Displaying 1 - 24 of 102 results.

Customs Minister Tim Macindoe has recognised 165 long-serving Customs officers and staff across the country, who have protected our borders and served New Zealand for more than 3,739 years collectively.

  • Tim Macindoe
  • Customs

Customs Minister Tim Macindoe warmly congratulates Customs on its win at the Institute of Public Administration New Zealand excellence awards last night.

Customs won the Excellence in Regulatory Systems category for its Joint Electronic Verification System (JEVS), a technology solution which transformed the border clearance system for New Zealand exports in China.

Mr Macindoe says the system has not only improved our border and trading relationship with China, but it has also provided increased assurance to New Zealand exporters.

  • Tim Macindoe
  • Customs

Customs Minister Tim Macindoe welcomes the signing of a Customs Cooperation Agreement with the European Union in Brussels overnight.

The Agreement will strengthen cooperation with the European Union in such areas as Customs procedures and supply chain security and risk management.

Mr Macindoe says this Agreement signifies our joint ongoing commitment to close cooperation.

For New Zealand, the Agreement will:

  • Tim Macindoe
  • Customs

Border sector Ministers have welcomed a new report by the Office of the Auditor-General published today on the use of information at New Zealand’s ports, and say their agencies will continue to work closely to protect our borders.

“This is a positive report which recognises good collaboration between the three border agencies. It finds there are strong relationships and effective processing of passengers,” says Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse.

  • Michael Woodhouse
  • Nathan Guy
  • Tim Macindoe
  • Primary Industries
  • Immigration
  • Customs

Customs Minister Tim Macindoe has today seen first-hand the positive impact new offsite storage regulations are having on small to medium sized breweries.

Before February 2017, only wine makers could move stock to offsite facilities and delay the point at which they paid excise duty. All other alcohol producers paid duty as their product left the site of manufacture, regardless of whether it was to be stored before going to market.

  • Tim Macindoe
  • Customs

Customs has achieved a great deal over the last three years, from streamlining the border process to record drug seizures and new legislation that reflects the modern border environment, Customs Minister Nicky Wagner says.

“From officials to front line officers, everyone at Customs works incredibly hard to keep New Zealand and New Zealanders safe. It’s been an absolute pleasure serving as Customs Minster and I’m incredibly proud of the organisation’s achievements over the last few years,” Ms Wagner says.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner today announced 15 new eGates are now fully operational at Auckland Airport arrivals, meaning Customs’ nationwide upgrade and expansion of eGates is almost complete.

“The Government has invested $6.6 million in this technology to more than double eGate capacity from 22 to 50 gates across the country,” Ms Wagner says.

In November 2015, the first phase of the project saw nine new generation eGates installed at Auckland Airport departures. A further 41 of the new and improved gates have since been installed nationwide.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner today welcomed the completion of a key trade system.

Trade Single Window, which is a major component of the Joint Border Management System programme by Customs and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), is an e-commerce platform that enables importers and exporters to meet all border requirements in one place.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner is welcoming a commitment to help strengthen Fiji’s border security.

New Zealand Customs will provide support and training for the transformation of Fiji’s Revenue and Customs Authority through an almost $1 million development plan funded by the New Zealand Aid programme.  

“The plan will improve border security by supporting organisational and staff development, regulatory and policy reform as well as stakeholder engagement,” Ms Wagner says.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

An agreement to boost New Zealand-China trade was today signed by Customs Minister Nicky Wagner and China’s Ambassador, His Excellency Mr Wang Lutong.

The Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) ensures border agencies in New Zealand and China recognise one another’s trusted exporter programmes.

“New Zealand and China Customs enjoy a strong working relationship. This arrangement will further strengthen ties by helping streamline the movement of goods,” Ms Wagner says. 

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse and Customs Minister Nicky Wagner have today announced three new initiatives to make it easier for Chinese visitors to come to New Zealand.

“China is New Zealand’s second largest market and has made a valued contribution to the strong growth in New Zealand international visitor arrivals and expenditure over the last few years,” Mr Woodhouse says.

“In 2016, Chinese visitors to New Zealand spent $1.67 billion and by 2022 this number is projected to increase to $5.3 billion.

  • Michael Woodhouse
  • Nicky Wagner
  • Immigration
  • Customs

Customs has done an outstanding job clearing a record number of passengers this summer season while continuing to protect the border with numerous seizures and arrests, Customs Minister Nicky Wagner says.

