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Transport Minister Simon Bridges has appointed Captain James (Jim) Veere Dilley to the Oil Pollution Advisory Committee (OPAC) for an open-ended term, commencing on 11 August 2017.

OPAC gives advice to Maritime New Zealand on matters related to marine oil spills, and the fixing and levying of oil pollution levies.

“Captain Dilley has wide-ranging experience in the marine sector, including 12 years of experience with marine oil spill responses, having worked as a Regional and National On-Scene Commander,” Mr Bridges says. 

An effort to end chronic homelessness in Auckland is making strong progress in its first four months, Social Housing Minister Amy Adams has announced.

“Since its launch in late March, Housing First Auckland has helped 150 people across Auckland into housing. Early indications are showing that more than 95 per cent are keeping off the streets,” Ms Adams says.

Education Minister Nikki Kaye has announced that thousands more children and young people will benefit from a new approach that’s making it easier for children to access additional learning support services (previously described as special education).

“I’m pleased to be rolling out a pilot that’s been trialled in three Bay of Plenty Communities of Learning to up to another 30 Communities across the country,” says Ms Kaye.

Associate Environment Minister Scott Simpson today announced a Waste Minimisation Fund grant of nearly $55,000 to Tauranga-based Beyond the Bin to help turn its event waste reduction workshop into a free online e-course consisting of a series of 10 shor

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Jacqui Dean today welcomed the passing of a bill that will benefit businesses and consumers by providing greater certainty for firms to collaborate and compete.

The Commerce (Cartels and Other Matters) Amendment Bill allows for a wider range of collaboration between firms to help them to produce new products at lower cost. 

“Joint ventures are a great example of collaboration. They can help businesses innovate and help exporters tap into overseas markets,” Ms Dean says.

Health Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman says the appointment of two healthcare experts as target champions for Shorter Stays in Emergency Departments (ED) will help further improve the flow of patients.

“DHB’s around the country are making good progress towards the health target of Shorter Stays in EDs,” says Dr Coleman. 

“Most recent data shows that almost 94 per cent of patients were admitted, discharged or transferred from an ED within six hours which is close to the national target of 95 per cent.

The Government has awarded a $240 million contract to complete the design and construction of Christchurch Convention Centre, Minister supporting Christchurch Regeneration Nicky Wagner says.

“Work on the convention centre will begin shortly with our newly-appointed main works contractor, CPB Contractors Limited. This will be a world-class boutique facility, capable of hosting international conferences as well as community meetings, balls, galas and weddings,” Ms Wagner says.

Communications Minister Simon Bridges has welcomed the start of the Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) build in four more regional towns as the extension of the Government’s broadband programme continues to roll out across the country.

In January the Government announced an investment of $300 million to extend UFB to another 423,000 New Zealanders across a further 151 towns.

“Having access to fast and reliable broadband is critical to growing our regional economies and to New Zealand’s future,” Mr Bridges says.

Almost 1.2 million New Zealand households and businesses now have access to Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB), Communications Minister Simon Bridges says.

The June 2017 Quarterly Broadband Update released today shows that deployment for phase one of the UFB programme is close to 80 per cent complete, providing 1,185,351 New Zealand households and businesses with the ability to access UFB.

Around $18 million will be invested to build more new classrooms in Auckland, say Education Minister Nikki Kaye and Associate Education Minister Tim Macindoe.

Ms Kaye made the announcement this afternoon during a visit to Torbay School.

“The focus of this investment is building additional classrooms to accommodate roll growth, but it includes some replacement classrooms to continue our ongoing modernisation of existing school infrastructure,” says Ms Kaye.

Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee will tomorrow attend the annual Pacific Islands Forum – Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Fiji.

“As Foreign Minister I’ve made meeting with – or talking to – my Pacific counterparts a priority,” Mr Brownlee says.

“This visit will help strengthen New Zealand’s interests and relationships in the Pacific, including our support for economic development in the region.

A new investment of $21 million over seven years for the Research Education and Advanced Network New Zealand (REANNZ), will ensure the country’s top researchers have the ability to collaborate over long distances, Science and Innovation Minister Paul Goldsmith says.

“Science and research are data-intensive pursuits that in the 21st Century are becoming increasingly collaborative and borderless,” Mr Goldsmith says.

