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Employers and unions have agreed to a Government proposal to set up a Joint Working Group to develop principles for dealing with claims of pay equity under the Equal Pay Act.

Minister for Women Louise Upston says she is pleased that gender equality issues are on the table and this is another way the Government is taking proactive steps to look at how the gender pay gap can be closed.

The first reading of a Bill to establish a mixed governance council for Environment Canterbury (ECan) at next year’s local body elections ahead of a return to a fully elected council in 2019 has been welcomed today by Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith and Associate Local Government Minister Louise Upston. 

Minister for Women Louise Upston says she is disappointed by updated figures showing the gap between men’s and women’s median earnings has grown.

The New Zealand Income Survey released today by Statistics New Zealand shows the gender pay gap is now 11.8 per cent, up from 9.9 per cent in 2014.

“While it’s been encouraging to see a downwards trend in Gender Pay Gap figures over the past 17 years, it’s disappointing to see this increase.

Online data provided free of charge by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) is proving critical to the success of businesses across New Zealand, Land Information Minister Louise Upston says.

“LINZ’s Data Service has more than 19,000 users, and a recent customer survey found more than half of those surveyed rely on its data. A further 20 per cent reported the service’s data is critical to the success of their business,” Ms Upston says.

Suffrage Day is the perfect opportunity to celebrate how far New Zealand women have come since they won the right to vote in 1893, Minister for Women Louise Upston says.

“While it is 122 years since New Zealand women have been able to exercise their democratic rights, we can still be proud of brave Kiwi women like Kate Sheppard whose tireless work broke down social barriers.

An overseas company’s application to purchase Lochinver Station has been declined because the benefits to New Zealand are not substantial and identifiable, Ministers Paula Bennett and Louise Upston say.

Pure 100 Farm Ltd, a subsidiary of China-based Shanghai Pengxin, applied to the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) last year to buy the 13,800 ha farm near Taupo for $88 million.

Land Information Minister Louise Upston has welcomed today’s passing of the Reserves and Other Land Disposal (ROLD) Bill in Parliament.

ROLD Bills make non-controversial changes to land status such as Crown land, reserves and land held for public or private purposes. In essence this legislation works to tidying up small issues that do not warrant their own legislation.

“This particular Bill deals with a number of iconic New Zealand locations including the Dunedin Octagon, Mahinepua Bay reserve, Taieri Airport, and more,” Ms Upston says.

A toolkit of resources for women looking to achieve their leadership goals has today been launched by Minister for Women Louise Upston.

Speaking at a breakfast event at Parliament this morning to celebrate Suffrage Day on Saturday 19 September, Ms Upston officially launched the Ministry for Women’s new Inspiring Women project, featuring real-life stories of emerging women leaders.

Associate Minister of Local Government Louise Upston has today announced the signing of the Pumicelands Constitution, confirming rural fire authority responsibilities for a number of offshore islands in the Bay of Plenty.

“Offshore islands that will now be administered by the Pumicelands Rural Fire Authority (RFA) include the Tūhua/Mayor and Motiti islands, as well as the Whakaari/White and Moutohorā islands,” Ms Upston said.

Revenue Minister Todd McClay and Land Information Minister Louise Upston say people buying and selling property for profit will now be unable to avoid paying their fair share of tax.

Provisions introduced in the Taxation (Land Information and Offshore Persons Information) Bill passed the Third Reading in Parliament today.

The resulting measures amend the Land Transfer Act and Tax Administration Act 2015, and will see Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) collect additional information when property is bought and sold, and pass this information to Inland Revenue.

Kia ora and welcome everyone.

I am delighted to be here today to launch the report Getting it done: Utilising women’s skills in the workforce.

This report focuses on our work with Canterbury stakeholders to increase women’s participation in trades training and jobs, and how these lessons can be applied to opportunities in the labour market elsewhere. 

I’d like to start by thanking Leeann Watson for the warm welcome on this slightly chilly day.

It’s great to see my colleagues Hon Nicky Wagner and Jo Hayes here today.

Minister for Women Louise Upston has today launched a new report detailing how employers can make the most of women’s talents in their workplace.

“Getting it done: Utilising women’s skills in the workforce is a product of the Ministry for Women’s work with partners in Canterbury to increase women’s work choices and boost the number of women in trades,” says Ms Upston.

Land Information Minister Louise Upston has today announced her decision to correct the spelling of 12 place and feature names in the Opotiki District.

The names include such places as the Waiotahi River, Waiotahi Forest and Waiotahi Knoll, which will be corrected to the original Māori name ‘Waiotahe.’

“It is well known around Opotiki that the name Waiotahi is incorrect but despite this, the misspelling has prevailed for some time through common usage,” Ms Upston says.

Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Louise Upston is highlighting the importance of encouraging women to consider a career in trades during Got a Trade Week.

“Got a Trade Week is a great way to celebrate the talents and achievements of young Kiwis making headway in their chosen craft,” Ms Upston said.

“It’s also an excellent opportunity to encourage more women into trades training. Currently less than one third of Government-funded industry trainees are women, and only eight per cent of apprentices are women.

Lake Wanaka is healthier than it has been in decades, thanks to weed control work led by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), Minister for Land Information Louise Upston said today.

“In 2005, LINZ and a number of other agencies developed a 10-year strategy to deal with lagarosiphon. A decade on, two-thirds of the lake is clear of the aquatic weed, and LINZ is ready to begin the next phase of control work.

Elizabeth Cunningham has been appointed as a commissioner at Environment Canterbury (ECan), Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith and Associate Local Government Minister Louise Upston announced today.

“Elizabeth Cunningham has a strong background in local government and brings to the table knowledge and expertise in tikanga Māori as it applies to Canterbury,” the Ministers say.

Associate Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Louise Upston has today wished New Zealand’s WorldSkills team all the best as they head to Brazil for seven days of intense competition.

WorldSkills is an international competition that brings together over 1300 young people from 73 countries. The 15-member Kiwi team known as the Tool Blacks will represent the elite of New Zealand’s young people undertaking vocational training.

Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Louise Upston says apprentices and their employers will have clearer expectations thanks to a new Code of Good Practice.

A draft Code of Good Practice for New Zealand Apprenticeships was produced for consultation earlier this year and following positive feedback from submitters has now been finalised and published.

An in-depth assessment of New Zealand’s waters is set to improve maritime safety for ships, Minister for Land Information Louise Upston has announced today.

“As part of ongoing work to improve safety in our waters, Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) will map areas of high risk so charting improvements can be made where they are needed most.

Associate Minister of Local Government Louise Upston says she is pleased good progress is being made in Kaipara.

In April, Ms Upston announced the three Commissioners appointed to the Kaipara District Council in 2012 would be re-appointed for a further year. The Council will now have an election in 2016, in line with triennial general elections for all local authorities.

Environment Canterbury (ECan) will move to a mixed governance council of seven elected councillors and up to six appointed in 2016 as a transition to a fully elected council in 2019, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith and Associate Local Government Minister Louise Upston announced today.

A bill which will help Inland Revenue enforce the tax rules around property has passed its first reading in Parliament today.

Minister of Revenue Todd McClay and Minister for Land Information Louise Upston say the Taxation (Land Information and Offshore Persons Information) Bill contains two property tax proposals announced as part of Budget 2015.

“This package of measures will ensure that people buying and selling residential property for profit pay their fair share of tax,” says Mr McClay.

Revenue Minister Todd McClay and Land Information Minister Louise Upston have welcomed the introduction of a new bill which will help Inland Revenue enforce the tax rules around property.

The Taxation (Land Information and Offshore Persons Information) Bill containing proposed amendments to the Land Transfer Act and the Tax Administration Act was introduced into Parliament yesterday by Ms Upston. The bill contains two of the property tax proposals announced as part of Budget 2015:

Consultation on a report highlighting the importance of whānau and the community in preventing violence has been completed with positive results.

Following the February launch of the Ministry for Women’s Wāhine Māori, Wāhine Ora, Wāhine Kaha: preventing violence against Māori women research report, Minister for Women Louise Upston held hui in Taupo, Kaikohe, Invercargill and Te Puke to gather feedback on the report’s findings.