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Prime Minister and Tourism Minister John Key today announced the Government’s Tourism Growth Partnership is investing in six projects to grow the tourism sector in New Zealand.

“The Tourism Growth Partnership is investing $3.84 million in the projects in this first round of funding. This is in addition to $23 million from the applicants, giving a total $26.8 million investment in the tourism industry.

Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, John Key, has welcomed the recommitment from two leading partners who market New Zealand to the world.

“I am delighted to hear of Tourism New Zealand and Air New Zealand’s renewal of their annual Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), and commitment to invest a combined $20 million over the next 12 months to promote New Zealand as a visitor destination.

Prime Minister John Key has welcomed an invitation to meet the President of the United States during his upcoming visit to the US.

The White House has announced President Obama will meet the Prime Minister in Washington DC on Friday, 20 June.

“The invitation underlines the very close relationship between the United States and New Zealand,” Mr Key says.

A $500 million support package for families and children, dividends from a growing economy, and a track to surplus next year are all features of Budget 2014, Prime Minister John Key says.

“The Budget shows the economy is continuing to build momentum and provides further evidence that the Government’s programme is on the right track,” he says.

“Forecasts show a $372 million surplus next year, increasing surpluses in subsequent years, and the economy growing by between 2 per cent and 4 per cent annually over the next four years.

Good afternoon, it’s great to be here today.

I would like to thank Business New Zealand and Fujitsu for hosting this event.

Today I want to talk about the Budget that Finance Minister Bill English will deliver next week.

I will also announce two important initiatives that will be of interest to this audience.

But first I want to set the scene as Budget 2014 approaches.

This will be the National-led Government’s sixth Budget, and can I say Bill English is doing an excellent job.

Prime Minister John Key has today reallocated the portfolios made vacant by the resignation of Maurice Williamson as a Minister.

Christchurch Central MP, Nicky Wagner, will be made a Minister outside Cabinet and take on the portfolios of Customs, Statistics, Associate Conservation, and Associate Canterbury Earthquake Recovery.

“Nicky has been an MP since 2005, and has done a great job in Christchurch and in chairing the Local Government and Environment Select Committee.

Prime Minister John Key today announced he has accepted the resignation of Maurice Williamson as a Minister.

“I have been made aware that Mr Williamson contacted Police some time ago regarding their investigation of Mr Donghua Liu,” Mr Key says.

“Mr Williamson has assured me that he did not in any way intend to influence the Police investigation.

“However, Mr Williamson’s decision to discuss the investigation with Police was a significant error of judgement.

Prime Minister John Key has today launched SPARX, an online game-style tool to help young people develop skills to deal with feeling down, depressed or stressed.

An initiative of the Prime Minister’s Youth Mental Health Project, SPARX is a clinically tested self-help tool developed especially for young New Zealanders by Auckland University.

Prime Minister John Key today announced the appointment of Cheryl Gwyn as Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security.

The appointment was made by the Administrator of the Government on behalf of the Governor General and is for a term of three years.

“Ms Gwyn will start in her new role on the 5th of May, taking over from the outgoing Inspector-General, the Honourable R Andrew McGechan CNZM QC,” Mr Key says.

It’s great to be here in Christchurch today.

Thank you to everybody attending today, and thanks to the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce for hosting this event.

One of the National-led Government’s four main priorities this term is to support the rebuilding of this, our second-biggest city, and to stand beside the people of Canterbury.

From the first earthquake in September 2010, the Government has totally backed Christchurch and the wider region to respond, to recover and to rebuild.

Prime Minister John Key today expressed his condolences to the family of Sir Owen Woodhouse, ONZ KBE DSC. Sir Owen passed away aged 97.

“Sir Owen Woodhouse was a man whose life exemplified public service and duty to his country,” Mr Key said.

“He was a decorated naval officer in World War II, receiving a Distinguished Service Cross for operations in the Adriatic, before embarking on a long and distinguished career as a jurist at the highest level.”

Today I want to talk about the Budget, which will come out on 15 May.

This will be the National-led Government’s sixth budget.

Some of those budgets have felt at times like an exercise in crisis management.

So I take my hat off to Bill English, who has done a great job of steering the country through the recession, the global financial crisis and the aftermath of a very destructive and expensive natural disaster.

Everyone’s circumstances are of course different and some people are still finding it hard.

