Displaying 169 - 192 of 6852 results.

Commerce Minister Craig Foss today welcomed the modernisation of New Zealand patent laws.

The Patent Regulations 2014, under the Patents Act 2013, was today published in the New Zealand Gazette. The legislation comes into force on 13 September and replaces the Patents Act 1953.

“This legislation will bring New Zealand patent law into the 21st century with a more consistent, high quality patent examination process,” Mr Foss says.

  • Craig Foss
  • Commerce

A group of volunteers dedicated to clearing wilding trees around Flock Hill in upper Waimakariri is to receive a major funding boost, Associate Conservation Minister Nicky Wagner announced today.

Waimakariri Ecological and Landscape Restoration Alliance will receive $309,000 over the next three years from the Department of Conservation’s Community Conservation Partnership Fund.

“Wilding trees are now the most significant threat to biodiversity and infrastructure in the 60,000 hectares of public and privately owned lands in the upper Waimakariri Basin.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Conservation

It’s fantastic to be here this evening to celebrate the best of thoroughbred racing in New Zealand.

I want to extend my congratulations to all the finalists, and award winners tonight.

We’ve seen some fantastic performances from our horsemen, horsewomen, and your horses.

This includes: Dundeel in the top 20 world rankings; Silent Achiever and Rising Romance winning several top races in Australia; and Vespa, the tough two year old, trained by Jono in my home patch of Otaki winning the Karaka Million.

  • Nathan Guy
  • Racing

A programme focused on improving behaviour in schools is having a positive impact in classrooms across New Zealand, Education Minister Hekia Parata says.

The findings, released today, are from an ongoing evaluation into the Positive Behaviour for Learning School-Wide (PB4L) programme. The evaluation is being carried out by the New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER).

“More than 500 schools around the country are involved in the PB4L programme, which helps schools to improve student wellbeing and increase educational achievement,” Ms Parata says.

  • Hekia Parata
  • Education

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says the rebuild programme for Christchurch’s damaged horizontal infrastructure has reached the halfway point.

“The repair and rebuild of the city’s roads, bridges and underground services is essential in the city getting back on its feet, and people having confidence in the services to their homes and businesses,” Mr Brownlee says.

“To be halfway through is great news for everyone, not least for road users having to navigate extensive roadworks every day.

  • Gerry Brownlee
  • Canterbury Earthquake Recovery

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says more than 5000 Crown-owned properties have now been cleared from the flat land residential red zones in greater Christchurch.

“Insurers and the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) have now cleared 5133 of the 7030 properties on the flat land whose former owners have settled with the Crown – just over 73 per cent of the task,” Mr Brownlee says.

  • Gerry Brownlee
  • Canterbury Earthquake Recovery

Police and Corrections Minister Anne Tolley has announced that the country’s first sex offender register, the Child Protection Offender Register, is to be introduced to help keep communities safe.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Police
  • Corrections

A new wharf designed to accommodate growing visitor numbers on Rangitoto Island in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf/Tikapa Moana was formally opened today by Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith.

  • Nick Smith
  • Conservation

E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karangatanga maha, tēnā koutou katoa,

Tēnei te mihi ki a koutou katoa ngā mana whenua o tēnei whenua me ngā rangatira o Te Tari o Te Ariki o Ngāti Tūwharetoa hoki, tēnā koutou, tēnā tatou katoa.

I acknowledge the iwi of Tūwharetoa, who have upheld the sacred expression of kaitiakitanga over your special landing places.

I am so pleased to be here with the Māori Reference Group of the Taskforce for Action on Family Violence and to be gathered in this place, to recognise such a significant – indeed a historic milestone.

  • Tariana Turia
  • Social Development

Revenue Minister Todd McClay has welcomed the announcement today of the remaining members of the Taxpayer’s Simplification Panel.

The Taxpayer’s Simplification Panel membership is:

  • Todd McClay
  • Revenue

Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Jo Goodhew has today announced that $502,000 in grants will be given to community groups reliant on volunteers.

The Support for Volunteering Fund is distributed annually to organisations which demonstrate that they are working to promote and support volunteering.

“Over a million New Zealanders are involved in some form of voluntary work in their communities. These volunteers are the backbone of our communities,” says Mrs Goodhew.

  • Jo Goodhew
  • Community and Voluntary Sector

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce has congratulated Palmerston North City Council and Spearhead Manawatu on successfully securing investment from the Ports of Auckland, the Port of Napier, and IcePak, for a new Inland Port and intermodal freight hub for the city and the region.

"This investment is a strong vote of confidence in the region's vision for Palmerston North to be a freight and logistics hub for the lower North Island,” Mr Joyce says.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Economic Development

Environment Minister Amy Adams today announced a new initiative which identifies and ranks priority sites for clean-up under the Government’s contaminated sites remediation programme.