The House of Representatives sat through extended sitting hours this morning to pass the Rangitāne Tū Mai Rā (Wairarapa Tamaki nui-ā-Rua) Claims Settlement Bill and the Ngāti Pūkenga Claims Settlement Bill through their third readings.

“The passing of this legislation enables the people of Rangitāne o Wairarapa and Rangitāne o Tamaki nui-ā-Rua and Ngāti Pūkenga to enjoy the benefits of settlement and look forward to a stronger future,” Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Christopher Finlayson said.

Corrections Minister Louise Upston has welcomed 45 new Corrections officers to the front line.

The latest cohort, which graduated at a ceremony in Wellington today, includes officers from the United Kingdom, Samoa, South Africa and India. They come from a range of professions including former police officers, nurses and mental health workers.

Croatia’s President, Her Excellency Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, will make her first official visit to New Zealand next week, Prime Minister Bill English has  announced.

“New Zealand has a warm and constructive relationship with Croatia. The large Croatian community that has made New Zealand home has made an important contribution to our business, cultural and political life over many years,” Mr English says.

Revenue Minister Judith Collins has welcomed a second round of negotiations between China and New Zealand tax officials aimed at updating the current double tax agreement signed between the two countries in 1986.

“The aim is to agree a new treaty, adopting modern treaty language and concepts, including agreed measures to deal with base erosion and profit shifting,” Ms Collins says.

New Zealand tax officials will meet with Chinese officials in Beijing next week for the second time since 2014, to discuss a new treaty.

Mark Ratcliffe will join the Housing New Zealand Corporation Board, Housing New Zealand Minister Amy Adams has announced.

“As New Zealand’s biggest landlord, Housing New Zealand has an important role in providing safe, warm social housing that’s the right size and in the right place for those in need.

“The Board plays a vital part in the strategic direction of Housing New Zealand, and I welcome Mr Ratcliffe’s commercial and senior executive expertise which will be a real asset to the Housing New Zealand Board,” says Ms Adams.

An evaluation of the Integrated Safety Response (ISR) pilot has confirmed that families are safer and better protected as a result of the pilot, say Justice Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley.

The final evaluation report released today by Superu found that the level of seriousness and the frequency of family violence incidents reduced significantly in the six months after people came into contact with the pilot.

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman and Associate Minister Nicky Wagner welcome a new report which shows a continued downward trend in the percentage of pregnant women smoking.

The latest Report on Maternity shows 14.2 per cent of pregnant women smoked early in their pregnancy, down 2 per cent compared to 2008. That’s around 1,170 fewer pregnant women smoking compared to seven years ago.

“Evidence shows the earlier pregnant women quit smoking, the better the chances are for their baby,” says Dr Coleman.

The operation of the Veterans’ Support Act 2014 review has been kick-started with the release of a discussion document, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs David Bennett says.

Thank you for the opportunity to again address the EDS annual conference, particularly in this pivotal election year.

EDS continues to play an important independent leadership role in New Zealand’s environmental challenges, whether it be the issues of biodiversity, water quality, climate change, marine issues or the RMA. The very announcements I am making today on water quality can be traced back to the initiatives of EDS in 2008 to launch the Land and Water Forum as a stakeholder lead process to advance improved freshwater management.

The Government’s new National Policy Statement (NPS) on Freshwater Management will deliver cleaner lakes and rivers with ambitious new targets for improving their recreational and ecological health, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith says.

Operators of electric vehicles (EVs) are set to benefit from rule changes which will see heavy electric vehicles exempt from road user charges and potentially allow drivers of electric vehicles to use bus and high occupancy vehicle lanes, Transport Minister Simon Bridges says. 

From 1 September 2017 heavy EVs will be exempt from road user charges, which otherwise apply to vehicles that do not pay for petrol at the pump, until they make up two per cent of New Zealand’s heavy vehicle fleet.

Associate Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Louise Upston has welcomed the launch of 10 regional skills roadmaps to help the service industry tailor training according to the needs of the regional workforce.

The regional roadmaps were developed jointly by the service sector industry training organisation ServiceIQ and the service industries including tourism, hospitality, retail and aviation.