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The Minister for Disability Issues says the consultation report on Access to Buildings for People with Disabilities reflects the voice of the disabled community, is responsive to their needs and recognises that for a society to be fully inclusive, then disabled people must be treated as equal participants.

  • Tariana Turia
  • Disability Issues

Minister for Whānau Ora Tariana Turia has announced that the trialling of a new national information sharing system for Whānau Ora is now underway. Four Whānau Ora sites are trialling the new system that will eventually be available to all Whānau Ora providers and collectives.

  • Tariana Turia
  • Whānau Ora

Associate Minister of Health Tariana Turia says that research reports recently released show that Māori continue to face a number of barriers preventing them from accessing palliative health.

  • Tariana Turia
  • Health

Associate Minister of Health Tariana Turia has welcomed the Health Select Committee report for the Smokefree Environments (Tobacco Plain Packaging) Amendment Bill saying it is another significant step towards a Smokefree Aotearoa 2025.

The bill has proposed a number of amendments that will ensure that the effects of branding and advertising of tobacco products are minimised.

  • Tariana Turia
  • Health

The Government is to provide a $744,000 Community Conservation Partnership Fund grant to the Kiwis for kiwi™ to support 80 community-led kiwi recovery programmes around New Zealand, Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith announced today at Rainbow Springs with Rotorua MP Todd McClay.

“Kiwis once numbered in their millions but with predators and the loss of habitat now number 70,000. They will not exist for our grandchildren outside of sanctuaries if we do not step up our protection,” Dr Smith says.

  • Nick Smith
  • Conservation

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has authorised a strategic alliance between Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines, which will see Air New Zealand fly into Singapore for the first time since 2006.

Mr Brownlee says the decision is good news for air travellers, who will benefit from more flights and lower fares between New Zealand and Singapore.

  • Gerry Brownlee
  • Transport

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has appointed diplomat Patrick Rata as New Zealand’s next Ambassador to Italy.

“Italy is a good friend to New Zealand and an influential member of the European Union,” Mr McCully says.

“New Zealand is pleased to have recently concluded negotiations on a Partnership Agreement with the EU that will place our overall relationship with the European Union on an even stronger footing.

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has today joined Prime Minister John Key in announcing the selection of the preferred developers and operators for Christchurch’s new Convention Centre Precinct.

“This is a big milestone for a project that will provide a major boost to the economic heart of the rebuilt Christchurch,” Mr Brownlee says.

  • Gerry Brownlee
  • Canterbury Earthquake Recovery

A proposed package of measures to improve the status of New Zealand’s iconic longfin eel population has been announced today by Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy.

“The longfin eel is the largest freshwater eel in the world and is only found in New Zealand. This package of measures will help ensure its survival for future generations.”

The proposed measures include:

  • Nathan Guy
  • Primary Industries

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has announced diplomat Guergana Guermanoff as New Zealand’s new Consul-General to Shanghai.

“New Zealand’s trade with China has been growing strongly in the past five years, and Shanghai is an important point of entry to the Chinese market for many New Zealand firms,” Mr McCully says.

“Shanghai is an important post for New Zealand.  It is the commercial hub of China. The new Consul-General will oversee the further expansion of New Zealand’s presence in the Shanghai Delta. 

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs

Foreign Minister Murray McCully announced today that up to 100 young New Zealanders will be able to spend a year in Croatia following the signing of a reciprocal Working Holiday Scheme.

"This arrangement will enable young New Zealanders and Croatians aged between 18 and 30 to holiday or work each other’s countries,” Mr McCully says.

“Croatia is the newest member of the European Union, and this arrangement complements the arrangements we have in place with other EU nations.

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs

Court services in Oamaru have a new home, with the official opening of the purpose-built Oamaru Hearing Court in Humber Street, Courts Minister Chester Borrows said today.

“This facility provides a cost-effective solution for court services in Oamaru,” says Mr Borrows.

“While our first choice was always to get back into the old courthouse, this facility balances our need to be responsible in the way we spend taxpayer money with the need to provide a suitable venue for court.”

  • Chester Borrows
  • Courts

Record numbers of people are filing their tax returns online as Kiwis take advantage of new services provided by Inland Revenue, says Revenue Minister Todd McClay.

