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Prime Minister John Key says a Royal New Zealand Air Force P3 Orion will soon be joining the search for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370.

“The Malaysian Government has accepted the New Zealand offer to join the international search and rescue effort, and I will be talking to Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib tonight to reinforce that New Zealand stands firmly alongside Malaysia at this challenging time” says Mr Key.

Prime Minister John Key has welcomed Solomon Islands Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo who arrived in New Zealand today.

“New Zealand and the Solomon Islands are close partners in the Pacific region and I am looking forward to seeing Prime Minister Lilo again,” says Mr Key.

Prime Minister John Key has announced the 2014 General Election will be held on Saturday 20 September.

“I’m announcing the election date well in advance as I believe this gives New Zealanders some certainty and is in the country’s best interests.”

“It is my practice to be up-front with the New Zealand public and provide plenty of notice about election timing.”

The Prime Minister has this afternoon acknowledged the anguish families of New Zealanders Paul Weeks and Ximin Wang will be going through, as the wait for news of the missing flight stretches to almost two days.

Mr Weeks and Mr Wang were the only two New Zealanders on board a Malaysian Airlines flight that disappeared between Kuala Lumpur and Beijing early on Saturday (NZT).

Prime Minister John Key will travel to China, Hong Kong and The Netherlands as part of a visit focusing on trade and economic opportunities and to attend the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague on 24-25 March.

Mr Key will depart New Zealand for China on March 17.

In Beijing, Mr Key is scheduled to meet both President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang.

The visit will focus on increasing agriculture and food safety cooperation, financial sector cooperation, as well as building on the strong bilateral trade, economic and political relationship.

New Zealanders will have a great chance to see the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge when they visit New Zealand in April, says Prime Minister John Key.

Kensington Palace and the 2014 Royal Visit Office in New Zealand this morning announced that the Duke and Duchess would visit eight New Zealand centres between 7-16 April this year.

“It’s a pretty good geographic spread, with four South Island and four North Island centres included in the itinerary," said Mr Key.

Prime Minister and Tourism Minister John Key today, in a pre-Budget announcement, said $8 million would be invested over four years to help maintain the quality of the New Zealand Cycle Trail (NZCT) Great Rides.

'Nga Haerenga - The New Zealand Cycle Trail' is a partnership project between the Government and the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand.

The Prime Minister, speaking in Queenstown, also announced up to $500,000 in additional funding for the Around the Mountains Cycle Trail in Southland.

Prime Minister John Key has thanked Minister Tony Ryall for his remarkable service to the National Party, his Bay of Plenty electorate and New Zealand.

Mr Ryall announced this morning his decision to retire from politics at the election later this year.

“Tony has provided 24 long years of loyal service,’’ says Mr Key.

Prime Minister John Key met with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott in Sydney today and jointly chaired a meeting of Australian and New Zealand Cabinet Ministers.

“New Zealand and Australia share one of the closest economic partnerships in the world and it’s critical that we continue to deepen the economic and business links between our two countries,” says Mr Key.

Mr Key thanked Prime Minister Abbott for inviting New Zealand to join the G20 meetings, which Australia is hosting this year.

E nga Rangatira

E tau nei ki Waitangi

Tena koutou

Tena tatau katoa

Ladies and Gentlemen.

Waitangi Day is a special day for New Zealanders. It’s a day when we reflect on the history of our young country, and it’s a day when we think about what we want for New Zealand’s future.

We come together here each year to commemorate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.

The Treaty is more than a document which created a new nation.

Prime Minister John Key will travel to Sydney from 6 to 8 February 2014 to meet with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

“Australia is New Zealand’s closest international partner and our relationship is vitally important to New Zealand’s trade and economic interests,” says Mr Key.

“I am looking forward to meeting with Prime Minister Abbott again and building on the close working relationship that has developed between our two Governments.

Prime Minister John Key has congratulated Lorde and Joel Little on their success at the Grammy Awards today.

Auckland singer/songwriter Ella Yelich-O’Connor, who performs as Lorde, won the Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance, and together with co-producer Joel Little won Song of the Year for Royals.

“This Grammy success underlines a fantastic year for Lorde and Joel Little. They have achieved something no other New Zealander has,’’ says Mr Key.

Prime Minister John Key today announced the National-led Government will invest an extra $359 million over the next four years to lift the achievement of New Zealand students at school.

In his first speech of the year, Mr Key says the country is moving in the right direction, with the economy projected to grow faster than most other developed countries and incomes set to rise.

“The Government’s books are on track to return to surplus and we are continuing to deliver what we have promised,” Mr Key says.

Good morning. I hope you all had a good Christmas break and you’re starting 2014 eager and energised.

I know I am.

And I know the Government is, because there are a lot of things to get done this year.

Later in the year there’ll be an election, where I’ll seek the support of New Zealanders to continue the direction this country is going in.

Prime Minister John Key today announced changes to the National-led Government’s Ministerial line-up, to take effect from Tuesday, 28 January.

Internal Affairs and Local Government Minister Chris Tremain, who has announced his intention to retire from Parliament at the upcoming general election, will be resigning from the Ministry.

Peter Dunne will be appointed Minister of Internal Affairs, Associate Minister of Health and Associate Minister of Conservation. Mr Dunne will be a Minister outside Cabinet as he was prior to his resignation in June last year.

Prime Minister John Key today set out his decision on which parties National will consider working with following this year’s General Election.

“MMP makes it likely that every election will be a tight contest,” Mr Key says.

“That means it’s also likely that following the election we will need to work collaboratively with other parties to form a stable Government.