logo
Oral Questions for 22 July 2025

Oral Questions for 22 July 2025

RNZ News2 days ago
Questions to Ministers NANCY LU to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has she seen on the economy? RICARDO MENÉNDEZ MARCH to the Minister for Child Poverty Reduction: Does she agree with the findings of the Below the Income Floor: Modelling Income Adequacy for Low-Income New Zealand Households 2018 - 2026 report; if not, why not? Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? DAN BIDOIS to the Minister for Infrastructure: What recent announcements has he made about getting infrastructure built in New Zealand? Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Does she stand by all her statements and actions? TODD STEPHENSON to the Associate Minister of Health: What recent announcements has he made about Pharmac? RYAN HAMILTON to the Minister of Health: What recent announcements has the Government made about strengthening New Zealand's domestically trained doctor workforce? ARENA WILLIAMS to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: Does he stand by his statement that "Having better competition means that we can bring down the cost of living for Kiwis"; if so, what is he doing, if anything, that reduces the cost of living? RAWIRI WAITITI to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? JENNY MARCROFT to the Associate Minister of Health: What recent reports has she seen about smoking in New Zealand? SHANAN HALBERT to the Minister for Universities: Does he stand by all his statements and actions regarding the Waikato medical school? FRANCISCO HERNANDEZ to the Minister for Universities: Does he stand by his announcement about the establishment of a new medical school and that it will "build a stronger, more diverse workforce"; if so, why?
To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following:
See terms of use.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Auckland councillor tries again to ban helicopters in residential areas
Auckland councillor tries again to ban helicopters in residential areas

RNZ News

time34 minutes ago

  • RNZ News

Auckland councillor tries again to ban helicopters in residential areas

Auckland richlisters Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams' newly built house on Rawene Avenue. Photo: RNZ/Maia Ingoe Residential helipads will once again be the topic of conversation at Auckland Council. Waitematā and Gulf Ward councillor Mike Lee has confirmed he'll be putting forward a Notice of Motion to ban helicopters in residential areas at Wednesday's Policy and Planning Committee. It follows news this week that Auckland billionaire couple Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams' approval to build a helipad at their Westmere home, will be challenged at the Environment Court. This is the second time Lee has tried to prohibit helipads in residential areas, his motion last year losing by two votes. "Well, it'll be a close-run thing, and so who knows what the outcome really will be." "In some ways, the odds are rather stacked against getting any change, because not only will we have to persuade the elected members, the members of the governing body, the councillors, to agree with us. "Unfortunately, we'll be having to deal with the senior planning staff who are opposed to any change to the system, particularly adverse to the idea of making helipads in residential areas a prohibited activity. "So we're going to have our work cut out for us, but we have the community, the overwhelming majority of the community, supporting this," Lee said. But he said "staff advice" would be the biggest obstacle in getting his motion across the line. "The biggest challenge will be the council officers, the council planners, who seem to have a philosophic opposition to prohibited activity. "Prohibited activity for certain activities are in the Auckland Unitary Plan. Helipads, for instance, in Sydney are a prohibited activity in all residential zones and business zones. Prohibited activity is in the Resource Management Act, it's been there since 1991. "Despite all the reforms, upteam reforms of RMA, that virtually every government since 1991 has undertaken, prohibited activity, Section 87D, remains in the Act for very good reason." He said all three local boards in his ward (Waitematā, Waiheke Island and the Aotea, Great Barrier Island local board areas) backed the move. Lee will also have the support of Whau councillor Kerrin Leoni who said she believed public sentiment from Aucklanders was predominately in their corner. For example, according to Auckland Council, of 1397 written submissions made on the helipad application by Auckland richlisters Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams, most - 1227, or 87 percent - opposed the helipad on Rawene Avenue in Westmere. One-hundred-and-eight were supportive, and 12 were neutral. "I think we need to make a strong stance on that and I'm definitely supporting Mike Lee's notice of motion," Leoni said. "Rich people that are coming into our city and treating it like it's a playground. I mean, it's just unacceptable. "We just can't let our city be seen as a playground for the rich listers to come in and do as they please, there should be some rules around that. "Apparently there are public helipads within 15 minutes or I think half an hour at least from everyone's address across the city. So why can't we use those instead of everyone having to have private ones? "I know there's definitely a lot of support and I'm sure there'll be a lot of people there to support the notice of motion and in the galleries as well." Among them will be members from Quiet Sky Waitematā who this week filed an appeal to the Environment Court in an attempt to block Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams from flying a private helicopter from their multi-million-dollar Westmere property. That's despite independent hearing commissioners appointed by Auckland Council approving the couple's controversial resource consent application for a private helipad in June. "We will have representatives from Quiet Sky who will be presenting a petition of over 4100 signatures to the councillors, letting them know about how Auckland feels about banning private use helicopters in residential areas," said spokesperson Elena Keith. "Paris, Los Angeles, New York, Sydney, Melbourne, none of them allow private helicopters in the city. "This is a very backward move. It's not the city that we want. I don't think it's a city that Auckland ratepayers want," Keith said. RNZ contacted Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray's lawyer for comment ahead of the motion of notice and the appeal in the Environment Court. While there was no response, the couple have said in the media that they were deeply disappointed with the legal challenge and the cost to public resources it will use. Lee said part of the reason behind his motion was to provide more certainty for people like them. "Under the law, the way it is now, they have every right to apply for a helipad and obviously they've spent a lot of money through this process. "Clearly they're extremely disappointed that the local residents are going to appeal. They're disappointed, but they shouldn't be surprised."

