Displaying 1 - 24 of 104 results.

The next round of the New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Fund opens for applications today, Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner has announced.

“NZSL is central to Deaf culture and identity, and is crucial to Deaf people’s ability to communicate and fully participate in society,” Ms Wagner says.

“The second round of the NZSL Fund seeks proposals for NZSL community-led projects that strengthen NZSL, especially in the home, within whānau, hapū and iwi, and within the Deaf community.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Disability Issues

Associate Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Nicky Wagner is delighted work will soon begin to enhance Christchurch’s iconic Bridge of Remembrance.

“Today I have released images showing the new design for the bridge and its surrounds, which I think will ensure this memorial is of a standard befitting those whom it commemorates,” Ms Wagner says.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Canterbury Earthquake Recovery

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner today released the updated Disability Action Plan 2014 – 2018 and announced the first steps in the revision of the New Zealand Disability Strategy.

“The Disability Action Plan brings together multiple government agencies to act on disability issues and is jointly governed with Disabled People’s Organisations. It was updated to make sure it was relevant and focused on the issues that are the most important to disabled people and the disability sector,” Ms Wagner says.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Disability Issues

Associate Conservation Minister Nicky Wagner has this weekend celebrated the Nature Heritage Fund’s significant contribution to conservation over the past 25 years, at a special ceremony held at Hakatere, Ashburton Lakes, in Canterbury.

“Over the past quarter of a century, the Fund has protected more than 340,000 hectares of critically important eco-systems including forests, wetlands and tussock lands that were under threat of logging or damage from introduced animals,” Ms Wagner says.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Conservation

ACC Minister Nikki Kaye and Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner have congratulated the winners of last night’s Attitude Awards, which recognise exceptional contributions made by New Zealanders who live with disabilities.

“ACC is the principal sponsor of the Attitude Awards, which promote positive role models and celebrate people living with a disability who are achieving great things,” Ms Kaye says.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Nikki Kaye
  • Disability Issues
  • ACC

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner today officially opened the first nine brand new SmartGates – or eGates – installed at Auckland International Airport for departing passengers in time for summer’s peak travel season.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner today welcomed the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, celebrated globally on 3 December every year.

“This year’s theme, ‘Inclusion matters’, reflects what I hear loud and clear from disabled New Zealanders; disabled people want to be included and want the opportunity to live an ordinary life,” Ms Wagner says.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Disability Issues

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner says New Zealand and its Asia Pacific neighbours are better prepared to respond to a potential threat from the trafficking of weapons of mass destruction as a result of this week’s successful exercise.

Twenty one Asia-Pacific countries met in Wellington for Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) Exercise Maru this week, to discuss and test systems, and learn more about how they would respond to a proliferation event.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

Associate Conservation Minister Nicky Wagner today announced the Nature Heritage Fund is investing $235,000 to purchase 124 hectares of forested karst landscape on the western flank of the Abel Tasman National Park.

“This block of land, known as ‘Lindsay’s Block’, borders Abel Tasman National Park on two sides, so it will become an integral part of the district’s protected forest system,” Ms Wagner says.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs
  • Conservation

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner says Customs has begun detailed work to determine the practical implications of options to streamline the collection of duty on low-value physical imports.

“Streamlining the collection of duty on low-value imports is about being fair and equitable to New Zealand businesses and workers by creating a level playing field with overseas suppliers,” Ms Wagner says.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner says New Zealand will next week host 25 Asia-Pacific countries in Wellington that are taking part in a major security related exercise.

Exercise Maru, which is a desktop exercise, aims to improve capability to stop the trafficking of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) by testing countries’ counter-proliferation systems and capabilities.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

Associate Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Nicky Wagner has welcomed the addition of a literary trail to Te Papa Ōtākaro/Avon River Precinct.

The installation of the first literary panels has begun at The Terraces, a key attraction of the precinct. The panels display excerpts from works by prominent authors Apirana Taylor, John Deans, Wiremu Te Uki and David Eggleton.

“The words are etched onto the steps that lead down to the river’s edge, celebrating both the Ōtākaro/Avon River and Christchurch’s rich literary history,” Ms Wagner says.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Canterbury Earthquake Recovery

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner says over four tonnes of tobacco was abandoned at airports in the year since the duty free limits were dropped on 1 November 2014.

