Written questions

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What aides-mémoire, briefings, memos, notes, reports, or any other advice, if any, has the Minister or their Office received during the week beginning 9 February 2026, listed by agency, title and date received?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What papers, if any, did the Minister take to Cabinet during the week beginning 9 February 2026, by title and date?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What aides-mémoire, briefings, memos, notes, reports, or any other advice, if any, has the Minister or their Office received during the week beginning 2 February 2026, listed by agency, title and date received?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What papers, if any, did the Minister take to Cabinet during the week beginning 2 February 2026, by title and date?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Regarding the new agreement on trans-Tasman standards, of the "24 joint Australian/ New Zealand standards that had become misaligned", which ones specifically were in the "consumer protection sectors", listed by title?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  How is the new agreement on trans-Tasman standards announced on 9 February a "win" for New Zealand consumers?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the "new agreement between Standards New Zealand and Standards Australia" make the cost of living in New Zealand cheaper; if yes, how?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• 4687 (matches this search)

  What initiatives, if any, does the Minister consider are "necessary" when it comes to affordability of insurance for kiwi consumers?

• 4694 (matches this search)

  What "initiatives", if any, is the Minister considering regarding insurance?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister agree with the Christchurch mother who said in 2025, following a near-death miss for her child from a corded blind accident, “I’d like to see a law put in place that would make free-hanging blind cords a thing of the…

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Is there a quantum of fatalities or serious injuries that would, in the Minister’s view, constitute sufficient harm to justify mandatory regulation of corded window coverings, and if so, what is that quantum?

Asked by

Francisco Hernandez

List MP · Green Party

• (matches this search)

  How much, if any, did the Minister’s departments, agencies, crown entities and any other bodies that the Minister is responsible for, if any, spend fixing database security breaches in the 2022 calendar year?

Asked by

Francisco Hernandez

List MP · Green Party

• (matches this search)

  How much, if any, did the Minister’s departments, agencies, crown entities and any other bodies that the Minister is responsible for, if any, spend fixing database security breaches in the 2023 calendar year?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Are mandatory safety standards for corded blinds in New Zealand included in the Government's work program in 2026, and if not, why not?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What steps would the Minister have to take to introduce any new product safety standard in New Zealand?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Government intend to do anything else beyond the MBIE education campaigns about the risks associated with corded blinds?

Asked by

Francisco Hernandez

List MP · Green Party

• (matches this search)

  How much, if any, did the Minister’s departments, agencies, crown entities and any other bodies that the Minister is responsible for, if any, spend fixing database security breaches in the 2024 calendar year?

Asked by

Francisco Hernandez

List MP · Green Party

• (matches this search)

  How much, if any, did the Minister’s departments, agencies, crown entities and any other bodies that the Minister is responsible for, if any, spend fixing database security breaches in the 2025 calendar year?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Is the Minister aware that other countries have implemented mandatory safety standards for window coverings with cords aimed at preventing child strangulation, and if so, what specific reasons, if any, prevent New Zealand from adopting…

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister agree with the NZ Herald headline that he "refuses to introduce regulatory standards for corded blinds despite toddler’s death"?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister agree with Audrey Young from the NZ Herald that blind cord safety "should be a pressing issue for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Scott Simpson"?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What criteria, if any, were used to decide which of the more than 110 standards would be adopted between Australia and New Zealand in the February 2026 announcement, and did corded blind safety not meet those criteria or were they not…

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Government intend to adopt Australian corded blind safety standards in New Zealand in future Australian-New Zealand standards rounds; if not, what is the issue, if any, preventing this from happening?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Were corded blind safety standards considered by MBIE in the draft list of New Zealand standards to be aligned with Australia, as announced in February 2026, and if so, why were they not included in the final list of 110+ standards?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Why were corded window blind safety standards not included among the over 110 new or updated standards adopted in line with Australia, which were announced February 2026?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Are there any restrictions on the types of corded blinds that can be sold in New Zealand, if so, list them by restriction and date of introduction?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Are there any corded blind safety standards in New Zealand, and if so, how does MBIE monitor compliance with them, if at all?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Government ensure that imported corded blinds meet any New Zealand safety standards, and if so, how?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What regulations, if any, currently govern the sale of corded window blinds in New Zealand?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Are there currently any mandatory safety standards for the manufacture, importation, or sale of corded window blinds in New Zealand; if so, what are they, listed by standard and effective date of introduction?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What steps, if any, has the Minister taken to improve safety standards for corded window blinds in New Zealand?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister agree with the NZ Herald that, in New Zealand today, "There are currently no mandatory regulations or enforceable requirements around blind cords – including design specifications, safety advice and the supply or…

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Has the Minister ruled out introducing mandatory regulation of corded window coverings during this Parliamentary term; if yes, on what date was that decision made?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Has any policy work been initiated by the Minister in this Parliamentary Term on regulation of corded window coverings; if yes, on what date?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Has the Minister asked for advice on the feasibility of banning the sale of new corded window coverings; if not, why not?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Has the Minister received any MBIE advice recommending consideration of mandatory product safety standards for corded window coverings, and if so, what was the title and date of this advice?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Has the Minister met with any families affected by cord-related fatalities; if not, why not?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Did MBIE include mandatory regulation as an option to address safety risks presented by corded window coverings, following its 2023 consultation process, and if so, what did that option state exactly?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Why does New Zealand continue to rely on voluntary guidance when comparable jurisdictions have implemented mandatory standards to protect children?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Has Cabinet considered mandatory regulation of corded window coverings during this term of Government; if not, why not?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister agree with the most recent coroner report, released this week, which recommends stronger regulatory intervention on corded blinds; if so, will the Government act on these recommendations?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  How many times, if any, has the Minister met with officials specifically to discuss regulation of corded window coverings since taking office?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister believe that corded window coverings are a known and preventable strangulation risk to young children in New Zealand?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister intend to report publicly on the Government’s final decision following MBIE’s 2023 consultation on window covering safety; if so, when?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Has MBIE undertaken any market surveillance testing of corded window coverings sold in New Zealand to assess compliance with voluntary guidance; if so, what were the results?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What enforcement action, if any, has been taken by MBIE or other Government agencies in the past two years against any suppliers selling unsafe corded window coverings?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister consider that the current New Zealand standard for corded blinds provides sufficient deterrence against unsafe product design; if so, on what evidence is that assessment based?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Has the Minister received any MBIE advice on the feasibility of phasing out the sale of corded window coverings over a defined transition period?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Has the Minister considered introducing an interim mandatory standard for corded blinds pending longer-term regulatory work; if not, why not?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What proportion of corded window coverings currently sold in New Zealand, if any, comply with the equivalent Australian safety standards, according to the latest data held by MBIE?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Has MBIE provided advice, if any, on whether voluntary industry compliance has reduced the incidence of injuries or fatalities from corded window coverings; if so, what were the findings?