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Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says with 2013 drawing to a close it is timely to acknowledge the amount of work that has gone into preparation for the full-scale construction of central Christchurch’s anchor projects.

“Over 2013 work on many of the 17 Anchor Projects has ramped up, starting with the necessary planning, proposals and contracting,” Mr Brownlee says.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee today officially opened the 12.3 kilometre Ngaruawahia section of the Waikato Expressway, marking a significant milestone towards the completion of the transformational 102km road of national significance.

“This important section of road will encourage and support economic growth and productivity through improved linkages between the Auckland, Waikato and the Bay of Plenty regions, where the majority of the country’s freight and travel movement occurs,” Mr Brownlee says.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced an extension for consideration of the Crown’s offer for eligible property owners in the Port Hills residential red zone.

Eligible red zone property owners will now have until 31 August 2014, instead of 31 March 2014, to decide whether to accept the Crown’s offer to purchase properties deemed to have an unacceptable level of life risk from rock roll and cliff collapse.

Leader of the House Gerry Brownlee says the Government is very pleased with its busy and productive legislative year, which ended with Parliament’s adjournment this afternoon.

“The House sat for three fewer days this year, but passed more legislation,” Mr Brownlee says.

“We saw a 45 per cent increase in Government bills passing their third reading and becoming law, with 145 bills passed, up from 99 in 2012.

Leader of the House Hon Gerry Brownlee today introduced a Bill to make it clear what is covered by parliamentary privilege following a Supreme Court judgement.

“Parliamentary privilege is a frequently misunderstood concept but is an essential part of our democracy”, Mr Brownlee says.

“Privilege enables MPs and others participating in Parliamentary proceedings to say and do things without the fear of people taking them to court. This allows Parliament to legislate, debate matters of public importance and scrutinise the Government.”

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says the creation of the Land Use Recovery Plan (LURP) will go a long way towards easing housing pressures, with new options for development across greater Christchurch.

“The LURP provides certainty across the community, informing land owners, infrastructure providers and others by outlining new areas that can be developed for new housing and businesses,” Mr Brownlee says.

Results of the Port Hills Zoning Review announced today will give property owners certainty and provide options for people to move on from areas posing a serious risk to life, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says.

The outcome of the review of all zoned properties in the Port Hills means a change of zoning for 270 properties – with 237 going from green zone to red zone, and 33 going from red to green.

A world-leading project to transform Christchurch into a smart city of the future and create opportunities for New Zealand’s tech sector is to receive support from Callaghan Innovation, the Government’s new High Tech HQ for business.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says he is very pleased by the Court of Appeal’s finding, released today, that the residential red zoning of the most damaged parts of greater Christchurch was lawful, and that the process was well conducted.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced a $2 million package to help Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) improve New Zealand’s wider maritime response capability.

The funding follows the Minister’s release today of an independent review of MNZ’s response to the grounding of the Rena off the coast of Tauranga in October 2011.

Conducted by former Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Murdoch, the review identified several areas for improvement.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has turned the first digger-bucket of soil to mark the start of construction on the MacKays to Peka Peka Expressway, an important milestone in the Government’s work to deliver better infrastructure for a more prosperous New Zealand.

Mr Brownlee also welcomed the NZ Transport Agency’s announcement it has chosen a consortium to enter into preferred bidder negotiations with for the Transmission Gully Public Private Partnership (PPP) highway project. 

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee and Police Minister Anne Tolley have launched this summer’s road safety campaign, which will focus on preventing deaths and injuries by reducing speed, alongside greater visibility of Police.

For the first time, the reduced speed tolerance is being extended beyond an official holiday period.

A 4km/h speed threshold will be enforced by Police throughout the whole of December and January.

“We want New Zealanders to enjoy their holidays, and to be around to celebrate many more in the years ahead,” Mrs Tolley says.

Measures to clarify the tax treatment of certain employee allowances and reimbursements included in a tax bill introduced to Parliament today will be welcome news for employers and employees involved in Canterbury earthquake recovery work, say Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and Revenue Minister Todd McClay.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says he’s deeply disappointed Christchurch City Council has not endorsed the Land Use Recovery Plan (LURP) it was considering at its meeting today.

“This very important plan has been developed over the past two years by Environment Canterbury, the Selwyn and Waimakariri District Councils and the Christchurch City Council, in conjunction with Ngāi Tahu, the NZ Transport Agency and the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA).

A draft Intelligent Transport Systems Action Plan was released today for public consultation by Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee.

Intelligent transport systems involve the application of advanced technologies (computers, sensors, control, and communications) to transport to help save lives, time, money and energy.

“Intelligent transport systems have the potential to transform the operation of all modes of transport, but it is important that is introduced in a coordinated way so as to get the greatest benefit for New Zealand.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has today introduced legislation that will lower the adult drink-driving limits.

The Land Transport Amendment Bill 2013 will lower the adult breath alcohol limit from 400 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath to 250mcg.

“This change will make our roads safer, save lives and prevent serious injuries,” Mr Brownlee says.

“Alcohol and driving continues to be a major problem in New Zealand, with alcohol-impaired drivers being involved in around 30 per cent of fatal crashes annually.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed today’s Supreme Court decision to dismiss an appeal by Save Kapiti to the granting of consents for a stretch of the Wellington Northern Corridor Road of National Significance.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister and Education Minister Hekia Parata today announced that 80 per cent of classrooms across greater Christchurch will be modernised within ten years changing the way children and young people learn.

The Government is investing over $1 billion in a 10 year programme of restoring and renewing the schools in greater Christchurch following the earthquakes.

The Government today released the final Business Case and outlined the schedule for rebuilding, repairing and renewing 115 schools across greater Christchurch.

That includes:

The outcome of a study into the commercial viability of a ferry terminal at Clifford Bay in Marlborough has concluded Picton should remain as the southern terminal for the inter-island ferries, Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee announced today.

Over the past year a Ministry of Transport-led expert team has been testing whether Clifford Bay could be delivered as a fully privately funded project. 

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee says Cabinet has agreed to lower the legal blood alcohol limit from 80 to 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood for drivers aged over 20.

“Legislation to bring about this change will receive its first reading before the House rises for the Christmas break,” Mr Brownlee says.

“Alcohol impairment is a major cause of road accidents in New Zealand, with an average of 61 fatalities, 244 serious injuries, and 761 minor injuries every year caused by at-fault drivers who have been drinking.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister and Minister Responsible for the Earthquake Commission Gerry Brownlee says Labour’s policy of establishing a state-owned insurer is no different than its other half-formed ideas – it’s emotive, shows a hopeless grasp of economic realities, and raises questions Labour won’t be able to credibly answer.

“Labour might hate private insurance companies, but the reality is they’re paying for $20 billion of the Canterbury rebuild - twice New Zealand’s annual corporate tax take,” Mr Brownlee says.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has expressed his deep sympathy to the families of those who lost their lives in the January 2012 Carterton hot air balloon accident, following the release today of the Transport Accident Investigation Commission’s report into the incident.

“I acknowledge the Transport Accident Investigation Commission’s recommendations are important, and I’ve asked the Ministry of Transport to give them careful consideration,” Mr Brownlee says.

Eighteen months and 2.5 million work hours into its five-year construction programme, the huge Waterview Connection project is ready to start tunnelling.

To mark the start of the tunnelling an official send-off was held this morning for Alice – the project’s tunnel boring machine – with Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee doing the honours of switching on the huge cutter heads, which will excavate twin 2.4 km tunnels under Avondale and Waterview.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says reducing the speed limits of Christchurch’s inner-most streets will provide for a more people-focused environment in the redeveloped city.

The new 30km per hour limit is a significant factor in the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan transport chapter “An Accessible City,” released today, which explains the transport system which will support the new compact CBD core.