Leaky Homes Financial Assistance Package available from 29 July 2011

The Government’s leaky homes Financial Assistance Package will be available from tomorrow, Friday 29 July, Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson said today.

Under the package, qualifying homeowners will receive a 25 per cent contribution from the Government and may receive 25 per cent from their local council. The contributions will be based on actual repair costs.

Small Business Minister Maurice Williamson has presented Phil and Janette Hall, owners of the Kiwi Ideas Company, the Supreme Award at the ANZ Flying Start Business Awards in Wellington today.

The Masterton company won over the judges and 500 other entries with a business plan to market their patented brand of scratch and fog resistant safety goggles, Safe Eyes.

Small Business Minister Maurice Williamson has announced the appointment of Wellington businessman Mark Whitecliffe to the Small Business Advisory Group.

Mr Whitecliffe is the managing director of Wellington firm MSO Design, becoming owner in 1996.

“With 29 years business experience and active involvement in Te Awe (Wellington Māori Business Network), he will bring a wealth of knowledge and insight to the group’s work,” Mr Williamson says.

Owners of leaky homes can get their homes fixed faster following the third reading of the Weathertight Homes Resolution Services (Financial Assistance Package) Bill in Parliament today, Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson says.

Under the $1 billion package, qualifying home owners will receive a 25 per cent contribution from the Government and may receive 25 per cent from their local council. The contributions will be based on actual repair costs.

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson has appointed building surveyor Dianne Johnson to the Building Practitioners Board while current members Jane Cuming and Colin Orchiston will be reappointed for a further three year term.

Ms Johnson is managing director of a building inspection firm.  She was an executive member of the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and the National Association of Women in Construction and a former member of the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service Evaluation Panel.

Claims that apartment owners are not eligible for the leaky homes financial assistance package are incorrect, Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson said today.

“Owners of leaky apartments are entitled to the financial assistance package,” Mr Williamson said.

Last month’s change to the Unit Titles Act enables apartment dwellers to access the financial assistance package if 75 per cent of the residents agree this is what they want.

The rating valuation systems for two Canterbury councils have been changed from 30 June 2011 following the devastating earthquakes that have struck the region, Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson said today.

The next general revaluation for Christchurch City Council has been extended to 1 December 2013 and 1 December 2012 for Waimakariri District Council. The July 2012 date for Selwyn District Council remains unchanged.

Government legislation also amends the circumstances for altering rating values between general revaluations.

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson has made three new appointments to the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board.

Craig O’Connell, Sue Simons and Ian Rowe have been appointed for terms of three years.

Mr O’Connell is a director of Recruitment and Performance Consulting Limited. He was also the acting Chief Executive of the Board from February 2010, until the appointment of a permanent Chief Executive in November 2010. He holds a BA in Psychology and BCA in Economics.

An agreement between New Zealand and the Republic of Korea will bring significant benefits to New Zealand exporters, Customs Minister Maurice Williamson said today.

The signing of a mutual recognition agreement (MRA) between the countries customs services allows New Zealand’s secure export scheme members (SES) to be treated as the equivalent to Korea’s authorised economic operator (AEO) members.

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson has appointed Anthony Ahern to the Electrical Workers Registration Board and reappointed Michael Macklin.

Both are registered electricians and will serve for terms of three years. Mr Ahern replaces Stephen Albrecht who decided not to seek a further term.

“Mr Ahern brings strong strategic and financial skills to the Board,” Mr Williamson says.

Customs Minister Maurice Williamson and Biosecurity Minister David Carter today welcomed the signing of a contract to develop a new border processing and management system.

New Zealand Customs, with MAF, has signed the contract which formally kicks off the development of a joint border management system (JBMS). The new system combines Customs’ and MAF’s existing independent systems, Cusmod and Quantum.

Mr Williamson said the new system would bring very sophisticated technology to the New Zealand’s border.

MultiProof regulations have been broadened to accommodate a wider range of building designs, Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson said today.

MultiProof was introduced last year to cut red tape and cost, without cutting corners. MultiProof originally allowed volume builders to obtain fast-tracked building consents for standard single building designs just once instead of several times.

“Now that the service has proved itself it is time to open MultiProof up to a broad range of building designs,” Mr Williamson said.

Statistics Minister Maurice Williamson today announced five appointments and four reappointments to the Advisory Committee on Official Statistics (ACOS).

Mr Tom Lambie, an existing committee member and a farmer and Chancellor of Lincoln University, has been appointed as Chair, taking over from the departing Hon David Caygill.

Dr Peter Bushnell, Ms Ria Earp, Professor Alan Lee, and Dr Colin Tukuitonga have been reappointed to the committee and there are five new appointments. The new appointees are:

Economic Development Minister David Carter and Customs Minister Maurice Williamson today announced changes to wine excise tax regulations which will benefit more than half the country’s wineries.

From 1 July, thresholds for the payment of excise tax will lift tenfold, allowing smaller wineries to shift from monthly payments to six-monthly or yearly payments. 
Currently, only wineries with a tax liability of less than $10,000 are exempted from paying monthly. The new thresholds are:

Changes to the Gas and Electrical Certification scheme will save consumers money, the Acting Minister of Energy and Resources, Hekia Parata, and the Minister for Building and Construction, Maurice Williamson announced today.

The savings are the result of a review of the scheme to ensure that certification for gas and electrical work practices are effective, efficient and safe.

The review found the scheme is working well but there could be some administrative changes to improve effectiveness and reduce costs.

The next New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings will be held in March 2013, Statistics Minister Maurice Williamson announced today.

The 2011 Census was postponed after Christchurch’s 22 February earthquake.

"The 2011 Census could not have been successfully completed given the national state of emergency and the probable impact on census results," Mr Williamson said.

"The census provides critical information for the Government and is a goldmine for researchers, councils, community groups and iwi trying to plan.”

Statistics New Zealand will receive $58 million in new operating funding over the next four years from Budget 2011 to ensure the ongoing supply of important economic and social data, Statistics Minister Maurice Williamson says.

The funding will go towards the programme ‘Statistics 2020: Achieving the Statistical System of the Future’, which aims to update the department’s IT systems.

Budget 2011 includes an extra $3.5 million in operational funding for SmartGate, Customs Minister Maurice Williamson says.

The Budget also provides $3.4 million in capital spending for 2011/12.

The system, which uses face recognition biometric technology from the information stored in a microchip inside ePassports, has recently just clocked its one millionth passenger.

“SmartGate is an unqualified success and the uptake at New Zealand airports has been well ahead of expectations,” Mr Williamson says.