomes? RAWIRI WAITITI to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his Government's statements and actions?