Fewer traffic jams, better water quality, and safer streets are just a few things we can look forward to thanks to work Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) is doing with councils, Land Information Minister Louise Upston said today.
“LINZ is currently working with Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington councils on the Smart Cities Programme to better understand – and ultimately improve – how our cities function,” says Ms Upston.
The official launch of the newly formed Ara Institute of Canterbury, a merger of Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT) and Aoraki Polytechnic, took place today with events being held in Christchurch, Timaru, Oamaru and Ashburton to mark the occasion.
Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Louise Upston joined staff and guests on campus for the dawn service where the new name was announced.
New Zealand had a strong voice in discussions on gender equality and the empowerment of women at the United Nations in New York last week.
“New Zealand has an international reputation for working towards gender equality. We value this opportunity to share our work and learn from others, to improve the lives of women,” said Ms Upston.
New Zealand’s National Statement at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women was presented by Ministry for Women Chief Executive Dr Jo Cribb on 18 March.
The Land Transfer Bill will bring land transfer laws into the 21st century, giving property owners better protection and making it easier to register property, Land Information Minister Louise Upston said today.
The Bill – to replace the Land Transfer Act – unanimously passed its first reading in Parliament today.
“The existing Act is over 60 years old, with provisions dating back more than a century, and doesn’t adequately reflect the realities of the 21st Century,” Ms Upston says.
Associate Minister for Local Government Louise Upston is urging New Zealand women to get more involved in this year’s local body elections.
Speaking at an International Women’s Day breakfast on Tuesday as the Minister for Women, Ms Upston encouraged those present to think about what they can offer their local community trust, health board, community board or council.
New Zealand can be proud of its reputation as a nation that empowers women to lead independent and self-determining lives, said Minister for Women Louise Upston, but we can’t be complacent in our progress towards gender equality.
The Minister made the comments in response to International Women’s Day – a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.
Minister for Women Hon Louise Upston congratulates Co.OfWomen for inspiring, developing and encouraging the next generation of entrepreneurial women leaders through Women Entrepreneurs Week, March 7-11.
“I’d also like to congratulate new chair Theresa Gattung, who will add her extraordinary skills and experiences to the already impressive pool of talented women running the organisation.”
For the first time ever, New Zealanders will have the chance to talk open data and innovation with world-renowned US expert on open government Beth Noveck, Land Information Minister Louise Upston said today.
Named one of the “13 Influential Women in Technology” by the Huffington Post, Ms Noveck will talk to a New Zealand audience online to mark International Open Data Day on 5 March.
A series of conversations with leading international open data experts will kick off the 2016 open government data programme, says Land Information Minister Louise Upston today.
“Last year New Zealand cemented its place as an open data world leader – a key indicator of a country’s innovation, transparency and lack of corruption. We’ll build on this in 2016 and take the open data message wider,” Ms Upston says.
New Zealand’s Olympic rowing hopefuls can rest assured that aquatic weed will not interfere with their training at Lake Karapiro thanks to control work that began this morning, Land Information Minister Louise Upston said today.
Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) has begun spraying weed at the Mighty River Domain and will target upstream sites over the next fortnight.
“Our rowers must be free to train at Lake Karapiro without interference if they’re to lead the charge for gold at the Rio Olympics,” Ms Upston says.
A new stage in the fight against lake weed at Lake Wanaka began today, with the launch of a plan of attack for controlling lagarosiphon weed over the next decade.
Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) and their partners have been working collaboratively on weed control at the lake since 2005. The new 2016-2025 strategy will build on this success to ensure people can continue to enjoy the lake, Minister for Land Information Louise Upston said.
Kiwis’ use of government generated data is growing, says Land Information Minister Louise Upston.
New figures show another 7,650 users registered to download free government data from the Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) Data Service in 2015, boosting the service’s total number of registered users to more than 20,000.
Samoan culture, ‘talking about it’ and education are key to preventing violence against Samoan women and girls, according to a new report released by the Minister for Women, Hon Louise Upston, and the Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, Hon Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga.
The report, A malu i ‘āiga, e malu fo’i i fafo: Protection for the family, protection for all - Samoan people’s understanding of primary prevention of violence against women, shows Samoan communities see the need to strengthen education on women’s safety.
Geospatial research and development will focus more on what people actually need, thanks to the new Geospatial Research and Development Priorities and Opportunities document, Land Information Minister Louise Upston said today.
“The launch formed part of New Zealand’s first Geospatial Research Conference, held at the University of Canterbury, which is fitting as this document is the first of its kind for New Zealand,” says Minister Upston.
Today marks the start of a new phase in Christchurch’s earthquake recovery, with responsibility for around 8,000 residential red zone properties transferring from the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) to Land Information New Zealand (LINZ).
Minister for Land Information, Louise Upston, said the transfer will provide communities with confidence about the future management of the land.
“The immediate focus will be on maintaining current service levels and minimising any disruption to residents and neighbours of red zone properties.
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment, Louise Upston have welcomed the announcement today of a new tourism and hospitality college that will open in Northland early next year.
The QRC Tai Tokerau Resort College, will open in Paihia with four student intakes per year. Established by the Queenstown Resort College (QRC), the new college has been developed with support from NZ Māori Tourism.
Kiwi experts are teaming up with French and US scientists in Antarctica this week, as part of international efforts to understand the impacts of climate change on the frozen continent, Land Information Minister Louise Upston said today.
“Antarctica is an important measure of global climate, so the work LINZ is doing will help climate scientists to better understand the impact that global phenomenon like sea level rise have on all of us,” Ms Upston says.
The spelling of Wanganui District will be corrected to ‘Whanganui District’ – reflecting the views of the Wanganui District Council (WDC), local iwi and public submitters, Land Information Minister Louise Upston said today.
“Having reviewed the WDC’s proposal, all public submissions and other materials I’ve agreed that the spelling of the local authority district name should be corrected,” Ms Upston says.
Five district councils and three city councils have been invited to demonstrate they can meet the government’s requirements for an online voting trial. If successful, the councils will be able to offer online voting alongside postal voting in the local government elections next year.
Whanganui, Rotorua, Matamata Piako, Selwyn and Masterton districts have confirmed their interest as well as Porirua, Palmerston North and Wellington cities.
Minister for Women Hon Louise Upston has welcomed the National Council of Women of New Zealand’s report Enabling Women’s Potential – the economic, social and ethical imperative, which champions gender equality, fairness and equal opportunity.
“I welcome the Council’s proactive approach to generating what is an important conversation which affects all New Zealand Women. The more these discussions take place and lead to actions and changed behaviours, the better chance we have of instigating real, sustainable change”
New legislation will help give Canterbury property owners more certainty about where their property boundaries are, Minister for Land Information Louise Upston announced today.
“Due to the effect of earthquake-related ground movement on property boundaries in parts of Canterbury, it is difficult to accurately locate some legal boundaries.
Land Information New Zealand Minister Louise Upston leaves today for an official visit to Mexico. Minister Upston will visit Mexico City, where she will give a keynote speech at the Open Government Partnership Summit.
“New Zealand has a strong and internationally recognised history of open data and transparent government. The Open Data Barometer Report shows New Zealand as a world leader in government data available to citizens.
Minister for Women Louise Upston has welcomed a new report released by Statistics New Zealand showing women are now almost as likely as men to work in managerial roles.
“More women in leadership is great news. It reflects the qualifications women are gaining and that New Zealand organisations are recognising the benefits of diversity.”
Statistics New Zealand’s new report examines gender and occupations over the period 1991-2013, based on census information.
