The government released its first report on the implementation of New Zealand’s Cyber Security Strategy and Action Plan today.

New Zealand’s Cyber Security Strategy, Action Plan, and National Plan to Address Cybercrime were launched in December 2015. 

The first Annual Report sets out progress under the four goals of the Strategy: achieving cyber resilience; building cyber capability; addressing cybercrime; and enhancing international cooperation.

A major investment announced by Huawei today will support our efforts to build an innovative, world leading economy, Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges and Science and Innovation Minister Paul Goldsmith say.

Chinese telecommunications equipment manufacturer, Huawei, has announced it will commit up to $400 million over five years to research and development and digital innovation in New Zealand.

Highlights of the investment include:

More than 3,000 electric vehicles (EVs) are now registered in New Zealand, Transport Minister Simon Bridges says.

“I am delighted with the number of EV registrations we are now seeing. This year there has been 517 EV registrations bringing the total number of EVs in New Zealand to 3005. With nine months to go we are already half way to achieving our 2017 target,” Mr Bridges says.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges says a significant milestone has been reached in the effort to restore the coastal road and rail corridor north of Kaikoura. Work commenced this week at Ohau Point, the site of one of the largest of slips which came down in the November 14 earthquake.

“The slip at Ohau Point is one of the biggest and most complex of the 10 major slips north of Kaikoura,” Mr Bridges says.

“Helicopter sluicing crews and specialist abseilers have been working long hours for several weeks to clear loose material from the site.

Communications Minister Simon Bridges has welcomed Akamai’s latest State of the Internet Report which shows that average connection speeds in New Zealand have increased by 38 per cent since 2015.

The Report shows that in the fourth quarter of 2016, the average connection speed had increased to 12.9 Megabits per second (Mbps) – a significant leap from the previous year.

Ninety per cent of New Zealanders now have access to 4G cellular mobile services – two years earlier than anticipated, Communications Minister Simon Bridges announced today.

The Minister thanked telecommunications companies Vodafone and Spark for their efforts in quickly rolling out their 4G networks.

New Zealand will benefit from a number of new air services agreements that will allow greater connectivity between New Zealand and the rest of the world, Transport Minister Simon Bridges says.

Cabinet has recently approved the signing of four new air services agreements with Kenya, Botswana, the Dominican Republic and Guyana and an amended agreement with Italy.

“These agreements will further enhance New Zealand’s international air connectivity between Africa and the Americas, bringing both trade and tourism benefits.

New Zealand has signed an air services agreement with Colombia, Transport Minister Simon Bridges announced today.

The agreement provides opportunities for code-sharing between each nation’s airlines. Under the new arrangements, New Zealand and Colombian airlines may operate up to 14 passenger services per week, with no limits on the number of cargo services.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges has welcomed today’s announcement by the NZ Transport Agency to include a bypass of the Katikati town centre in the State Highway 2 Waihi to Tauranga programme. 
 

Following the Government’s announcement of the $520 million Waihi to Tauranga programme in April last year, the Transport Agency has undertaken further investigations to develop detailed solutions along the corridor. An assessment of the Katikati town centre concluded that a bypass should be added to the programme.
 

Entries open today for the 2017 Prime Minister’s Business Scholarships, which offer New Zealand’s managers and executives the opportunity to improve their skills at the world’s best business schools.

Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges says the scholarships are designed for managers and executives of companies involved in exporting, who are looking to expand their expertise through international study. 

Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges and Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith today announced that a tender has been awarded to Tonkin and Taylor to assess options for managing flood and earthquake hazards in Franz Josef.

“The Franz Josef area is a significant domestic and international tourist destination. This funding will assist the community and local businesses so they can make the best decisions for the town’s long-term development,” Mr Bridges says.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges says work is ramping up on a $60 million investment programme to upgrade the alternate state highway route between Picton and Christchurch while the reconstruction of State Highway 1 through Kaikoura is underway.

