Park will complete New Zealand War Memorial precinct

Prime Minister and Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Helen Clark and Transport Minister Annette King this week announced plans for a New Zealand Memorial Park to complete the redevelopment of the National War Memorial precinct.

"The Memorial Park will join the adjacent National War Memorial and the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior as a major focal point for New Zealanders to commemorate our sacrifice during times of war and become a place of deep significance for all of us," Helen Clark said.  The Labour-led Government is providing funding of $10.9 million for the Memorial Park's construction in Wellington's Buckle St. The Wellington City Council is also willing to consider providing funding.

“This project will complete the job begun when the National War Memorial was built in 1932. Work on the surrounding area was unfortunately never completed. This decision helps us move towards fulfilment of the original vision for the memorial site.  The proposed park will be available for the construction of memorials, particularly by other nations wanting to commemorate their relationships with New Zealand."

OECD underlines savings and investment strategy

The OECD's 2007 Economic Survey of New Zealand released this week highlights the critical importance of the government's strategy to lift savings and investment, Finance Minister Michael Cullen said.  "It is reassuring that the OECD considers New Zealand to be 'one of the most flexible and resilient economies' in the world. Our structural policies are judged overwhelmingly consistent with international best practice," Dr Cullen said.

"The Survey assesses that the key challenges facing the country are raising incomes and meeting the fiscal pressures that will arise over the long-term from the ageing of the population.  These are objectives we share.  One area of clear concern highlighted by the OECD is the issue of households' very low savings performance.

"In this regard, the design of New Zealand Superannuation is applauded and the new savings policy enshrined by KiwiSaver is described as a 'welcome development which should contribute to raising private savings'."

$92 million For Four New Takanini Primary Schools

The Labour-led government will invest $92 million to build four new schools in the Takanini area of Auckland over the next 15 years, Education Minister Steve Maharey announced on Monday.

"The population of the Takanini area is projected to grow to 22,000, including 4,500 school children by 2020. The establishment of the four new schools will enable us to meet the needs of the local community and provide a world-class learning environment for the students," Steve Maharey said.

"The first primary school could be built as early as 2010, and the secondary school by 2015. In time community based early childhood education services will be developed on the sites, and a new catholic school will also be built to complement both the new and existing schools.

"Like all new schools, these school will be state-of-the-art with design elements that reflect the local community, and help to provide the best possible education for students.

"The Labour-led government currently invests $527.8 million in school property funding, which allows existing schools to continue modernising their buildings, as well as for the construction of new schools."

New Zealand peacekeepers praised

Afghanistan President, Hamid Karzai, conveyed the deep appreciation of his country for the work done by New Zealand peacekeepers in Afghanistan to Defence Minister Phil Goff during a meeting in Kabul on Monday.

“The President told me that it gave his people a huge boost in confidence that New Zealanders came to Afghanistan from so far away to help build peace and stability”, Mr Goff said.

“The Presidents comments echoed those of others I met including Ministers, NGO’s and other foreign missions in Kabul who spoke of New Zealand’s Provincial Reconstruction Team in Bamyan as a model for others to follow.

“President Karzai was also upbeat about progress in Afghanistan, pointing to a surge in road building, a projected 12% economic growth rate this year and access to health and education by more Afghans.  He spoke with confidence about a strengthening Afghan National Army which would progressively, over five to ten years, assume the role currently played by the international security forces."

Biodiversity on private land crucial to all Kiwis

Wetlands, sand dunes, and habitats of native wildlife on private land are among ecosystems identified as national priorities for protection, Conservation Minister Chris Carter and Environment Minister David Benson-Pope announced Thursday.

"While good progress is being made on the New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy’s goal of halting the decline in indigenous biodiversity by 2020 a recent review identified challenges, including the protection of endangered species and ecosystems on private land," Mr Carter said.

"The statement of national priorities released today gives a national perspective on which ecosystems and habitats of native species on private land are in most need of protection."

The four national priorities are the protection of native vegetation associated with: 

• Land areas with only 20 per cent of their original native vegetation cover left
  
• Wetlands and sand dunes
  
• Ecosystems that have always been limited in extent, such as in geothermal areas, along coasts and on limestone formations
  
• Protection of the habitats of New Zealand’s most threatened species.