“Passengers choosing not to pay duty dumped almost 3.8 tonnes of tobacco – almost enough to fill a 20 foot shipping container – in Customs bins at international airports,” Ms Wagner says.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner says the proceeds of crime-funded screening laboratory at Auckland Airport has made it quicker and easier to identify and stop drugs at the border.

“In its first year, the joint Customs-Environmental Science and Research (ESR) lab has screened more than 2000 drug samples. Of the samples screened, 33 per cent were controlled drugs,” Ms Wagner says.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner today announced the release of the updated Disability Action Plan 2014-2018 for the second round of public consultation.

“This is about making sure the Plan remains relevant and focuses on what will make the most difference for disabled people. Feedback from the first round of public consultation has been incorporated into the updated Plan,” Ms Wagner says.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Disability Issues

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner says Customs officers are on patrol for the yacht season, and this year expect to welcome between 600 and 700 small craft to our shores during the warmer months.

“Yacht visitors contribute to New Zealand’s economy through tourism, berthage and marine services. Customs is an international yacht’s first port of call so it’s a great opportunity to make a first impression,” Ms Wagner says.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

Associate Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Nicky Wagner today announced artwork for two landscape elements in Te Papa Ōtākaro/Avon River Precinct.

“The installation of the exciting new art in the Story Arc and Ngā Whāriki Manaaki will continue to add to the Precinct’s vibrancy,” Ms Wagner says.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Canterbury Earthquake Recovery

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Customs Minister Nicky Wagner have announced the rate for the new Border Clearance Levy following public consultation on the amount, the levy design and how it is to be paid.

The levy comes into effect on 1 January 2016 and will be NZ$18.76 + GST for air travellers and those arriving and departing on private craft, and NZ$22.80 + GST for cruise passengers. The higher rate for cruise passengers reflects the additional biosecurity assessments required at ports.

  • Nathan Guy
  • Nicky Wagner
  • Primary Industries
  • Customs

Associate Conservation Minister Nicky Wagner says conservation projects throughout Central Otago and Southland, including reforestation, pest control and preservation of the endangered galaxiid fish family, will all receive a boost from the Community Conservation Partnership Fund (CCPF).

“The Wakatipu basin is a highly regarded tourist destination, but at the same time it no longer has many of the native plant species which would once have been present,” Ms Wagner says.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Conservation

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner today welcomed the start of consultation for the New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Board’s three year action plan.

“New Zealand Sign Language is vitally important for the thousands of New Zealanders who use it as their primary form of communication,” Ms Wagner says.

"The Government is committed to promoting and maintaining the use of NZSL as one of New Zealand's official languages. The NZSL Board and the NZSL Fund were established to help support this commitment.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Disability Issues

A range of conservation projects, including coastal forests, wetland restoration and pest control across Otago, will benefit from the latest round of Community Conservation Partnership Fund (CCPF) grants, says Associate Conservation Minister Nicky Wagner.

“The Landscape Connection Trust is receiving $120,000 to help continue conservation efforts for threatened species and indigenous forests across 55,000 hectares of Otago land,” Ms Wagner says.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Conservation

Associate Conservation Minister Nicky Wagner today announced Community Conservation Partnership Fund (CCPF) grants for projects in the Nelson and Marlborough regions, with support for conservation of long-tailed bats and native birds, and restoration of local wetlands.

“The CCPF will provide $127,000 to help the Brook Waimarama Sanctuary Trust develop a large pest-free sanctuary for wildlife close to Nelson City,” Ms Wagner says.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Conservation

Associate Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Nicky Wagner has today released the approved restoration plan for Christchurch’s beloved Victoria Square.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Canterbury Earthquake Recovery

Plan changes affecting property owners as a consequence of future coastal hazard issues are to be dealt with as part of Christchurch City Council’s normal planning processes, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee, Associate Minister Nicky Wagner and Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith announced today with Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel. 

  • Gerry Brownlee
  • Nick Smith
  • Nicky Wagner
  • Canterbury Earthquake Recovery
  • Environment