Oral Questions for Wednesday 17 May 2023

Questions to Ministers INGRID LEARY to the Minister of Finance: What are the priorities for Budget 2023? CHRISTOPHER LUXON to the Prime Minister: Is he satisfied with the outcomes taxpayers are getting from the increase in Government spending from $76 billion in 2017 to $129 billion in the current financial year? ARENA WILLIAMS to the Minister for Maori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti: What recent announcement has the Government made regarding Matariki celebrations? CHLÖE SWARBRICK to the Minister of Finance: Does he agree with Labour MP Grant Robertson, who said in 2014, "We will ensure that all New Zealanders get a fair go by reforming monetary policy and by ensuring that everybody pays their fair share with a tax policy where higher-income earners actually pay their tax and actually pay their fair share"; if so, is that what we can expect tomorrow? HELEN WHITE to the Minister of Housing: What action is the Government taking to increase the supply of public housing? NICOLA WILLIS to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by his statement that savings and reprioritisations in Budget 2023 will, for the most part, go "toward funding agencies' existing cost pressures", and what steps, if any, will the Budget include to reduce cost pressures for everyday taxpayers? NAISI CHEN to the Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications: What recent announcements has the Government made on expanding provincial connectivity? Hon MEKA WHAITIRI to the Minister of Revenue: Does he stand by his recent statement, "We have hard data confirming fundamental unfairness in our tax system"; if so, what specific policies, if any, has he proposed to Cabinet to address unfairness in the tax system? DAN ROSEWARNE to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: What progress can he report on the work he is doing on the pricing of groceries? ERICA STANFORD to the Minister of Education: Does she stand by all her statements and actions? BROOKE van VELDEN to the Minister of Health: Is she confident that New Zealanders are able to see their GP when they need to, or enrol with a GP at all? Hon MARK MITCHELL to the Minister of Police: Does she stand by her statement, "It is my view that New Zealanders feel safer"; if so, why?