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Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith and Associate Education Minister Louise Upston have today announced the release of a new online resource designed to help young people enter the workforce.

The Employability Skills Framework clearly sets out the key behaviours, attitudes and personal qualities employers say are essential for getting and keeping a job.

A programme is being piloted in South Auckland to help 450 young offenders gain a full driver licence, improving road safety and reducing offending.

“Gaining a driver licence can help young people turn their lives around, get jobs and move away from crime. People in gainful employment are less likely to reoffend,” Corrections Minister Louise Upston says.

The two-year pilot is aimed at Maori offenders aged 17-24 in the community and in prison. Maori have a high proportion of convictions for licence/regulatory offences.

Corrections Minister Louise Upston today opened a new residential facility at Christchurch Men’s Prison that will accommodate high-risk sexual or violent offenders subject to Public Protection Orders.

“The Matawhāiti Residence is designed to balance public safety with the appropriate management and rehabilitation of its residents. It is intended to better protect the community, rather than act as a punishment for the residents,” Ms Upston says.

Offenders spent more than 90,000 hours last year learning work and living skills aimed at positive change in their lives and reducing the likelihood they will reoffend, Corrections Minister Louise Upston says.

Work and Living Skills (WLS) is part of community work sentences in which eligible offenders sentenced to more than 80 hours of community work may be able to convert up to 20 per cent of their hours into work and skills training.

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.

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.

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.

Hawera has a brand new Community Corrections building that will be safer for staff, Corrections Minister Louise Upston says.

The building is part of a five-year nationwide renewal programme to make Community Corrections sites more secure.

Ms Upston said the purpose-built building has the best modern facilities and security of any new Community Corrections site in the country.

“The building offers a safer working environment for staff as well as having facilities that encourage positive interactions with offenders and their families.

A Christchurch family in need will have a new home and prisoners from Rolleston Prison have gained life-changing skills, says Corrections Minister Louise Upston.

The Minister visited the Rolleston Prison construction yard today where she saw the 50th house refurbished by prisoners for social housing.

Offenders across New Zealand completed more than 1.8 million hours of community work last year, says Corrections Minister Louise Upston.

A community work sentence requires offenders to complete a set number of hours of unpaid work which benefits the community.

“I am delighted to see those on community work sentences engaging in constructive activities aimed at positive change in themselves and helping their communities,” says Ms Upston.

Satellite images of the impact of the Kaikoura earthquake show the level of devastation and will help speed up the recovery, Land Information Minister Louise Upston says.

The imagery, taken from planes, gives a clear picture of dramatic changes to the coastline following the initial quakes and aftershocks. The project was a joint effort between Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) and NZTA, and will support the reconstruction work on the coastal rail and road route announced by Minister Bridges today.

Three place names in North Canterbury containing the word ‘nigger’ will be changed to reflect the offence caused by that word, Land Information Minister Louise Upston says.

Nigger Stream, near Arthur’s Pass, will now officially be named Pūkio Stream after a native grass (Carex Secta) found in the area.

Niggerhead, which is above Lake Sumner, will be called Tawhai Hill after a species of native Beech Tree found in the South Island.

It’s now easier for young girls and women to pursue career opportunities in science, technology engineering and maths, Womens’ Minister Louise Upston says.

The ‘STEM Directory’ is a new online tool launched by the Ministry for Women and identifies initiatives, programmes and associations through which young girls and women can connect, discover and learn about science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM).

The Minister for Women Louise Upston has today welcomed the selection of the first Future Directors participant since the expansion to the state sector.

Ruth Smithers will join the WorkSafe New Zealand board early in the New Year, following the expansion of the Future Directors programme to include state sector boards and committees in June this year.

Minister for Women Louise Upston has today announced changes to the National Advisory Council on the Employment of Women to strengthen its focus on breaking down barriers facing women in work.

“The aim of the Council is to drive genuine and sustainable change for women in the workplace, and ensure their skills are fully utilised. To achieve this, I have asked the Council to focus on five critical areas preventing women from reaching their potential at work.

Minister for Land Information Louise Upston today announced the appointment of Victoria Murdoch and re-appointment of Evan Gamby to the Valuers Registration Board – the authority that oversees the performance of New Zealand’s land valuers.

“Ms Murdoch is Christchurch-based and has worked mainly in urban valuation for nearly 20 years. She’s also the third woman to be appointed to the Board since its creation in 1948,” says Ms Upston.

The Board has also re-appointed long-serving member, Evan Gamby, for the next three years.

The Minister for Land Information Louise Upston says advisors to overseas investors are helping to make sure New Zealand attracts and secures quality investments.

“During the last two weeks I have enjoyed hosting a series of overseas investment workshops attended by more than 150 lawyers, advisors and others who work with, or have an interest in, people investing in New Zealand.

The Government will update the Equal Pay Act and amend the Employment Relations Act to implement recommendations of the Joint Working Group on Pay Equity.

This will make it easier for women to file pay equity claims with their employers, rather than having to go through the courts. It will also assist employers in addressing those claims.

“The Government has accepted the recommendations of the Joint Working Group, which set out principles for raising and resolving pay equity claims through bargaining,” State Services Minister Paula Bennett says.

Appointments to the Cadastral Surveyor Licensing Board, New Zealand’s authority for setting competency standards for land title surveyors, will see its membership refreshed, including a new Chair, Land Information Minister Louise Upston said.

“It’s great to see that the Board has elected a woman as Chair for the first time. Vicky Nalder, an experienced surveyor and member of the Board for six years has been promoted to the position,” Ms Upston says.

The Associate Minister of Local Government Louise Upston has announced a second tranche of proposals as part of the national action plan to reduce the risk and harm of dog attacks.

The additional changes made in this second tranche will ensure the owners of high-risk dogs are fit for the job, introduce stricter penalties for owners of dogs that attack, and improve data about dog attacks.

A refreshed membership of the New Zealand Geographic Board will ensure that New Zealand’s process for deciding official place names continues to reflect the interests of Kiwis, Land Information Minister Louise Upston says.

The newcomers are Paulette Tamati-Elliffe, nominated by Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, and former South Wairarapa District Council Mayor, Adrienne Staples, nominated by Local Government New Zealand.

Latest figures released by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) again show overseas tax resident buyers are involved in just three percent of New Zealand property transfers, Land Information Minister Louise Upston says.

LINZ released its quarterly report on tax residency and property transfers covering July to September 2016 today which shows transfers involving overseas tax residents are at similar levels to previous quarters on record this year.

The 2016 Enterprising Rural Women Awards have been announced overnight, with the winners displaying dynamic, resourceful and successful entrepreneurship and business acumen, the Minister for Women Louise Upston says.

Rotorua’s Amy Dibley, Founder and Director of Physio Direct was named the supreme winner of the annual awards, which are run by Rural Women New Zealand to showcase successful rural business women.

The effort to stop invasive wilding conifers from choking the Kaimanawa ranges has received a major funding boost, Land Information Minister Louise Upston and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry have announced.

“The Government is investing an additional $538,000 in control work in the Kaimanawa ranges this year, as part of the $16m it is investing nationally to control wilding conifers over the next four years,” Ms Upston says.