Written questions

Asked by

Francisco Hernandez

List MP · Green Party

• What advice, if any, has the Minister received regarding Student Services Fees, listed by title and date?

Asked by

Francisco Hernandez

List MP · Green Party

• What advice, if any, has the Minister requested regarding Student Services Fees?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• Will the Minister commit to reviewing the Government’s response to the Kmart asbestos-sand recall in light of the Disputes Tribunal decision, including whether changes are needed to ensure consumers receive accurate risk information and…

Asked by

Megan Woods

Member for Wigram · Labour Party

• What is the total number of Kainga Ora houses sold since 1 December 2023, and how many of these sales have been in Christchurch?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• Given the Disputes Tribunal finding in favour of the Christchurch parents vs Kmart, will the Minister encourage Kmart to review and compensate other affected families?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• Does the Minister have confidence that the current product-recall system is capable of responding appropriately when a children’s product is found to contain a hazardous substance such as asbestos; if so, what evidence supports that…

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• Does the Minister believe that consumers should not have to take a major retailer to the Disputes Tribunal to recover reasonable costs arising from an unsafe product recall; if so, what will he do to prevent other families facing the same…

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• Following the Disputes Tribunal decision, has the Minister asked for any advice on how many families who purchased the recalled Kmart sand have incurred costs beyond the price of the product itself; if so, how many, and what compensation…

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• Does the Minister accept the Disputes Tribunal’s finding about Kmart and asbestos contaminated children's sand products; if so, what action is he taking in response to those findings?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• Following the Disputes Tribunal decision, will the Minister ask MBIE to review whether the existing consumer protection framework is adequate when consumers incur substantial costs responding to a recalled product that is subsequently…

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• Does the Minister consider it acceptable that Christchurch parents had to spend more than $15,000 testing, cleaning and remediating their home before receiving compensation from Kmart; if so, why?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• Has the Minister sought advice on whether Kmart’s original advice to consumers that the contaminated sand presented a low risk was accurate; if not, why not?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• Given the Disputes Tribunal ruling against Kmart, what does the Minister believe is the best mechanism for ensuring all affected New Zealand consumers get compensation for related losses, including professional cleaning costs, for asbestos…

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• Has he or his officials met with the AUT research team that found airborne asbestos in some of the recalled children's sand products; if so, when?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• Has he briefed the Prime Minister about the AUT testing that airborne asbestos was found in some of the recalled children's sand products; if so, when?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• Is New Zealand consumer law fit for purpose in 2026 to ensure redress for product safety failure; if not, what changes are required?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• With regard to asbestos contaminated children's sand products, does the Minister agree with Kmart's statement on 18 August that "When the matter became known to us, we acted quickly by removing affected products from sale, issuing recall…

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• Does the Minister agree with Disputes Tribunal Referee Cynthia Hawes that, in respect of the asbestos contaminated sand sold by Kmart in New Zealand, the sand should not have been offered for sale; if so, should it still be available for…

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• 37143

  Does the Minister agree with Consumer New Zealand that "our market place has dramatically changed from major retailers like Kmart selling thousands of goods to people shopping on platforms like Temu and Ali Express, and we really need the…

• 37144

  Does the Minister agree with Disputes Tribunal Referee Cynthia Hawes that "I do not think that any reasonable parent, acquainted with the fact that the moulding sand contained asbestos, and regardless of the quantity or proportion in the…

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• Since the AUT study showing that airborne asbestos was found in some of the recalled products., has the Government taken any action related to contaminated asbestos sand products; if so, what exactly?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• Given this Disputes Tribunal decision, will the Minister intervene with Kmart to encourage them to provide consumers with financial compensation for testing of contaminated asbestos sand products?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• Has the Minister read the decision of the Disputes Tribunal which ordered Kmart to pay Christchurch parents $15,185.42 for the costs of asbestos testing and remediation; if so, will he take any action?

Asked by

Francisco Hernandez

List MP · Green Party

• What advice, if any, has the Minister received regarding any student loan changes, since 27 November 2023 - listed by title, date and topics covered?

Asked by

Scott Willis

List MP · Green Party

• Which schools will be part of the first 100 solar installations to be completed by mid-2027, listed by name and when does the Minister expect the first installation to be complete?

Asked by

Francisco Hernandez

List MP · Green Party

• What advice, if any, has the Minister requested regarding student loan changes, since 27 November 2023 - detailed by the substance of any advice requested?

Asked by

Francisco Hernandez

List MP · Green Party

• What automated approvals, if any, are currently operating either with or without human oversight within the Minister’s departments, agencies, crown entities and any other bodies that the Minister is responsible for, if any?

Asked by

Scott Willis

List MP · Green Party

• What advice, briefings, reports, or any other document, if any, has the Minister received on global LNG prices since May 1, 2026, listed by title and date?