From April to July, 20,000 more New Zealander’s used Inland Revenue’s online service to file their tax returns than the same period last year, taking the total to more than 150,000 and growing.

  • Todd McClay
  • Revenue

Today I want to say a few words about my portfolio, and on some of the big challenges and opportunities facing your industry.

The horticulture industry plays a major role in New Zealand’s economic growth, contributing $6.7b to the economy in the year to June 2013 and making up around 8 percent of New Zealand’s total merchandise exports.

Horticultural exports have more than doubled since 2000, to $3.6 billion in 2013, and are forecasted to surpass $4 billion in 2016, a major milestone for the sector.

  • Nathan Guy
  • Primary Industries

The latest employment statistics show that Pacific people are benefiting from a strengthening economy with the number of Pacific people now employed at 111,400, compared with 93,400 in June 2013.

Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga says as Pacific unemployment decreases, it means thousands more Pacific people are in jobs earning a living, and able to support themselves, their families and their communities.

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Pacific Island Affairs

Kia ora hei hui tātou katoa.

Can I acknowledge Gary Taylor and the Environmental Defence Society (EDS) for the first class discussion and engagement that goes with these annual EDS conferences.

  • Nick Smith
  • Conservation

The rollout of fast internet to schools is almost five months ahead of schedule with 700 schools now connected to the Government’s Managed Network, Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye says.

“The 700th connection was the target for the end of the first year so it is great news that this milestone has been reached so early. It is a tribute to the team at Network for Learning (N4L) to have connected so many schools so quickly,” Ms Kaye says.

  • Nikki Kaye
  • Education

Prime Minister and Tourism Minister John Key today announced the Government’s Tourism Growth Partnership (TGP) is investing in two further organisations in order to grow the tourism sector in New Zealand.

The TGP is investing $600,000 in the Canterbury Tourism Partnership to support the rebuild of the tourism sector in the Canterbury region, and $50,000 to China Travel Service NZ Ltd.

  • John Key
  • Tourism
  • Prime Minister

A neighbourhood regeneration project consisting of 32 new homes, a new Early Childhood Education centre and the redevelopment of the local Scout Hall was launched today as the first phase of the long-term plans of the Tāmaki Redevelopment Company (TRC).

  • Nick Smith
  • Housing

Statistics Minister Nicky Wagner says information from the 2013 Census has resulted in a record number of New Zealanders downloading and using statistical information.

In the past financial year there were more than 2.5 million visits to Statistics New Zealand’s website, an increase of 320,000 on the previous year.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Statistics

Foreign Minister Murray McCully travels to Myanmar this week to attend the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the ASEAN Regional Forum, and the ASEAN-New Zealand Ministerial Meeting.

“The East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting brings together Ministers from the ASEAN member states, US, Russia, Japan, China, Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand,” Mr McCully says.

  • Murray McCully
  • Foreign Affairs

Novice drivers and motorcycle riders will be encouraged to progress to the next licence stage within five years, with the introduction of a time limit on new learner and restricted licences, says Associate Transport Minister Michael Woodhouse.

Under changes to the Land Transport (Driver Licensing) Rule, drivers or riders who don’t move on to the next stage of the Graduated Driver Licensing System (GDLS) within five years will need to pass another theory test to renew an expired learner or restricted licence.

  • Michael Woodhouse
  • Transport

Commerce Minister Craig Foss today announced further steps to simplify and encourage participation in New Zealand’s capital markets.

“Cabinet this week signed off on a number of policy decisions to come into force under the Financial Market Conduct Act on December 1,” Mr Foss says.

“The decisions include new disclosure requirements to improve investor literacy, confidence and participation in financial markets.

  • Craig Foss
  • Commerce

New marine protected areas to conserve Kaikoura’s whales, dolphins, seals, albatrosses, rock lobster, shellfish and finfish were formally opened today by Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith.

“Kaikōura has the most biologically rich ocean environment in the world at over 500 metres’ depth with its deep canyons so close to shore. This extraordinary marine environment needs the recognition and protection of these new reserves, sanctuaries and the tighter fishing limits that are being signed into effect tomorrow,” Dr Smith says.

  • Nick Smith
  • Conservation