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Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has today announced $889,000 of funding grants to boost New Zealand’s resilience to natural hazards and their consequences.

Mr Brownlee says the grants are awarded from the 2017 Resilience Fund, an annual fund of $889,000 administered by the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management (MCDEM).

Nine councils and organisations from Northland to Southland have been awarded grants this year.

Trade Minister Todd McClay will travel to Sydney tomorrow to meet with his Australian counterpart, Trade and Investment Minister Steven Ciobo.

The Ministers will discuss bilateral and regional trade issues likely to be of significance for both countries in 2017.

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says World Cancer Day is an opportunity to focus on what more can be done to further improve cancer services.

“Tomorrow is World Cancer Day and it’s timely to think about family and friends who have been touched by cancer,” says Dr Coleman.

“While cancer is New Zealand’s leading cause of death, outcomes for people with cancer continue to improve. In 2011, 63 per cent of cancer patients survived five years after diagnosis, up from 57 per cent in 1999.

Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges will attend the opening of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group’s Australia and New Zealand headquarters in Melbourne tomorrow.

“Alibaba Group is the world’s largest online and mobile marketplace and presents an enormous opportunity for New Zealand exporters to sell their products into the huge China market,” Mr Bridges says.

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says more stroke patients are receiving best-practice care with efforts to improve the delivery of stroke services across DHBs paying off.

“Around 9,000 people have a stroke each year in New Zealand. Early identification and treatment is crucial to reduce the likelihood of brain damage and lasting harm,” says Dr Coleman.

Dr Coleman visited Auckland DHB today and heard from clinical experts and a patient about a ground-breaking stroke treatment where blood clots are surgically removed.

Conservation Minister Maggie Barry has welcomed plans by the Kiwis for Kiwi Trust to boost the number of kiwi chicks captured in the wild for later release in to predator free habitats.

“Through Operation Nest Egg the Trust will use kiwi crèches or kōhanga kiwi sites to raise chicks to 1 kilogram in weight so they are big enough to fend for themselves in the wild,” Ms Barry says.

Revenue Minister Judith Collins today welcomed tax measures announced by Inland Revenue to help farmers affected by the Northland drought.

Inland Revenue will allow farmers to make late income equalisation deposits from the 2016 income tax year and to apply for early refunds.  This allows farmers to average their taxable income over several years more easily.

Ms Collins says that this would mean that farmers will be able to better plan their financial response to the drought conditions.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has today officially classified the drought conditions in Northland as being a medium-scale adverse event.

“This is recognition of the extreme dry conditions farmers and growers are facing, and triggers additional Government support,” says Mr Guy.

“Extra funding will now be available if required to coordinate support through local organisations like the Rural Support Trusts. In extreme cases there will also be Rural Assistance Payments (RAPs) available to farmers in severe hardship.”

More information on the improvements in Māori student achievement has been released today by Education Minister Hekia Parata.

Based on information derived from the Ministry of Education’s Public Achievement Information (PAI) publications, the Iwi Education Profiles show iwi-by-iwi as well as rohe breakdowns of early childhood participation data and schooling achievement data.

Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges and Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell have announced the establishment of an Iwi-Crown Economic Taumata at Waitangi today.

The Taumata will provide an opportunity for high level discussions between economic Ministers and iwi chairs on issues of economic significance to both parties, and will meet twice a year.

The justice sector will receive an extra $115 million over four years to support the rollout of more police on the beat.

Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams and Corrections Minister Louise Upston say the additional investment supports the work already underway to prevent crime and make communities safer. The $115 million funding boost for the Ministry of Justice and Department of Corrections is part of the Government’s larger $503 million Safer Communities package announced yesterday.

Sport and Recreation Minister Jonathan Coleman welcomes the appointment today of one hundred volunteer Community Ambassadors for the Rugby League World Cup 2017.

“The tournament is shaping up to be a major event for New Zealand. Organisers are forecasting over 6,000 international visitors, who are expected to contribute around $4.8 million to our economy,” says Dr Coleman.

Four ambitious conservation projects in Canterbury have received $137,000 in support from the DOC Community Fund, Conservation Ministers Maggie Barry and Nicky Wagner have announced.