Asked by

Lan Pham

List MP · Green Party

• What advice, if any, listed by date and title, did the Minister receive to assist with the writing of his undated letter to "Mayors, Chairs and Chief Executives" of councils "regarding the use of climate change assumptions in council…

Asked by

Lan Pham

List MP · Green Party

• Will the New Zealand Flood Map include any flood modelling based on a high-emissions climate impact scenario, such as SSP5-8.5 (Shared Socio-economic Pathway 5-8.5)?

Asked by

Lan Pham

List MP · Green Party

• Has the Minister met with any representatives from Local Government New Zealand, such as Mayor Rehette Stoltz (the President), since the receipt of their letter dated 16 July 2026 "LGNZ response to use of climate change assumptions letter…

Asked by

Lan Pham

List MP · Green Party

• Did the Ministry for the Environment recommend the use of a high-emissions pathway for use in the preparation of the first generation of the New Zealand Flood Map, in the briefing 26-BRF-00956 'The use of climate projections in the first…

Asked by

Ricardo Menéndez March

List MP · Green Party

• Will the government still release the advice they have received on supermarket divestment before the end of the parliamentary term, and if so, when?

Asked by

Lan Pham

List MP · Green Party

• What company, organisation, or agency, if any, has the Government contracted to prepare the first generation of the New Zealand Flood Map?

Asked by

Lan Pham

List MP · Green Party

• Which climate impact future scenario, or scenarios, if any, was the Minister recommended NOT to use by the Ministry for the Environment and/or any of its contractors in the preparation of the first generation of the New Zealand Flood Map?

Asked by

Lan Pham

List MP · Green Party

• Which climate impact future scenario, or scenarios, if any, has the Minister directed the Ministry for the Environment and/or any of its contractors NOT to use to prepare the first generation of the New Zealand Flood Map?

Asked by

Lan Pham

List MP · Green Party

• Which climate impact future scenario, or scenarios, if any, were recommended to the Minister by the Ministry for the Environment and/or any of its contractors for use in the preparation of the first generation of the New Zealand Flood Map?

Asked by

Lan Pham

List MP · Green Party

• Which climate impact future scenario, or scenarios, if any, has the Minister directed the Ministry for the Environment and/or any of its contractors to use to prepare the first generation of the New Zealand Flood Map?

Asked by

Lan Pham

List MP · Green Party

• Does the Minister agree with the approach to climate impact modelling used in the United Kingdom, where "the climate change allowances that underpin both the National Flood Risk Assessment 2 (NaFRA2, December 2024) and the Flood Map for…

Asked by

Lan Pham

List MP · Green Party

• Does the Minister agree with the consideration of "multiple future climate conditions for adaptation decision-making and risk management", as is now "widely accepted... best practice", as noted by the Ministry for the Environment in the…

Asked by

Lan Pham

List MP · Green Party

• Does the Minister agree with the "use of a single high-end emissions pathway" for land-use planning decisions, which remains current practice in leading jurisdictions including the UK and Australia, as noted in the briefing 26-BRF-00956…

Asked by

Lan Pham

List MP · Green Party

• What were the "Recommended actions" from the Ministry for the Environment numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4 in the briefing dated 19/05/2026 titled 26-BRF-00956 "The use of climate projections in the first generation of the New Zealand Flood Map"?

Asked by

Lan Pham

List MP · Green Party

• Who are the members of the Climate Priorities Ministerial Group, mentioned in the briefing dated 19/05/2026 and titled 26-BRF-00956 "The use of climate projections in the first generation of the New Zealand Flood Map"?

Asked by

Steve Abel

List MP · Green Party

• Have discussions with the United States regarding a proposed critical minerals framework stalled or ceased, if so, why?

Asked by

Vanushi Walters

List MP · Labour Party

• Does the "Request for change of legal status, 31 July 2026" listed in the reply to WQ 34561 (2026) relate to any current or contemplated litigation involving the Crown; if so, which proceedings?

Asked by

Steve Abel

List MP · Green Party

• In what meetings, if any, with the United States has a critical minerals framework been discussed by representatives of the New Zealand Government, listed by date and attendees since May 1, 2026?

Asked by

Vanushi Walters

List MP · Labour Party

• Has the Attorney-General made a decision in respect of the "Request for change of legal status, 31 July 2026" listed in the reply to WQ 34561 (2026); if so, what was that decision and on what date was it made?

Asked by

Steve Abel

List MP · Green Party

• Have discussions with the United States regarding a proposed critical minerals framework stalled or ceased, if so, why?

Asked by

Vanushi Walters

List MP · Labour Party

• Who or what agency made the request referred to in the Crown Law document "Request for change of legal status, 31 July 2026" listed in the reply to WQ 34561 (2026), and on what date was the request made?

Asked by

Vanushi Walters

List MP · Labour Party

• Regarding the Crown Law document "Request for change of legal status, 31 July 2026" listed in the reply to WQ 34561 (2026), to what person, entity, office, or proceeding does the requested change of legal status relate?

Asked by

Vanushi Walters

List MP · Labour Party

• What actions, if any, has the Attorney-General taken as a result of receiving the Crown Law briefing "Pay equity High Court hearing, 31 July 2026" listed in the reply to WQ 34561 (2026)?