Displaying 145 - 168 of 2740 results.

A combination of slightly higher than expected revenue and lower than forecast spending left the Government’s operating deficit before gains and losses almost $400 million smaller than expected at $1.75 billion in the four months to 31 October.

“The result continues a trend over the past year of the Government’s fiscal results exceeding forecasts, as we remain on track to return to surplus in 2014/15,” Finance Minister Bill English says.

  • Bill English
  • Finance

A Bill modernising the 100-year old law underpinning New Zealand’s courts has passed its first reading in Parliament today.

Justice Minister Judith Collins says the Judicature Modernisation Bill supports this Government’s commitment to delivering a 21st century justice system.

“We live in an era where people can shop, bank and pay bills online – it’s about time we look at how routine court matters can be handled more efficiently to bring justice up to speed,” Ms Collins says. 

  • Judith Collins
  • Justice

I want to thank Dr Debbie Ryan for extending the welcome for me to be here - and acknowledge Hilda Fa’asalele for her kind introduction.

It is a pleasure to be here with you all on the verges of the rippling waters of Te Whanganui-a-Tara.   It was an inspired choice to hold this event at Te Wharewaka o Poneke.

Firstly, we acknowledge the significance of this place, once the harbour frontage of Te Aro Pa, kainga of one of the largest Maori communities in Wellington up until the 1880s.

  • Tariana Turia
  • Health

More than 200 New Zealand businesses have taken advantage of the Madrid Protocol in the 12-months since New Zealand signed up to the international trade-mark treaty announced Commerce Minister Craig Foss today.

New Zealand signed up to the Protocol in December 2013. The online system enables entrepreneurs to file an international trade mark application through the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) and automatically have their application recognised and processed for other jurisdictions,” says Mr Foss.

  • Craig Foss
  • Commerce

State Services Minister Jonathan Coleman says a new Government Chief Talent Officer will be appointed to drive a new public service talent and leadership programme.

“Developing our future public service leaders is crucial to maintaining an effective public service that is focused on delivering better public services for New Zealanders,” says Dr Coleman.

“It is important the public service offers an attractive career for young New Zealanders, and they get the career development and progression that makes the best use of their skills.

  • Jonathan Coleman
  • State Services

The Government has received the Constitutional Advisory Panel’s final report which recommends that the conversation about New Zealand’s constitutional arrangements should continue, Deputy Prime Minister Bill English and Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples say.

The 12-member independent panel spent more than six months having a conversation with New Zealanders about  our constitutional arrangements. These included the role of the Treaty of Waitangi, Maori representation in Parliament and local government, the Bill of Rights Act and other matters.

  • Pita Sharples
  • Bill English
  • Māori Affairs
  • Deputy Prime Minister

The Government has provided an additional $31 million of capital to the Hobsonville Land Company, a subsidiary of Housing New Zealand, to enable faster progress on a 3000 house development at Hobsonville Point in Auckland.

“Hobsonville Point is proving to be a very successful and popular housing development. This Government capital is to enable the company to purchase the remaining 16.5 hectares of land two years ahead of schedule and bring 500 houses to the market earlier,” Dr Smith says.

  • Nick Smith
  • Housing

Corrections Minister Anne Tolley says that offenders have clocked up over a million hours in unpaid community work so far in the fiscal year, to pay something back for the crimes they have committed.

Every week offenders across New Zealand are engaged in activities ranging from cleaning up graffiti, to gardening, painting and clearing rubbish.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Corrections

It is my pleasure to be here today to launch the Porirua Social Sector Trial and I want to congratulate those involved on the action plan we have before us.

As most of you here will know, this plan aims to reduce the number of Porirua people needing to use the Wellington Hospital Emergency Department and also the number of people being admitted to hospital for conditions that could have been avoided.

  • Tony Ryall
  • Health

Health Minister Tony Ryall today launched a new Social Sector Trial action plan in Porirua focused on reducing avoidable hospital and emergency department admissions.

“There are now 16 Social Sector Trials throughout the country. The majority of these are focused on improving things such as truancy rates and youth crime. The Porirua Trial is applying this successful model towards achieving better health outcomes for the local community,” says Mr Ryall.

  • Tony Ryall
  • Health

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.

