Written questions

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister agree with Economist Michael Reddell that, with respect the outgoing Chair of the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) Mr. Stobo, "it is almost beyond belief that the chair of the FMA was director of a mortgage company,…

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  When, if at all, between the 23 March 2026 report of Wendy Alfred KC, and Mr Stobo's resignation as confirmed in the Minister's press release of 4 May 2026, did the Minister discuss this issue with the Prime Minister?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What was the total renumeration of Mr Stobo during his time as Chair of the Financial Markets Authority?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What actions, if any, did the Minister take in the 40 days between the 23 March 2026 report of Wendy Alfred KC and Mr Stobo's resignation as confirmed in the Minister's press release of 4 May 2026?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister agree with Wendy Alfred KC that Craig Stobo's conduct "fell well below the expectations of a Crown entity board chair"?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Did the Chair of the Financial Markets Authority resign by way of formal letter; if yes, will that letter be made public?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  When will a new Chair of the Financial Markets Authority be appointed?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Did the Minister ask the Chair of the Financial Markets Authority for his resignation; if so, how?

Asked by

Francisco Hernandez

List MP · Green Party

• (matches this search)

  What cost pressures within relevant portfolio Votes, if any, has the Minister been informed of since 1 January 2026?

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 27 April 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 27 April 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 20 April 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 20 April 2026, by title and date?

Asked by

Chlöe Swarbrick

Member for Auckland Central · Green Party

• (matches this search)

  What correspondence, if any, listed by date and participants, has he had with any external stakeholders on the issue of fuel price monitoring?

Asked by

Chlöe Swarbrick

Member for Auckland Central · Green Party

• (matches this search)

  What correspondence, if any, listed by date and participants, has he had with any Ministerial colleagues on the issue of fuel price monitoring?

Asked by

Chlöe Swarbrick

Member for Auckland Central · Green Party

• (matches this search)

  What advice, if any, listed by title and date, has he received on the adequacy of MBIE or the Commerce Commission's weekly fuel price monitoring?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  How many staff, if any, are in the Office of the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs as of 20 April 2026?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister agree with the Minister of Finance that "The bank lobby may be strong, but democracy is stronger and our Government won’t be cowed by the big four banks"?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister intend to reach out to kiwi victims of scams who lose amounts like NZD 250,000 in one online banking transaction?

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 on the Carbon Neutral Government Programme in the 2023/24 financial year?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister agree with Consumer New Zealand that penalties for breaches of the Fair Trading Act are comically light in New Zealand compared with in other jurisdictions?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister agree with Rural Women New Zealand that access to personal banking services in rural communities is fundamental to promoting outcomes that benefit Kiwi consumers?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What is the Minister's position, if any, on bank branch closures and their impact on communities?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  On the topic of bank branch closures, does the Minister believe that banks have put profits over the needs of the communities they serve?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What is the Government’s strategy, if any, for regulating artificial intelligence in consumer markets?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  How many applicants, if any, did the Government consider prior to the 14 April appointment of the Retirement Commissioner?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What actions, if any, is the Minister considering in 2026 to address scams of kiwi consumers involving online marketplaces?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does New Zealand currently have a centralised, government-led anti-scam centre; if no, why not?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does New Zealand need a centralised, government-led effort to filter the content of text messages for scams; if yes, what is the Minister's plan, if anything?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Should the Government lead the development of a mandatory reimbursement model for banking scams?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Has confirmation of payee now been rolled out across New Zealand banks; if not, which banks are pending?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Will the Minister consider introducing an amendment to the Fair Trading Act requiring retailers to disclose the total price upfront; if so, when?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister support an all-inclusive pricing law for New Zealand, like in Australia where businesses must prominently display the full amount a customer is required to pay?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Has the Minister considered regulation of “AI-to-AI” commercial transactions in New Zealand; if not, why not?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What advice, if any, has the Minister asked for on whether New Zealand law currently requires a company using an AI sales agent on a phone with a consumer to identify themselves as an AI sales agent rather than a human?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Should kiwi consumers be explicitly notified when interacting with an AI sales agent on the phone rather than a human; if not, why not?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What work, if any, has the Minister commissioned to officials regarding potential algorithmic collusion between competitors using shared AI tools?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister consider that consumers should have privacy protection over their purchasing data where that data is used to influence pricing; if no, why not?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• 16800 (matches this search)

  What analysis, if any, has been undertaken by the Minister or his officials of whether long-term customers are paying higher prices than new customers in sectors such as insurance?

• 16805 (matches this search)

  Does the Minister believe insurance markets are delivering fair outcomes for kiwi consumers; if yes, why?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What steps, if any, is the Minister taking to ensure that algorithmic pricing tools used by competing firms are not effectively coordinating prices without explicit human collusion?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What assessment, if any, has the Minister made of the extent to which AI-driven price personalisation is being used by retailers in New Zealand, and whether consumers should have a right to know when they are being shown a different price…

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister support stronger penalties for insolvency misconduct; if yes, how?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister believe insurance dispute resolution schemes are effective; if not, what changes are needed?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister believe consumers face excessive banking fees; if yes, what action will be taken, if anything?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister support stronger protections for Māori intellectual property; if yes, how?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister think the law of fair dealing exceptions needs reform; if yes, in what areas?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister consider patent laws fit for purpose in emerging technologies; if not, why?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister support stronger enforcement against online piracy; if yes, how?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister believe large digital platforms like Facebook Marketplace require stronger regulation; if yes, how?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Minister support reforms to prevent phoenixing behaviour; if yes, what areas of phoenixing behaviour does he consider priority for reform?