KiwiSaver campaign takes off

This week's launch of the first KiwiSaver television commercial marks another important milestone in helping New Zealanders save for their future. "With just five weeks to go before KiwiSaver launches on 1 July, the campaign will help focus people's minds on the opportunities the scheme offers to secure their retirement dreams," said Finance Minister Dr Michael Cullen.

"We need to lift our savings for our own long term financial security, but also to build a stronger economy and fairer society.  KiwiSaver is the most important initiative in a generation to change our savings habits and the measures announced in Budget 2007 make it even easier for New Zealanders to take steps today to safeguard tomorrow."

New Zealand ranks highly on first Global Peace Index

Prime Minister Helen Clark said Thursday that New Zealand's long history of working towards peace and security has been recognised with its 2nd place ranking on the inaugural Global Peace Index launched in London this week. Helen Clark said New Zealand’s high ranking reflects the Government’s strong commitment to peace and security – at home and in its relations with other countries.

“We will continue to further our agenda for a peaceful, secure world through a number of different fora, including the United Nations”, Helen Clark said.
“The ranking recognises New Zealand's longstanding contribution to international peacekeeping. New Zealand is a significant contributor to both UN-led and regional peacekeeping missions."

The report comments that “New Zealand’s lofty position in the Global Peace Index partly reflects its lack of internal and external conflicts and its very good relations with neighbouring countries.” The report specifically points out that New Zealand’s stable political scene and its measures of domestic safety and security all contributed to New Zealand’s high ranking.

The Global Peace Index is a new initiative aimed at assessing over time the levels of peace in 120 selected countries. The index is composed of 24 indicators, ranging from a nation’s level of military expenditure to its relations with neighbouring countries and the level of respect for human rights.

Further improvements to NCEA system

The Minister of Education, Steve Maharey, has announced design changes to the NCEA system at a joint briefing with the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA).  "NCEA is a world-class qualifications system which challenges students, recognises their achievement, and is proven to prepare students well for university," Steve Maharey said.

"The operational side of NCEA is now working well, and today's announcement focuses on further refining the design of the system. The changes will increase student motivation, provide more detailed information on their achievement, and further improve consistency in NCEA.

"These improvements are part of the Labour-led government’s commitment to providing a world class education system for the 21st century."

The improvements include:

• Introducing 'excellence' and 'merit' to NCEA certificates from 2007
  
• Introducing 'excellence' and 'merit' at subject level from 2008
  
• Including 'not achieved' in NCEA results notices for both internally assessed and externally assessed standards from 2008
  
• Up to 10 per cent of internally assessed standards will be moderated by full-time moderators appointed to NZQA from 2008

Cosgrove proposes end to self-regulation for real estate industry

Associate Justice Minister Clayton Cosgrove this week announced that an end to self-regulation for the real estate sector is among the government's proposals to bring accountability and transparency to the industry, and to establish an independent complaints system that protects consumers.  

Mr Cosgrove has released The Government's Preferred Options for Reform of the Real Estate Agents Act 1976 - a document that sets out proposals to change the licensing, complaints, and disciplinary system for real estate agents and salespeople.  Mr Cosgrove said the industry has had the privilege of self-regulation under the Real Estate Agents Act 1976, but its "closed shop" practices for dealing with public complaints no longer measures up.

“Major concerns have been raised by the public and real estate agents themselves about how the industry deals with complaints and disciplinary matters. Last year I asked the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) to come back to me with proposals to improve accountability and transparency in the industry. Sadly the REINZ came back with proposals that kept the complaints system in-house."

"I am proposing to remove the regulatory functions from the industry, because it has failed to protect customers from rogue agents. I am also proposing to create an independent Real Estate Licensing Authority responsible for investigating and resolving complaints."

The Minister will be holding a series of community meetings around the country to hear public views on the government's preferred options.

Warm response to Kiwi Troops in Timor

Kiwi police and defence force peacekeepers are left in no doubt that local people in Timor Leste welcome their presence there, says Defence Minister Phil Goff.  Mr Goff had a three day visit to Timor Leste this week which included a night patrol with Kiwi soldiers in Dili, a memorial service to Private Leonard Manning at Tilomar near the Indonesian border, and meetings with newly elected President of Timor Leste Jose Ramos Horta and other Timorese, UN and military leaders.

"The warmth of the welcome given to New Zealanders in Timor is obvious and overwhelming", Mr Goff said. "On the streets of Dili during the day, at a local refugee camp and on patrol at night around Dili, Kiwi soldiers and police officers were greeted warmly with wide smiles, thumbs up signs and calls of hello kiwis.

"People we talked to made it absolutely clear that they welcomed our presence to ensure their safety and security from destruction and violence.

"The election campaign began this week and the real test of Timor Leste's new democracy will be to see if power can be transferred peacefully by the ballot box, and accepted without the loser resorting to violence to secure what they failed to get by the electoral process.