Oral Questions for Thursday 9 October 2025

Questions to Ministers DAN BIDOIS to the Minister for Economic Growth: What recent announcements has she made? TAKUTA FERRIS to the Minister for Maori Development: Does he agree with the Waitangi Tribunal's official position on the proposed name change: "We do not support changing the name from the Waitangi Tribunal to a Commission in case it leads to confusion concerning the bespoke jurisdiction we exercise"? Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Is an annual growth rate of negative 1.1 percent, three percentage points lower than forecast before the election, the result of her economic plan; if not, why not? RIMA NAKHLE to the Minister for Tourism and Hospitality: What recent announcements has she made about supporting major events and tourism in New Zealand? Hon GINNY ANDERSEN to the Minister for Economic Growth: Is her economic plan responsible for higher unemployment and more business failures; if not, why not? GRANT McCALLUM to the Minister of Conservation: What recent reports has he seen on the Hauraki Gulf? RICARDO MENÉNDEZ MARCH to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does she stand by the Government's decision to apply tightened eligibility criteria to 18- and 19-year-olds accessing jobseeker support (health condition or disability); if so, why? GLEN BENNETT to the Minister for Tourism and Hospitality: Are recent hospitality industry closures the result of the Going For Growth strategy; if not, why not? TODD STEPHENSON to the Minister for Courts: What outcomes has she seen from this Government's focus on delivering faster justice for New Zealanders? Hon JENNY SALESA to the Minister for Pacific Peoples: Does he believe that the Ministry for Pacific Peoples has a role to play in getting more Pasifika into work or training; if so, how will it address the current unemployment rate for Pasifika peoples, which is double what it was at the end of 2023 when the Government came into office? Dr VANESSA WEENINK to the Minister for Mental Health: What recent announcements has he made on the Government's mental health targets? TAMATHA PAUL to the Minister of Justice: Why are Maori disproportionately overrepresented in prison populations in Aotearoa?