Ms Adams also announced immediate funding of nearly $2.5 million to remediate two of the contaminated sites identified as a priority.

Identification and management of contaminated sites are the responsibility of local and regional councils, and remediation is generally at the cost of the landowner.

  • Amy Adams
  • Environment

Associate Conservation Minister Nicky Wagner today announced Conservation Volunteers New Zealand and West Coast branch of Forest and Bird have been awarded Community Conservation Partnership Fund grants.

Conservation Volunteers, which is a not for profit charitable entity, has been awarded $195,000 for a coastal amenities engagement programme.  It aims to develop community engagement in projects in Buller and Grey Districts.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Conservation

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett today officially launched a Community Finance pilot scheme that will see StepUP low-interest loans available in Manukau and Waitakere.

“Community Finance will help people with borrowing for assets they need for employment, education and a better quality of life,” says Mrs Bennett.

“This is another way we are helping families to help themselves become financially independent, by offering sustainable borrowing that avoids spiralling debt.”

  • Paula Bennett
  • Social Development

Health Minister Tony Ryall has today announced the responsibility for Chatham Islands health services will transfer to Canterbury District Health Board (DHB) from Hawkes Bay DHB next year.

Between 27 May and 17 June this year, the Ministry of Health held community meetings in the Chatham Islands and received a total of 106 submissions around a potential transition to a new district DHB.

Over 70 per cent of respondents indicated that responsibility should be transferred from Hawke’s Bay DHB, with the majority of those favouring a change to Canterbury DHB.

  • Tony Ryall
  • Health

There are many reasons why I am so pleased to be with you tonight.

First and foremost it is a great pleasure to have watched the progress of the New Zealand Disability Support Network since I officially launched it four years ago in 2010.

I launched the network having been in the job of Minister of Disability Issues just one short but frenetic year.  

  • Tariana Turia
  • Disability Issues

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce has welcomed the latest update on progress in the New Zealand International Convention Centre project.

SkyCity issued a company market update this morning that included information about and images from the draft Concept Design for the new international-standard convention centre, to be based in Auckland. It also provided information on a new five-star hotel and a laneway which Sky City will build as part of the International Convention Centre precinct.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Economic Development

Environment Minister Amy Adams has announced funding of $4 million to Wellington manufacturer Flight Plastics to build a recycling facility that will turn plastic waste into food-safe packaging.

The money was awarded to Flight Plastics from the Government’s Waste Minimisation Fund.

About 17,000 tonnes of polyethylene terephthalate plastic (PET) plastics are consumed in New Zealand each year. This type of plastic is commonly used to make soft drink bottles, and fruit and vegetable punnets.

  • Amy Adams
  • Environment

The Mount Aspiring, Paparoa and Westland Tai Poutini National Parks have been expanded by 1250 hectares as a consequence of five blocks being added by Order in Council yesterday at Cabinet.

“These rich forests and river flats are valuable additions to these three national parks. The areas were previously privately-owned but were strategically acquired by the Government’s Nature Heritage Fund specifically because of their high conservation values and the value they added to the national parks,” Dr Smith says.

  • Nick Smith
  • Conservation

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has announced new Government funding for the Zeal Education Trust to support its work with young people in West Auckland in reducing anti-social behaviour.

“Zeal does an amazing job with young people in West Auckland, and funding of $200,000 over the next two years will help them to develop and run a new initiative to better connect with at-risk young people,” Mrs Bennett said.

  • Paula Bennett
  • Social Development

Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye today announced that the National-led Government will invest at least $350 million over the next four years to build new schools and classrooms in the rapidly growing Auckland region.

Ms Kaye made the announcement during a visit to Ponsonby Primary School with Prime Minister John Key.

“New Zealand is growing strongly and the school network will come under pressure in different parts of the country as the population grows,” Ms Kaye says.

  • Nikki Kaye
  • Education

The National Cardiac Network, which is led by cardiac surgeons, cardiologists, GPs, nurses and other health professionals, continues to make gains and improve cardiac services in New Zealand.

Health Minister Tony Ryall today met with Prof Ralph Stewart, the new chair of the Network and a cardiologist at Auckland City Hospital.

“This network is an excellent example of the strong clinical leadership in our public health services,” says Mr Ryall.

  • Tony Ryall
  • Health

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce today welcomed the release of the 2013 educational performance data for Industry Training Organisations (ITOs), which show solid improvements in the performance of their trainees and apprentices.

“The big consolidation of the ITO sector from 39 down to 13 ITOs has resulted in larger organisations delivering better services for trainees and employers,” Mr Joyce says.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment