Written questions

Asked by

Duncan Webb

Member for Christchurch Central · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  On what date did Bill English send the email referred to by the Minister when he said in question time on 15 September 2026 " I am delighted to confirm those decreases, particularly around tinned spaghetti. I received a delighted email, a…

Asked by

Julie Anne Genter

Member for Rongotai · Green Party

• (matches this search)

  What specific oversight mechanisms, if any, are in place to monitor the processing of Safeguard applications at MBIE?

Asked by

Julie Anne Genter

Member for Rongotai · Green Party

• (matches this search)

  What steps, if any, is he taking to ensure that Provisional Safeguard Duties under the Trade (Safeguard Measures) Act 2014 are treated as a priority?

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 7 September 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 7 September 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 31 August 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 31 August 2026, by title and date?

Asked by

Francisco Hernandez

List MP · Green Party

• 38920 (matches this search)

  How much, if any, was spent in the 2025/26 financial year in the Minister's departments, agencies, crown entities and any other bodies that the Minister is responsible for, if any, on artificial intelligence, including costs on training…

• 38922 (matches this search)

  How much, if any, was spent in the 2024/25 financial year in the Minister's departments, agencies, crown entities and any other bodies that the Minister is responsible for, if any, on artificial intelligence, including costs on training…

• 38931 (matches this search)

  How much, if any, was spent in the 2023/24 financial year in the Minister's departments, agencies, crown entities and any other bodies that the Minister is responsible for, if any, on artificial intelligence, including costs on training…

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 consultancy costs, from 1 July 2024 - 30 June 2025?

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 consultancy costs, from 1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026?

Asked by

Francisco Hernandez

List MP · Green Party

• (matches this search)

  How much was the total cost in New Zealand dollar terms, if any, of redundancy processes initiated, if any, in the Minister’s departments, agencies, crown entities and any other bodies that the Minister is responsible for, if any, since 27…

Asked by

Francisco Hernandez

List MP · Green Party

• (matches this search)

  How many redundancy processes have been initiated, if any, in the Minister’s departments, agencies, crown entities and any other bodies that the Minister is responsible for, if any, since 27 November 2023?

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 24 August 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 24 August 2026, by title and date?

Asked by

Megan Woods

Member for Wigram · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What assessment has the Minister made of the potential effects of increased aluminium-extrusion imports on skills retention, workforce capability, investment, and productive capacity in New Zealand manufacturing, if any?

Asked by

Megan Woods

Member for Wigram · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What further information, if any, has the Minister requested in relation to a possible provisional safeguard duty for aluminium extrusions, and on what dates was it requested?

Asked by

Megan Woods

Member for Wigram · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  How many MBIE officials or managers have held responsibility for the aluminium-extrusions safeguard investigation since the application was received, if any?

Asked by

Megan Woods

Member for Wigram · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What advice, if any, has the Minister received on the application of section 14 of the Trade (Safeguard Measures) Act 2014 to the aluminium-extrusions safeguard investigation?

Asked by

Megan Woods

Member for Wigram · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Has the Minister received a recommendation from the chief executive of MBIE on a provisional safeguard duty in respect of aluminium extrusions; if so, on what date was it received?

Asked by

Megan Woods

Member for Wigram · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  When does the Minister expect to decide whether to impose a provisional safeguard duty in respect of aluminium extrusions?

Asked by

Megan Woods

Member for Wigram · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Has the Minister or any representative of the Minister met with workers, unions, employers, or industry representatives affected by the aluminium-extrusions safeguard investigation; if so, on what dates and with whom?

Asked by

Megan Woods

Member for Wigram · Labour Party

• 37858 (matches this search)

  What information has the Minister or his office received on the change in the volume of aluminium-extrusion imports during the most recent six-month period compared with the corresponding six-month period a year earlier, if any?

• 37859 (matches this search)

  What information has the Minister received on the volume of aluminium-extrusion imports entering New Zealand between the receipt of the safeguard application and the initiation of the investigation, if any?

Asked by

Megan Woods

Member for Wigram · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  How many calendar days elapsed between the receipt of the aluminium-extrusions safeguard application and the initiation of the associated safeguard investigation, if any?

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 17 August 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 17 August 2026, by title and date?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  When will the "exposure draft of the regulations" for toy standards in New Zealand be released for public consultation; and how, if at all, can kiwi parents have their say?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  When MBIE states that "the European and American standards provide a comparable level of safety to the Australia/New Zealand joint standard" for children's toys sold in New Zealand, how is "comparable level" being assessed?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  When MBIE states that "the European and American standards provide a comparable level of safety to the Australia/New Zealand joint standard" for children's toys sold in New Zealand; what exactly is meant by "a comparable level"?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What are the "three internationally recognised safety standards" that will apply "when a parent buys a toy for their child" in New Zealand, and where can New Zealand parents see the definition of each standard?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What exactly is the definition of the "toy standards of the United States", and what methodology, if any, is being used to compare that to the current New Zealand standard?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does he agree with Consumer New Zealand that "we need our government to introduce a product safety system in Aotearoa that reflects the risks we currently face in our marketplaces"; if so, what is he doing to address consumer safety in…

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does he agree with Consumer New Zealand that for many products sold online, there has been no independent testing before they reach New Zealand homes; if so, does the Government's changes to toy standards include online sales?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What, if anything, is he doing to address the availability of potentially dangerous toys in 2026 through online marketplaces such as AliExpress?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does he agree with the Hamilton mum, quoted in the Waikato Times on 20 July 2026, that, regarding changes to toy safety standards, the Gov­ern­ment appeared to be pri­or­it­ising rel­at­ively mod­est sav­ings for busi­nesses over par­ents’…

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does he share the concern of the Hamilton mum who campaigned against asbestos in toys, quoted in the Waikato Times on 20 July 2026, that proposed Government changes to toy safety regulations will put Kiwi kids at further risk from…

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What discussions, if any, has he had with retailers of recalled children’s sand products since the AUT findings on 2 July that asbestos fibres could become airborne during simulated play?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does the Government plan to do any investigation into whether Kmart’s handling of the recall of asbestos contaminated sand products, including the information provided to consumers about the health risk, complied with the Consumer…

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Does he stand by his statement of 2 July that he is taking the matter of AUT findings of airborne asbestos in children's sand products "seriously"; if so, what actions, if any, has he taken in the last 7 weeks?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  What advice, if any, has he received from officials since the AUT findings were released on 2 July about airborne asbestos in children's sand products, and what action, if any, has he taken in response to that advice?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Is the Minister concerned that Kmart is reported to have sold 67,000 contaminated asbestos sand products in New Zealand?

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  Given the success of the Christchurch parents in the Disputes Tribunal which ordered Kmart to pay them $15,185.42 for the costs of asbestos testing and remediation, is he concerned that low-income parents might have a similar claim but…

Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  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

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

• (matches this search)

  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

• (matches this search)

  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

• (matches this search)

  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

• (matches this search)

  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

• (matches this search)

  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

• (matches this search)

  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

• (matches this search)

  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

• (matches this search)

  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?