Small Business Minister Craig Foss today welcomed the release of a new online tool to help small and medium-sized businesses understand the cost of employing staff.

The tool, developed by Business.govt.nz at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, estimates the fixed and discretionary costs of hiring new staff.

Fixed costs include salary, ACC levies and KiwiSaver. Discretionary costs include recruitment, training and office equipment.

Veterans’ Affairs Minister Craig Foss says the second tranche of the Gallipoli 2015 ballot is underway, with just over 300 double passes to next year’s Anzac Day commemorations reallocated this week.

As of Monday 10 November, 632 double passes were accepted and 313 were reallocated to people on the wait list.

Successful applicants in the first tranche of the ballot, announced on 31 March, had until 25 October to accept the offer of two attendance passes and confirm travel arrangements.

Statistics Minister Craig Foss today commemorated Armistice Day with the launch of a WW100 infographic.

“The First World War was a significant event in New Zealand’s history — it helped define us as a nation and it continues to have a lasting impact,” Mr Foss says.

“I am proud to be able to tell the story of this important event through statistics.”

The First World War - Changing the Fabric of our Nation infographic has been developed by Statistics New Zealand in partnership with the WW100 Programme Office.

Veterans’ Affairs Minister Craig Foss will travel to Western Australia today to attend the Albany Convoy Commemorative Event (ACCE), marking 100 years since the first wave of Anzac troops set sail for the battlefields of World War One.

The ACCE, commemorating the troops’ departure from the port town of Albany on 1 November 1914, includes a troop march down the main street, the official dedication and opening of Australia’s National Anzac Centre, a re-enactment of the troopships’ departure and a commemorative service at Albany Peace Park.

Successful applicants of the Gallipoli 2015 ballot have just four days left to accept their place at next year’s Anzac Day commemorations, Veterans’ Affairs Minister Craig Foss says.

The deadline for accepting passes and completing travel details is Saturday 25 October.

“Nearly 300 people have not yet accepted the offer of two passes to the commemoration services at Gallipoli.  If the offers are not accepted by midnight Saturday, with travel details, the passes will be reallocated to those on the waiting list,” Mr Foss says.

Veterans' Affairs Minister Craig Foss today announced the winner of the 2014 Battle of Passchendaele Multi-Media Competition as 17-year-old Siobhan Lenehan from Carmel College in Auckland.

Sara Stern from Middleton Grange School in Christchurch and Micaela Meder from Pakuranga College in Auckland were named equal runners-up.

The competition was launched in 2011 to ensure New Zealand’s sacrifice on the Western Front is not forgotten.