Prime Minister and Tourism Minister John Key today announced the opening of the second funding round of the Tourism Growth Partnership.

This $28 million Government incentive is available over four years and is aimed at boosting innovation and uplifting productivity in the tourism sector to ensure New Zealand gains more from international visitors’ spend.

This contestable funding round will be accepting applications until 31 May 2014.

New Zealand has designated a further two international terrorist groups under the Terrorism Suppression Act 2002, Prime Minister John Key announced today.

The groups Boko Haram and Ansaru from Nigeria.

“These designations help implement our international obligations under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373 aimed at preventing the activities of terrorists,” says Mr Key.

“Both entities have committed various terrorist acts, including the killing of civilians.

Prime Minister John Key today announced that New Zealand contribute $300,000 towards nuclear security training in Africa and Latin America.

The Prime Minister made the announcement at the third Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague, Netherlands, which has brought together leaders from 53 countries to ensure that States take the responsibilities for nuclear security seriously, and work with each other to ensure that nuclear materials do not fall into the hands of terrorists. 

New Zealand and the European Union (EU) have agreed to take steps to deepen their relationship including through a possible Free Trade Agreement following a meeting in The Hague. 

Prime Minister John Key met with President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso and President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy during the Nuclear Security Summit.

Prime Minister and Tourism Minister John Key, has welcomed the British Government’s decision to reduce duties for passenger flights to New Zealand.

“I have consistently advocated for such a change, which will benefit travelling New Zealanders and encourage more tourists to come to New Zealand.”

Chancellor George Osborne announced in the UK Budget last night the scrapping of the top two bands of air passenger duty, which apply to long-haul flights, to take effect from 1 April 2015.

Prime Minister John Key and Chinese President Xi Jinping have today set an ambitious new goal for two-way trade of $30 billion by 2020.

In a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing today they also discussed the success of the Free Trade Agreement between the two countries.

“This relationship has never been stronger,” says Mr Key. “We have great confidence that the coming years will see trade between us increase at a very fast pace.”

It is a great pleasure to be in Beijing today.

And I’m pleased to be here at the China Agricultural University for the first time - thank you for your warm welcome.

This is my fourth visit to China, reflecting the strength of the bilateral relationship between our two countries.

It also demonstrates the importance we place on the relationship and the potential we have to take it even further forward.

With me today are New Zealand’s Minister of Trade Tim Groser, and our Food Safety Minister, Nikki Kaye.

Prime Minister John Key says agreements entered into with China at his meeting with Premier Li Keqiang highlight the continuing strength of the relationship between our two countries.

Mr Key and Premier Li Keqiang met at the Great Hall of the People. Mr Key’s visit to China marks the third time the countries’ top leaders have met in less than 12 months.

The meeting emphasised the value both countries place on the political, trade and economic relationship which, has continued to grow rapidly.

Prime Minister John Key and China’s Premier, Li Keqiang, today announced the launch of direct trading of the New Zealand dollar against the Chinese renminbi in the Chinese onshore market.

Mr Key is in Beijing on the first day of his official visit to China, and met Premier Li Keqiang at the Great Hall of the People.

Prime Minister John Key welcomes the arrival of Croatia’s Prime Minister Zoran Milanović to New Zealand tomorrow for the first official visit from Croatia since 1995.

“Croatia is the newest member of the European Union, and I look forward to discussing their perspective on the European region with Prime Minister Milanović,” says Mr Key.

“The visit is also a chance to develop trade and business links by building on the long-standing relationship between our two countries which is based around the strong Croatian community here. 

Prime Minister John Key today outlined a plan to hold a public discussion and vote next parliamentary term on New Zealand’s flag.

In a speech at Victoria University today, Mr Key said it was his belief that the design of the current flag symbolises a colonial and post-colonial era whose time has passed.

“I am proposing that we take one more step in the evolution of modern New Zealand by acknowledging our independence through a new flag,” he says.

Good morning.

It’s good to be here in a place where ideas are encouraged and discussed, because that’s what I want to do today.

Anzac Day is approaching and, as you know, next year we will commemorate the centenary of that fateful landing by the Anzacs on the Gallipoli Peninsula on April 25, 1915.

In the struggle, the sacrifice, and the wretchedness of Gallipoli, an Anzac reputation for courage, endurance and mateship was forged that has endured long after those who survived that campaign have passed on.