Oral Questions for Thursday 17 July 2025

Questions to Ministers Hon CARMEL SEPULONI to the Minister for Women: Does she stand by all her statements and actions regarding pay equity? TAKUTA FERRIS to the Minister of Justice: What safeguards, if any, will he put in place to ensure that the Government's proposed citizen's arrest changes won't "lead to unreasonable use of force and unlawful detention" as is highlighted by the Ministry of Justice in the regulatory impact statement? DAN BIDOIS to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has she seen on the economy? Hon WILLOW-JEAN PRIME to the Minister of Education: How many Resource Teacher Literacy and Resource Teacher Maori jobs will be lost as a result of the Government's decision to defund these roles? LAN PHAM to the Associate Minister for the Environment: Is the Minister concerned about the state of freshwater quality following a Statistics New Zealand indicator showing that over the past five years, drinking water pollution levels were exceeded in at least 45 percent of sites for E. coli and 12 percent of sites for nitrates? DANA KIRKPATRICK to the Minister responsible for RMA Reform: What announcements has he made regarding the transition to the Government's new planning system? Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by his statement that his mission is to ensure that "all New Zealanders can access the timely and quality access to healthcare that they all deserve"; if so, is he confident that this is happening? DAVID MacLEOD to the Minister of Health: What recent announcements have been made about making it easier for internationally trained doctors to work in New Zealand? SHANAN HALBERT to the Minister for Vocational Education: How many jobs at polytechnics have been cut, or are proposed to be cut, since she took office? TAMATHA PAUL to the Minister for Vocational Education: Does she stand by her statement that the Government's plan for polytechnics will "set the sector up for long-term economic and learning success"; if so, is she concerned about Whitirea and Weltec closing their creative arts campus and Toi Ohomai proposing to close their Tokoroa and Taupo campuses? JOSEPH MOONEY to the Minister of Education: What recent announcements has she made about school property? ARENA WILLIAMS to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: Why is he proposing changing the law in ways that could undermine claims by 150,000 New Zealanders against two Australian-owned banks totalling $600 million?