“Passenger volumes peaked as expected, with more than 3.68 million travellers passing through international airports in December, January and February — an 8.7 per cent increase on last summer. It was a big season for cruise ships too, with a record 139 visiting vessels carrying almost 312,000 passengers and crew,” Ms Wagner says.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner is today congratulating border agencies on the five-millionth transaction through a key trade system.

The Trade Single Window, developed by Customs and the Ministry for Primary Industries as part of the $104 million Joint Border Management System, was launched in 2013 to streamline the clearance of goods and craft.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner is today congratulating Customs on a record number of drug seizures in 2016.

“Customs made 4165 seizures last year, including over 413 kilograms of methamphetamine and 1.1 tonne of its precursors — mainly ephedrine that could have yielded up to 809kg of meth,” Ms Wagner says.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner will travel to Beijing this week to discuss a joint work programme with her Chinese counterpart.

Ms Wagner and Minister of the General Administration of China Customs, Mr Yu Guangzhou, will discuss a wide range of topics, including joint capacity building, trade facilitation and information exchange, data analytics, officer and training exchanges, as well as enforcement activities such as joint operations, targeting and threat assessments.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner says new regulations that take effect on 1 February 2017 will streamline the collection of excise and reduce costs for businesses. 

“Alcohol manufacturers have told us the current remissions process creates unnecessary administration costs. After working closely with industry representatives, we are introducing practical improvements that will save alcohol manufacturers time and money,” Ms Wagner says.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

Customs has begun testing a world-first automated border process for families departing through Christchurch Airport, says Customs Minister Nicky Wagner.

“It’s wonderful that we have an opportunity to test this new system right here in New Zealand. Customs is committed to providing a positive passenger experience, and this proof of concept will assess the feasibility of introducing automated processing for family groups,” Ms Wagner says.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

A newly launched joint data sharing system between New Zealand and Chinese Customs will give kiwi exporters a competitive advantage, says Customs Minister Nicky Wagner.

“Having the Joint Electronic Verification System operational gives New Zealand a big advantage over other exporters to China as we are only the second country in the world to have this sort of system in place with them.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner thanks Customs for their hard work this year keeping our borders safe.

“While most of us are enjoying our holidays, our frontline staff at Customs are facing their busiest time of the year. I wish to thank all Customs staff for their tremendous effort this year, particularly those who are protecting our border over the Christmas break,” Ms Wagner says.

“They’re dealing with rising volumes of border transactions, and ever increasing passenger volumes.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner announced today that over 20 million people have used Customs’ eGates since their introduction in 2009.

“Each week approximately 105,000 passengers self-process when crossing our border and this number is expected to continue to grow with the increasing volume of visitors to New Zealand,” Ms Wagner says.

“Visitor arrivals to New Zealand are expected to grow 5.4 per cent a year, reaching 4.5 million visitors in 2022 from 3.1 million in 2015.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner has today congratulated Customs’ five new detector dog teams at a graduation ceremony in Trentham.

“Customs received over $500,000 from Budget 2016 to boost the total number of detector dog teams across the country from 15 to 20, adding to its multi-layered enforcement at the border,” Ms Wagner says.  

“The five new teams are a welcome addition, especially as we head into the peak summer season when more people cross our border.”

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner has welcomed the First Reading of the Customs and Excise Bill in Parliament today.

“This is a Bill that is better for businesses. Not only will it be easier to use and understand, it makes businesses’ obligations clearer and provides more flexibility in meeting them,” Ms Wagner says.

“It will replace the out-dated 1996 Customs and Excise Act that is unable to respond to a changing border environment.”

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

Transnational criminal networks are targeting and recruiting people to act as drug couriers, by either duping or enticing them, and New Zealanders should be aware of the risks, says Customs Minister Nicky Wagner.

“Customs’ intelligence suggests older generations and the young and vulnerable are at risk are of being targeted by drug syndicates,” Ms Wagner says.

“This is not a new trend but we are aware of situations here and abroad that are of concern, and want to prevent New Zealanders from being preyed on.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

The new Customs and Excise Bill will strengthen border management and make life simpler for businesses, says Customs Minister Nicky Wagner.

“The Bill will take the place of the out-dated Customs and Excise Act 1996, which is difficult to understand and apply, creating unnecessary compliance costs for business,” Ms Wagner says.

“Businesses’ obligations will be clearer and there will be more flexibility in meeting them in the new modern legislation.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs