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Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce has welcomed the release of a report which aligns the levels of the qualifications frameworks of New Zealand and Australia. 

Good evening ladies and gentlemen,

It’s my pleasure to address this year’s New Zealand Law Foundation awards dinner.

At the risk of offending those I don’t name, I would like to acknowledge some of the dignitaries here this evening:

Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says the legislation enabling the first rise in benefit rates in 43 years has passed its final reading in Parliament.

The Support for Children in Hardship Bill, announced as part of Budget 2015 will increase work obligations for Sole Parents, increase benefit and student allowance rates for those with children, increase Working for Families tax credits for low income families and increase Childcare Assistance.

Communications Minister Amy Adams was in Masterton today to announce the completion of the town’s Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) build.

More than 9500 homes and business in Masterton are now able to connect to ultra-fast internet using our world class fibre-to-the-premise network. All 21 schools in the Masterton area are now able to connect to fibre through the UFB and rural broadband programmes.

“Access to faster, more reliable broadband will open up an array of opportunities for the Masterton community,” says Ms Adams.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce announced today the appointment of a new member to the Marsden Fund Council.

Emeritus Professor Carolyn Burns joined the Council for three years from December 1 and will convene the Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour Panel.

“Emeritus Professor Burns is a well respected scientist with strong leadership, governance experience and an excellent research track record,” Mr Joyce says.

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner today officially opened the first nine brand new SmartGates – or eGates – installed at Auckland International Airport for departing passengers in time for summer’s peak travel season.

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner today welcomed the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, celebrated globally on 3 December every year.

“This year’s theme, ‘Inclusion matters’, reflects what I hear loud and clear from disabled New Zealanders; disabled people want to be included and want the opportunity to live an ordinary life,” Ms Wagner says.

The Government introduced to Parliament today the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill and also released for consultation the associated proposed regulations for insulation and smoke alarms, Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith has announced.

“This Bill aims to make homes warmer, drier and safer for the million New Zealanders who live in rental accommodation, without imposing excessive costs,” Dr Smith says.

Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams has acknowledged New Zealand’s courts for their hard work in 2015.

“There’s a lot of work underway to modernise our court system and this year we’ve made some good progress. In particular there’s been a huge improvement in the way courts services are managed and improving these services for the public,” Ms Adams says.

Data released today by Treasury and Figure.NZ makes is even easier for the public to dig into the Crown’s books for details on its spending and revenue, Finance Minister Bill English says.

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman has today officially launched Healthy Families Lower Hutt at the recently opened Walter Nash Centre.

“Healthy Families NZ is about encouraging people to live healthier lives by making good food choices, being physically active, moderating alcohol consumption and being smoke-free,” says Dr Coleman.

“The initiative challenges communities to think differently about how to address the underlying causes of poor health at a local level.”

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says the Southern DHB Commissioner team is starting to turn around the deficit challenge, and their term will be extended as more time is needed to implement the work plan.

A Commissioner was appointed in June following serious concerns over the Board’s financial performance. A spiralling deficit had been forecast and it was expected to increase up to $42 million for 2015/16.

Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says Child, Youth and Family is improving its operations and partnerships with other agencies following a review by the Chief Social Worker into CYF’s involvement in the “Roastbusters” case.

The Minister asked for the review to ensure that lessons were learned from CYF’s response to the allegations from the young people involved, and that any necessary changes to the agency’s operations would be implemented.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce has welcomed the latest International Education Snapshot Report which shows international student enrolments have increased 13 per cent over the January-August period when compared with 2014.

There were 104,418 international students in New Zealand in the first eight months of this year, 11,760 more enrolments when compared with 2014.

Social Development Minister Anne Tolley has launched the country’s ninth Children’s Team in Canterbury, which will work with around 1,300 vulnerable children in its first two years.

The team will ensure that at-risk children have an individually tailored support plan to address their multiple and complex unmet needs, and will work with families and agencies to implement it.

Education Minister Hekia Parata has today released the findings of 156 Special Education Update engagement forums held by the Ministry of Education with over 3,650 people across New Zealand, including parents, families and educators.

Ms Parata also released an action plan that outlines how the Ministry will work with others to improve both frontline services and its sector support and stewardship.

Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye today announced that around 90 per cent of schools are now connected to the $211 million N4L Managed Network, and she also released an outline of work underway to harness the power of digital technologies to transform teaching and learning.

“I’m pleased to make this announcement just over two years after the first school was connected to the N4L Managed Network, which gives schools access to fast, reliable, Government-funded internet and uncapped data for learning, says Ms Kaye.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges today opened the Nelson Street Cycleway in Auckland, which is the city’s newest and most anticipated urban cycleway.

“This is a great day for Auckland’s inner city cycling network. The cycleway is a new and exciting urban space, creating a city centre where people feel more safe and confident to ride a bike,” Mr Bridges says.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has paid tribute to the courage and high standards of service exhibited by New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel who have been recognised in the Special Honours List released by Government House today, and also those who have received honours announced by the Chief of Defence Force.

“A range of honours have been conferred today, for gallantry and other outstanding service in two of the NZDF’s most demanding deployments of recent times, Afghanistan and South Sudan.

A Bill to overhaul the Resource Management Act has passed its first reading in Parliament by 92 votes to 14, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith announced today.

“The changes in this bill will support job growth, more affordable housing and better environmental management. The support of 75 per cent of Parliament reinforces that this is a moderate sensible reform that deserves broad support,” Dr Smith says.

The Bill, which is made up of 40 proposals, will deliver substantive, system-wide improvements to resource management law, to achieve:

Seven science and business teams have been awarded National Science Challenge funding worth $7 million to transform current knowledge of high-value foods, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce announced today.

The successful proposals will each receive $1 million over the next three years from the first contestable funding round of the High-Value Nutrition Science Challenge, one of 11 National Science Challenges dedicated to breaking new ground in key areas of science.

Protection of New Zealand’s vulnerable native wildlife from smuggling, poaching and hunting will be modernised and improved by a bill introduced to Parliament today, Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says.

The Wildlife (Powers) Amendment Bill will reform the Wildlife Act 1953 to give full-time DOC rangers new powers when they encounter offences in progress.

“Under the Act, DOC is responsible for the investigation and prosecution of crimes against native wildlife, including poaching,” Ms Barry says.

Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss is welcoming the NZ Transport Agency’s $25 million boost to visiting driver safety initiatives.

“For more than six months the Government and Visiting Driver Signature Project (VDSP) partners have been continuously rolling out initiatives to help visiting drivers keep themselves and others safe on New Zealand roads,” Mr Foss says.

“This significant funding boost is yet another demonstration of the Government’s commitment to improving safety for all road users.”

Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says the successful 3K to Christchurch employment initiative has now been expanded to other regions to assist job seekers to relocate for full-time employment.

Since the $3,000 incentive payment was introduced under 3K to Christchurch in July 2014, more than 1,700 clients have taken advantage of the scheme. 92 per cent of those remained off a benefit for longer than 91 days, 33 per cent were aged 24 or younger, with 53 per cent employed in the construction sector.