Our programme this morning is completely devoted to the aftermath of yesterday's Christchurch earthquake. Civil Defence says rescue teams in Christchurch are still recovering people alive who have been trapped in buildings in the city overnight. The emergency department at Christchurch Hospital is extremely busy with many seriously injured people. After an emergency cabinet meeting yesterday, the Prime Minister flew to Christchurch to view the aftermath of the quake first hand. Numerous stories, some of survival, others more tragic are emerging in the aftermath of the quake.
'The Politician' cartoon strip. A member of the government staff reads in a newspaper 'These emergency powers they've given the minister are the equivalent of war powers' and he adds 'and he's making the most of them!' The second frame shows a minister wearing a military uniform with cap that includes copious braiding and medals; he is sitting behind a desk labelled 'Minister General'. Context - Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) will be established as a stand-alone government department to enable an effective, timely and co-ordinated rebuilding and recovery effort in Canterbury. The controversial bill empowers the new Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (Cera) to take control of councils it believes are failing on reconstruction work.
Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
Questions to Ministers
1. Hon PHIL GOFF to the Prime Minister: Does he have confidence in all his Ministers?
2. METIRIA TUREI to the Acting Minister of Energy and Resources: What emergency response, safety, and environmental protection provisions, if any, were included in the permit granted to Anadarko Petroleum Corporation to undertake deepwater oil exploration and drilling in the Canterbury Basin?
3. SIMON BRIDGES to the Minister of Finance: What signs are there that New Zealanders are saving more?
4. GRANT ROBERTSON to the Prime Minister: Does he have confidence in his Minister of Health?
5. JOHN HAYES to the Minister for Communications and Information Technology: What benefit will rural communities receive from the Rural Broadband Initiative signed last month?
6. SUE MORONEY to the Prime Minister: Does he have confidence in his Minister of Education?
7. MELISSA LEE to the Minister of Corrections: How are Corrections Department staff showing support for their Christchurch colleagues following the earthquake?
8. DAVID SHEARER to the Minister of Defence: Does he agree with all of the statements made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs on that Minister's use of RNZAF aircraft to travel to Vanuatu in February of this year?
9. KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI to the Minister of Customs: What recent reports has he received on the success of SmartGate?
10. CLARE CURRAN to the Prime Minister: Does he have confidence in the Minister for Communications and Information Technology?
11. KEITH LOCKE to the Minister of Defence: Did the New Zealand Defence Force, when preparing their response dated 2 May 2011, talk to any of the Afghan civilians interviewed by Jon Stephenson in the Metro article "Eyes Wide Shut" and seen on the subsequent 60 Minutes TV special; if so, who?
12. HONE HARAWIRA to the Acting Minister of Energy and Resources: Does the survey and drilling arrangement between the Government and Petrobras have the prior and informed consent of Te-Whanau-a-Apanui; if not, will this lack of consent breach the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples?