”The Government’s investment in the alternate route includes a range of road improvements to make the route safer and more resilient,” Mr Bridges says.

Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges and Sport and Recreation Minister Jonathan Coleman today announced a $5.5 million investment into two major golfing events.

Through the Major Events Development Fund $2.7 million will be committed to New Zealand Golf to support the hosting of the McKayson New Zealand Women’s Open from 2017 to 2019.

$2.8 million will also be invested over three years in support the annual ISPS Handa NZ Golf Open. The 2017 tournament gets underway in Queenstown tomorrow.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges has announced that the NZ Transport Agency is working to ensure significant improvements to a section of State Highway 1 between Whangarei and Port Marsden Highway are completed as quickly as possible, with construction planned to start by 2019.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges says transport infrastructure continues to be a priority in Northland as the region marked the start of two new transport projects and celebrated the completion of more today.

The Minister turned the sod for Whāngārei’s newest Urban Cycleway, the $6.6m Kamo Shared Path, a 6km path that will connect areas north of the city with the Whāngārei CBD, Tai Tokerau Auckland University Campus and links to key recreational areas such as Kensington Park.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges says new barriers along a section of State Highway 1 in the Auckland suburb of Ellerslie will help to reduce noise for those living near the motorway.

The NZ Transport Agency plans to begin construction of the sound barriers on its land adjacent to the motorway by the middle of this year.

Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges and Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry today announced funding will be made available for tourism infrastructure and cultural events as part of the Tairawhiti Economic Action Plan.

The Action Plan was launched at an event in Gisborne today and articulates the region’s economic development opportunities for the next five years, including a focus on tourism. Key areas for development include:

Transport Minister Simon Bridges has announced that the Government will work with local stakeholders to identify and prioritise transport initiatives to help boost economic growth in Gisborne.

The announcement was made at the release of the Tairāwhiti Economic Action Plan in Gisborne today.

“The Integrated Transport Priority Plan will provide an opportunity for the region to help shape the transport network and find solutions to meet the needs of local customers, businesses, such as the forestry sector, and tourists,” says Mr Bridges.

Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges, Associate Primary Industries Minister Louise Upston and other Ministers are in Gisborne today for the release of the Tairāwhiti Economic Action Plan, highlighting the Government’s support for the region.

The plan has been developed by Tairāwhiti people for the community and represents a shared investment in the future. The plan’s development was led by the Tairāwhiti Action Plan Governance Group and is supported through the Government’s Regional Growth Programme.

Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges and Science and Innovation Minister Paul Goldsmith today announced $2 million funding for a wood-processing facility which uses automation and robotics to turn low-value pine trees into high-value wood products.

This is just one of the local initiatives announced at the release of the Tairāwhiti Economic Action Plan in Gisborne.

Minister for Economic Development Simon Bridges and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley have today announced a final extension to the support package for businesses affected by the Kaikōura earthquake. 

The Government approved $17.5 million dollars to support businesses in Kaikōura, Hurunui, Marlborough and Wellington post-earthquake.  To date businesses have accessed almost $14.9 million of that fund. 

The Government will invest up to $1.7 million over five years into the mountain biking Crankworx Festival and Enduro World Series in Rotorua, Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges has announced.

Crankworx, the world’s biggest mountain bike festival, will be held in Rotorua from 25 March to 2 April this year. It has previously been hosted in Whistler and the French Alps.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges today opened a new section of State Highway 3 north of Normanby that will improve both capacity and safety on a critically important route for the Taranaki region.

The $17.6 million project was identified as a priority in the 2012-2015 Regional Land Transport Programme for Taranaki.

It was also included in the Government’s Accelerated Regional Roading Package which makes significant funding available to a number of regionally important State Highway projects.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges turned the first sod for the $1.98 million Te Tuaiwi cycleway at Whanganui Intermediate School today.

“Te Tuaiwi will connect existing cycleways to provide safer access to the centre of the city and allow the 3,500 students living within 500m of the route to cycle to school in the morning,” Mr Bridges.