  • Gerry Brownlee
  • Canterbury Earthquake Recovery

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.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Gerry Brownlee
  • Science and Innovation
  • Canterbury Earthquake Recovery

Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows is urging students to apply for their 2014 Student Loan and Allowance by Monday 16 December.

“This year StudyLink has been very clear that the best way for students to make sure their financial support is sorted when they start studying is by applying by December 16,” says Mr Borrows.

  • Chester Borrows
  • Social Development

Your Excellency Michael Potts, Australia’s High Commissioner to New Zealand;

Your Excellency Peter Chan, Singapore’s High Commissioner to New Zealand.

Ladies and gentlemen.

Good morning.

As Minister of Energy and Resources, it’s my pleasure to welcome and host you here in Parliament this morning to award permits for the Government’s second annual Block Offer.

Many of you were in Auckland earlier this year when I announced the areas available for competitive bidding in Block Offer 2013.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges today announced the award of ten new oil and gas exploration permits as a result of Block Offer 2013.

The permits include five onshore permits across Taranaki and the East Coast and five offshore permits across the Reinga-Northland, Taranaki, and Great South-Canterbury Basins.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams says the Government has today received a verbal briefing from Ernst & Young Australia on its high level findings on whether Chorus can deliver on its broadband contracts.

  • Amy Adams
  • Communications and Information Technology

Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Jo Goodhew has today, on International Day of the Volunteer, praised the unpaid workforce who keep our nation going.

“This group freely donate their time and energy to keep our communities running. They are the backbone of our sports and social groups, search and rescue organisations, and the arts and cultural sector,” says Mrs Goodhew.

  • Jo Goodhew
  • Community and Voluntary Sector

I want to firstly acknowledge my colleague Mojo Mathers and also Rose Wall, Health and Disability Commissioner, Paul Gibson, Disability Rights Commissioner with the Human Rights Commission and Dame Beverley Wakem, our Ombudsman.

It feels good to be amongst friends. I want to recognise those in this room who have played such a key role in bringing this report to fruition.

I welcome representation from right across the disability community, disability sector organisations, government officials and families and friends.

  • Tariana Turia
  • Disability Issues

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy is welcoming the approval of New Zealand meat exports to enter Peru.

  • Nathan Guy
  • Primary Industries

The managed wind-down of Learning Media has been completed, Finance Minister Bill English and Education Minister Hekia Parata say.

“The Learning Media board has managed the wind down in a way that provided certainty of provision for publications such as the School Journal, as well as ensuring staff were treated fairly,” Mr English says.

  • Hekia Parata
  • Bill English
  • Education
  • Finance

Police Minister Anne Tolley and Customs Minister Maurice Williamson have praised their agencies following the largest ever ContacNT precursor drugs bust in New Zealand, in which over 330 kg of the Class B drug has been seized.

Police estimate it would have been used to produce up to 100 kg of methamphetamine, with a street value of $100 million.

$20 million of assets in property, cars and cash were also seized, and 24 arrests made, as 250 Police, OFCANZ and Customs officers today executed 40 search warrants in Auckland and Waikato.

  • Maurice Williamson
  • Anne Tolley
  • Customs

Environment Minister Amy Adams has today released a report into a review of the Christchurch City Council’s resource management functions.

Ms Adams asked the Ministry for the Environment to carry out the assessment following International Accreditation New Zealand’s decision to revoke the council’s certification to issue building consents.

The review has found there are a number of minor issues with the council’s consenting function, but these are within the council’s capacity to resolve.

  • Amy Adams
  • Environment

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Food Safety Minister Nikki Kaye have received the first of two reports from the Government’s inquiry into the whey protein concentrate contamination incident. The report is on Parts B and C of the inquiry.

Ministers will now consider the report on Parts B and C and its recommendations. The report will be released along with the Government’s response within the next two weeks.

  • Nikki Kaye
  • Nathan Guy
  • Food Safety
  • Primary Industries

An embarrassing middle-aged Dad trying to impress his teenager’s friends by supplying them alcohol features in a new publicity campaign to remind people of new laws about supplying alcohol to under-18 year olds.

Justice Minister Judith Collins says the campaign, developed by the Health Promotion Agency (HPA), relates to law changes this month around social supply of alcohol to under-18s.

  • Tony Ryall
  • Judith Collins
  • Health
  • Justice