Auckland councillor trys again to ban helicopters in residential areas
Auckland councillor trys again to ban helicopters in residential areas

RNZ News

timean hour ago

  • RNZ News

Auckland councillor trys again to ban helicopters in residential areas

Auckland richlisters Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams' newly built house on Rawene Avenue. Photo: RNZ/Maia Ingoe Residential helipads will once again be the topic of conversation at Auckland Council. Waitematā and Gulf Ward councillor Mike Lee has confirmed he'll be putting forward a Notice of Motion to ban helicopters in residential areas at Wednesday's Policy and Planning Committee. It follows news this week that Auckland billionaire couple Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams' approval to build a helipad at their Westmere home, will be challenged at the Environment Court. This is the second time Lee has tried to prohibit helipads in residential areas, his motion last year losing by two votes. "Well, it'll be a close-run thing, and so who knows what the outcome really will be." "In some ways, the odds are rather stacked against getting any change, because not only will we have to persuade the elected members, the members of the governing body, the councillors, to agree with us. "Unfortunately, we'll be having to deal with the senior planning staff who are opposed to any change to the system, particularly adverse to the idea of making helipads in residential areas a prohibited activity. "So we're going to have our work cut out for us, but we have the community, the overwhelming majority of the community, supporting this," Lee said. But he said "staff advice" would be the biggest obstacle in getting his motion across the line. "The biggest challenge will be the council officers, the council planners, who seem to have a philosophic opposition to prohibited activity. "Prohibited activity for certain activities are in the Auckland Unitary Plan. Helipads, for instance, in Sydney are a prohibited activity in all residential zones and business zones. Prohibited activity is in the Resource Management Act, it's been there since 1991. "Despite all the reforms, upteam reforms of RMA, that virtually every government since 1991 has undertaken, prohibited activity, Section 87D, remains in the Act for very good reason." He said all three local boards in his ward (Waitematā, Waiheke Island and the Aotea, Great Barrier Island local board areas) backed the move. Lee will also have the support of Whau councillor Kerrin Leoni who said she believed public sentiment from Aucklanders was predominately in their corner. For example, according to Auckland Council, of 1397 written submissions made on the helipad application by Auckland richlisters Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams, most - 1227, or 87 percent - opposed the helipad on Rawene Avenue in Westmere. One-hundred-and-eight were supportive, and 12 were neutral. "I think we need to make a strong stance on that and I'm definitely supporting Mike Lee's notice of motion," Leoni said. "Rich people that are coming into our city and treating it like it's a playground. I mean, it's just unacceptable. "We just can't let our city be seen as a playground for the rich listers to come in and do as they please, there should be some rules around that. "Apparently there are public helipads within 15 minutes or I think half an hour at least from everyone's address across the city. So why can't we use those instead of everyone having to have private ones? "I know there's definitely a lot of support and I'm sure there'll be a lot of people there to support the notice of motion and in the galleries as well." Among them will be members from Quiet Sky Waitematā who this week filed an appeal to the Environment Court in an attempt to block Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams from flying a private helicopter from their multi-million-dollar Westmere property. That's despite independent hearing commissioners appointed by Auckland Council approving the couple's controversial resource consent application for a private helipad in June. "We will have representatives from Quiet Sky who will be presenting a petition of over 4100 signatures to the councillors, letting them know about how Auckland feels about banning private use helicopters in residential areas," said spokesperson Elena Keith. "Paris, Los Angeles, New York, Sydney, Melbourne, none of them allow private helicopters in the city. "This is a very backward move. It's not the city that we want. I don't think it's a city that Auckland ratepayers want," Keith said. RNZ contacted Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray's lawyer for comment ahead of the motion of notice and the appeal in the Environment Court. While there was no response, the couple have said in the media that they were deeply disappointed with the legal challenge and the cost to public resources it will use. Lee said part of the reason behind his motion was to provide more certainty for people like them. "Under the law, the way it is now, they have every right to apply for a helipad and obviously they've spent a lot of money through this process. "Clearly they're extremely disappointed that the local residents are going to appeal. They're disappointed, but they shouldn't be surprised."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store