The projects range from wilding conifer control to protecting and promoting indigenous vegetation, the Ministers say.

“Each of the groups is playing an important role in eliminating weeds and restoring biodiversity in the Canterbury region,” Ms Barry says.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges says the replacement of one-way bridges on Northland’s state highways has moved another step forward, with a contractor being appointed to carry out the works at Matakohe and Taipa.

A contract has been awarded to Fulton Hogan and Aurecon, who will jointly deliver the first part of the Northland Bridges programme, to replace two bridges at Matakohe and one at Taipa with two-way structures.

Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy have praised the progress of the Tai Tokerau Northland Economic Action Plan, one year on from its launch.

The action plan has been developed and led by the Northland Regional Governance Group and is part of the Government’s Regional Growth Programme. It identifies over 50 actions to support and enable growth in Northland.

Conservation work in Northland has received a major investment of $400,000 from the DOC Community Fund, announced today by Conservation Minister Maggie Barry.

Four groups will receive funding for community conservation work that contributes to the War on Weeds and Predator Free 2050.

Conservation Minister Maggie Barry and Associate Primary Industries Minister Louise Upston say projects to help kokako in Bay of Plenty have been given more than $125,000 from the DOC Community Fund.

“Rotoehu Forest is home to 150 North Island kōkako (Callaeas wilsoni) but has the space to support at least 500 birds. Over three years, three groups will work together to carry out a combination of pest control, wilding pine removal and other weed control,” Ms Barry says.

Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says DOC has completed the first stage of a 3-year programme to upgrade tracks in kauri forests to help prevent the spread of kauri dieback.

Twenty-six high priority tracks in the Bay of Islands, Kauri Coast, Whangarei, Auckland, Coromandel, Tauranga and Waikato regions were upgraded.

“The 56 kilometres of track were improved to reduce wet and muddy areas where there is a risk of track users spreading kauri dieback spores in mud on their footwear,” Ms Barry says. 

Corrections Minister Louise Upston today welcomed 113 new Corrections Officer graduates to the team.

“It is fantastic to see such a large group graduating and joining our efforts to keep our communities safe and reduce reoffending,” Ms Upston says.

The officers will be based at prisons across the country.

“I am grateful that they have chosen to bring their experience and expertise to the department,” says Ms Upston.

Police Minister Paula Bennett has today announced a new easy-to-remember phone number will be launched for non-urgent police calls.

“It’s important that people can contact the police at all times of the day and night, whether the matter is life-threatening or less serious. We want our police force to be easily accessible and for the entire community to feel connected to them,” Mrs Bennett says. 

A $503 million package which includes increasing police staff and resources across the country will reduce crime and make our communities safer.  

Police Minister Paula Bennett says the Safer Communities package announced today by the Prime Minister will provide an additional 1125 police staff over the next four years, including 880 sworn police officers.

Good afternoon,

My thanks to the Rotary Club of Auckland, and in particular President Andrew Aitken and the Rotary team for hosting this event.

I also want to acknowledge Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett and Finance Minister Steven Joyce, who are here today. Both of them are doing great work on behalf of New Zealanders.

Special guests, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for coming today.

The start of the year is the time to stand back and look at how we’re doing as a country.

Another 1125 police staff, including 880 sworn police officers, will be funded over the next four years to reduce crime and prevent reoffending, Prime Minister Bill English announced today.

“New Zealand is the fourth-safest country in the world, but demand for traditional police services is growing, and complex and serious crime is absorbing more police time.

“The Safer Communities package announced today will enable police to put more time, effort and resources into working alongside other agencies with at-risk individuals and communities.”

Conservation Minister Maggie Barry has announced a major expansion of predator control work in Northland’s precious native forests.

“Controlling predators is vital if the forests are going to be safe for native birds like the kiwi, kokako, kakariki and rifleman to breed and thrive,” Ms Barry says.

“The expansion is part of a nationwide ramping up of predator control as part of ‘Battle for our Birds’ and is a key priority as we move towards our goal of a predator free New Zealand by 2050.