Oral Questions for Thursday 24 July 2025

Questions to Ministers Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Does she stand by all her statements and actions? TAMATHA PAUL to the Associate Minister of Housing: Why has homelessness increased greater than the rate of population growth, while the rejection rate for emergency housing has grown to eight times what was reported a year ago? Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by his reported statement that Totara Hospice received 84 percent of its funding from the Government; if so, why does his account differ from that of the chief executive, who says the correct figure is 56 percent? RIMA NAKHLE to the Minister for Economic Growth: What recent announcements has she made? Hon KIERAN McANULTY to the Associate Minister of Housing: Does he stand by his statement, "we've been really focussed on making sure that those people with genuine need for housing are given some sort of support"? DANA KIRKPATRICK to the Minister for Tourism and Hospitality: What recent reports has she seen on tourism in New Zealand? Hon WILLOW-JEAN PRIME to the Minister of Education: Does she stand by her statement that "We want to grow, promote and support the education workforce by backing and strengthening our educators"; if so, how does offering secondary teachers the pay offer of 1 percent each year for three years back and strengthen our educators? GREG FLEMING to the Minister for Mental Health: What recent announcements has he made about Gumboot Friday? CELIA WADE-BROWN to the Minister of Local Government: Does he agree with the comments of Selwyn Mayor Sam Broughton that "There's some basic things that councils have to get involved in because central government isn't stepping up to fit the needs of local communities"; if not, why not? REUBEN DAVIDSON to the Minister for Media and Communications: Does he stand by the decision to cut funding to Radio New Zealand in Budget 2025; if so, why? MARIAMENO KAPA-KINGI to the Associate Minister of Housing: How has the Government's declining of 28 percent more emergency housing applications in March 2025 compared to the year before contributed to the Auckland, Far North, and Whangarei territorial authorities reporting the highest number of homeless whanau in Aotearoa according to the Homelessness insights report June 2025? GRANT McCALLUM to the Minister for Building and Construction: What announcements has the Government made about making building in New Zealand more affordable?