New vision for international education

The government wants a new approach to international education to ensure this sector contributes more to helping New Zealand compete and prosper on the world stage.  That's the aim of the government’s international education strategy discussion document released Thursday by Tertiary Education Minister Michael Cullen.

"New Zealand needs a more integrated, sustainable and forward-thinking approach to international education which goes well beyond the traditional export education focus," Dr Cullen said. "The International Education Agenda outlines this new approach while continuing to build on the achievements of recent years.

"The agenda advocates exposing more New Zealand students to international experiences and interactions, and developing the talent of our teachers and researchers through international collaboration."

Over 93,000 international students from 150 countries were studying in New Zealand in 2006.  The economic returns to New Zealand are in the order of $1.9 billion annually; making it our third largest services export.

Art resale royalties to be considered

The government is to consult on a royalty payment scheme for artworks resold on the secondary market, Prime Minister and Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Helen Clark and Associate Commerce Minister Judith Tizard announced Monday.  Helen Clark, and Judith Tizard, who is also associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, released a discussion paper inviting public feedback on options for a resale royalty right for visual artists.

Also known as an ‘artist’s resale right’, the arrangement is in place in about 50 countries. It allows visual artists to receive a royalty payment each time an original art work is resold on the secondary art market. 

“In tackling this complex issue, Labour is honouring another election promise to examine international developments relating to resale royalties for artists and their possible application to New Zealand,” Helen Clark said.  “We are also very aware of the significant growth in the local art auction sector, with total sales across our six main art auction houses alone doubling over the past decade." 

Judith Tizard said international practice showed the arrangement tended to apply to work sold through art market intermediaries, such as dealers and auctioneers. Works sold privately were not usually included. 

Joint commitment to restore Rotorua Lakes

A memorandum of understanding was signed Wednesday representing a joint long-term commitment to restore Rotorua (Te Arawa) lakes between the Crown and the Rotorua Lakes Strategy Trust consisting of the Te Arawa Lakes Trust, Rotorua District Council and Environment Bay of Plenty. 

"The memorandum is significant because all parties are agreeing to an ongoing working relationship to maintain and enhance the water quality of these treasured lakes," Environment Minister David Benson-Pope said.

"Managing water quality is one key to sustainability. This means taking a long term approach and thinking about what we do now and how that impacts on future generations."

The Labour-led government is funding several projects tackling lake water quality issues around Rotorua. It has contributed $4 million towards the Ohau Channel diversion structure to provide short term remedial works for Lake Rotoiti. It has also provided $645,000 for land-user initiatives through the Ministry for the Environment’s Sustainable Management Fund, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s Sustainable Farming Fund.

New digital mammography facility opens in Dunedin

Health Minister Pete Hodgson opened BreastScreen HealthCare’s new $3.8 million digital mammography facility in Dunedin on Wednesday.  He also officially welcomed the eleventh mobile breast screening van to the fleet of BreastScreen Aotearoa vans delivering services to women off-site.

The Cumberland Street facility becomes the second BreastScreen Aotearoa provider to implement full field digital mammography after Auckland/Northland.  BSA has 29 Mammography Screening Units throughout New Zealand and 11 mobile screening vans.

Over 150,000 New Zealand women receive free, government-funded mammograms each year.

"This Labour-led government is committed to providing quality screening to New Zealand women between the ages of 45 and 69," Pete Hodgson said.   "In Otago almost 24,850 women were screened in the last 2 years – that’s a 33 per cent increase on the previous 2 years."

Consultation on updating the CYPF Act begins

On Monday, Child, Youth and Family Minister Ruth Dyson launched a discussion document for consultation as part of the process to update the Children, Young Persons and their Families Act (CYPF) 1989.

“When it was introduced the CYPF Act placed New Zealand at the front of international legislative best practice”, Ruth Dyson said. 

“The Act introduced principles that radically altered the way decisions were made about children and young people, insisting that family become partners in the decision-making process though the Family Group Conference process and remain involved in the future of their children.

“Eighteen years after the introduction of the CYPF Act, it is timely to consider whether it needs updating or amending.  I want to ensure the legislation actively promotes its key principles in a practical and workable manner.”

The Ministry of Social Development has produced a discussion document identifying major themes and ideas which emerged from initial discussions with key stakeholders. The discussion document and online submission form is available on the Ministry of Social Development website www.msd.govt.nz or by emailing cypfactupdate@msd.govt.nz.