Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce has arrived in Singapore to explore ways to strengthen the bilateral science and innovation relationship between the two countries and meet with high-net worth investors to promote New Zealand as an investment destination.
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce has today opened a new Kiwi technology centre at Quang Trung Software City, in Ho Chi Minh.
The concept centre ‘Kiwi Connection’ is a hub for New Zealand technology companies investing in and doing business in Viet Nam, as well as across the ASEAN region.
The development is headed by New Zealand software services business Augen Software Group, who was the first New Zealand company to win a prestigious Viet Nam IT Excellence award last year.
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce has today announced a project to build a New Zealand-Viet Nam friendship bridge in Ho Chi Minh City to symbolise the relationship between the two countries.
The New Zealand-Viet Nam friendship bridge project arose from the celebrations of 40 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2015.
An extra $3.6 million over four years has been allocated in Budget 2016 for the New Zealand Story – the initiative that builds New Zealand’s profile internationally to benefit our exporters.
The New Zealand Story provides a marketing toolkit used by thousands of companies across all of New Zealand’s export sectors to promote themselves and the New Zealand brand internationally.
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce will travel to Viet Nam and Singapore tomorrow to reinforce New Zealand’s relationships in business, investment and education, and underpin the Government’s commitment to lifting engagement with both countries.
Mr Joyce will travel to Viet Nam on Air New Zealand’s inaugural direct flight between Auckland and Ho Chi Minh City. The new air link will fly three times a week, operating from June to October, and will bolster tourist and business links between Viet Nam and New Zealand.
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Sport and Recreation Minister Jonathan Coleman today announced that the Major Events Development Fund (MEDF) will invest $900,000 to support the Royal Wellington Golf Club in hosting the Asia-Pacific Amateur Golf Championship in 2017.
“The four-day tournament will be broadcast live to more than 150 countries and attract a number of the world’s golf media to New Zealand. The tournament provides a strong platform to showcase New Zealand as a great tourism and golf-tourism destination,” Mr Joyce says.
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce today announced that entries are open for the 50th annual New Zealand International Business Awards (NZIBA).
The awards celebrate the success of New Zealand businesses around the world and recognise professional excellence and innovative practice.
“We want to hear from New Zealand businesses that are successfully exporting overseas because their success contributes to this country’s achievements in doing business globally,” Mr Joyce says.
The Government is making a major investment in growing innovation in Budget 2016, through the Innovative New Zealand package to encourage entrepreneurship, skills and economic growth.
“Innovative New Zealand is a series of 25 initiatives that will see $761.4 million invested over the next four years in science, skills, tertiary education and regional development initiatives. These will help diversify the economy, and support more jobs and higher wages for New Zealanders in the decade ahead,” Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says.
Summary
Budget 2016 will provide $94.4 million of new funding over the next four years for regional economic development initiatives that will boost economic growth and benefit communities across regional New Zealand.
This dedicated regional investment funding is part of Budget 2016’s Innovative New Zealand package, which aims to unlock opportunities for innovation and diversification across New Zealand.
Summary
A total of $256.5 million in operating funding over the next four years will be invested across the tertiary education sector through Budget 2016’s Innovative New Zealand package as the Government continues to incentivise the provision of skills for the 21st century.
This package will encourage training in disciplines such as science, engineering, agriculture and the trades as we continue to grow a high-value, diversified New Zealand economy.
Summary
The Government will significantly increase its investment in science and innovation through Budget 2016’s Innovative New Zealand package, providing a further $410.5 million in operating funding over the next four years.
Investing in the work of our scientists and innovators is hugely important for developing an innovative New Zealand with a truly resilient and diversified economy.
It is estimated a total of 26 additional hotels, above and beyond what is currently planned, will be needed over the next ten years to meet expected tourism demand in our major tourist centres, according to new independent research released today by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise.
The research is a key part of “Project Palace”, a programme to accelerate new private sector investment in New Zealand’s hotel infrastructure led by NZTE and the Government’s Investment Attraction Taskforce.
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce today announced the reappointment of Jennifer Kerr to the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) Board as well as the appointment of Richard Jones to the New Zealand Story Advisory Board.
NZTE is the Government’s international business development agency tasked with helping companies grow bigger, better, faster – for the benefit of New Zealand.
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Sport and Recreation Minister Jonathan Coleman today welcomed a report which highlights the positive economic impact of New Zealand hosting the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2015.
The report shows the tournament boosted New Zealand GDP by $30.4 million. It attracted over 3,600 international visitors, generating 52,650 international visitor nights with an average visitor stay of 14.3 nights. Over 300,000 spectators attended 52 matches across the seven host cities.
Entries open today for the 2016 Prime Minister’s Business Scholarships, which offer New Zealand executives the opportunity to improve their skills at the world’s best business schools.
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says the scholarships are designed for senior managers, executives and business owners looking to expand their expertise by studying internationally.
Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell this morning shared the stage with Mayors from Los Angeles, Guangzhou and Auckland to discuss further developing the cities’ cultural and economic relationships.
Mr Flavell, along with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Guangzhou Vice Mayor Wang Dong and Auckland Mayor Len Brown, came together at the Tripartite Economic Summit in Auckland which celebrates the relationships between the three sister cities.
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Sport and Recreation Minister Jonathan Coleman say the Government is investing up to $500,000 from the Major Events Development Fund into the 2016 Youth Sailing World Championship.
“This is a world-class sailing event which New Zealand has a proud heritage in. It’s great that we have been able to secure this opportunity to continue our fine record of hosting international sailing regattas,” Mr Joyce says.
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce today opened the NZ Exporters CEO Summit in Washington DC, with 11 New Zealand hi-tech exporters in attendance.
The Summit is being held to discuss new opportunities for NZ companies to participate in the world’s largest and most sophisticated government procurement market.
Economic Development and Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce leaves for the United States tomorrow to promote US-New Zealand business links, and leverage New Zealand’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Government Procurement Agreement (GPA).
In August 2015, New Zealand joined the GPA, providing New Zealand companies guaranteed access to US government contracts.
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce today opened the QRC Tai Tokerau Resort College, a new tourism and hospitality management training campus in Northland that will provide training and job opportunities for local young people in the fast-growing tourism industry.
Legislation has passed this evening allowing New Zealand Business Numbers (NZBNs) to be allocated to all businesses operating in New Zealand.
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says this will be welcome news to businesses and government agencies.
“NZBNs are a key initiative of the Government’s Better for Business programme. They are a unique identifiers that reduce the time and energy businesses spend providing government the same information in different ways,” Mr Joyce says.
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce today announced the government is investing $185,000 from the Major Events Development Fund into the 2016 and 2017 SkyCity New Zealand Badminton Open, which will be held in Auckland.
“The New Zealand Badminton Open has experienced strong growth and greater international status in recent years. Government investment will help to boost the profile of the event and also reflects the sport’s popularity in key trade and tourism markets,” Mr Joyce says.
Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Health Minister Jonathan Coleman today announced that the Government will invest $14 million over seven years in a $37.8 million public-private research partnership to promote precision-driven healthcare.
“The partnership will work on developing and conducting ground-breaking health data analysis and optimisation technologies for health assessment and management,” Mr Joyce says.
Eleven of New Zealand’s fifteen regions grew in the year to March 2015 according to Statistics New Zealand, while all fifteen have grown to varying degrees over the last five years, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says.
Strongest growing regions in the year to last March were Canterbury, Auckland and Wellington, while Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay, Nelson/Tasman, Marlborough and Otago all grew more than 2 per cent.
