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Forensic mental health services are being boosted by $33 million to improve early intervention and treatment services for youth offenders, Associate Health Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman announced today.

The funding, spread over four years, will provide mental health, alcohol and drug assessment services for the 4200 young offenders who appear in youth courts each year. This will allow referral to relevant health services as appropriate.

Health Minister Tony Ryall has announced that the National government has approved a major redevelopment worth more than $3 million for Te Awhina, the Whanganui District Health Board's acute inpatient mental health unit.

Mr Ryall announced the approval during a visit to the DHB with local MP Chester Borrows today.

Auckland barrister David Smith has been appointed a Judge of the District Court with a jury warrant and a Family Court warrant, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today. 

Judge Smith was admitted to the bar in 1974.  His practice as a barrister sole in Auckland comprises relationship property, employment, leaky buildings work and criminal work with the remainder being a wide range of civil matters, mostly in the High Court.

Defence Minister Wayne Mapp has announced that a United States company, JDI Holdings, is going to buy the eight remaining Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) retired Skyhawk fighters.

“I am also announcing today that Aermacchis and Strikemasters no longer needed by the RNZAF will go to aviation museums around New Zealand,” said Dr Mapp.

“The Skyhawks, Aermacchis and Strikemasters are an important part of New Zealand’s aviation history and they will make fine exhibits in our aviation museums.”

Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson today announced funding of $300,000 for a range of health and safety initiatives to assist with the safe rebuild of Canterbury.

The funding is for the 2011/12 year and comes from the Employment Relations Education (ERE) Contestable Fund.

"The Government is committed to rebuilding Canterbury and ensuring that the transformation is achieved safely.  There has been and we will continue to see a large influx of contractors working in Canterbury,” Ms Wilkinson says.

I’d like to thank Mauri Ora Associates for organising this hui and providing us all with a vital opportunity to extend our thinking and our actions around cultural competency in delivering health services.

And I have to say I am really excited by the wide range of specialist areas represented in those attending today’s hui. It is so important that we make the connections and learn from each other in applying our understandings around cultural competence.

A new trade training complex at Christchurch Men’s Prison will prepare prisoners to help in the rebuilding of Christchurch, Corrections Minister Judith Collins said today.

The three workshops will provide training in plumbing, roofing and drainlaying, painting and decorating, and automotive engineering to around 130 extra prisoners annually.

Ms Collins, who officially opened the workshops this morning, says prisoners will be prioritised for training based on their upcoming release date and their willingness to help in Christchurch.

Environment Minister Nick Smith today issued guidance for councils implementing the Government’s two new national policy statements for fresh water management and renewable electricity generation.

“These two new national policy statements on fresh water management and renewable electricity are critical to addressing problems of water quality and allocation in our lakes and the need to increase the proportion of renewable energy,” Dr Smith said.

Education Minister Anne Tolley says the Government is investing $1.4 million to help build new early childhood education services in South Auckland, which will create another 211 ECE places for families.

Two new services and three extensions to existing services will be built in areas of high need in Weymouth West, Papakura North and Mt Wellington South.

The property funding is part of the Government’s $91.8 million investment in intensive participation projects in high priority areas, which is creating 3500 more ECE places.

Justice Minister Simon Power today announced the appointment of 23 Visiting Justices.

“Visiting Justices play an important role in New Zealand’s justice system,” Mr Power said.

“They have the authority to hear charges and appeals relating to offences against prison discipline, the treatment and conduct of prison inmates, and to inquire into alleged abuses in prisons.”

Barristers and solicitors, as well as Justices of the Peace, can be appointed by the Governor-General to be Visiting Justices.

Auckland barrister Pippa Sinclair has been appointed as a District Court Judge to serve in North Shore, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Judge Sinclair was admitted to the bar in 1987. She has been practising as a staff solicitor and barrister in Auckland for over 22 years and warranted as a District Inspector for Mental Health Services for four years.

The Ministry of Health has started work with primary care to implement free after-hours GP visits for under six-year-olds.

Health Minister Tony Ryall announced last month that the Government was making funding available for GPs to offer the free after-hours service.

Mr Ryall says "The Government is keen to see free after hours for under-sixes in place, and the Ministry of Health is working through the initiative with primary care representatives. I have also asked the Director-General of Health to start DHB negotiations on this."

Transport Minister Steven Joyce says the opening of the Victoria Park Tunnel to two lanes of traffic today is a major milestone in the resolution of the last remaining major bottleneck in central Auckland’s motorway junction.

The third lane of the tunnel will open to northbound traffic in March next year. The Victoria Park flyover will open in a new southbound-only layout in early January 2012.

Mr Joyce says Victoria Park was advanced as a Road of National Significance in recognition of the contribution it could make to economic growth.

We are indeed blessed today with the presence of our kaumatua, Denis Hansen; the Patron, Buck Shelford, and all of the whanau who are living in this wonderful house.

The name of this whare – waimarie – is absolutely perfect,

It is a concept which immediately conjures up an expression of hope: 

kia u ki te whakapono, kia aroha tetahi ki tetahi –
hold strong to your beliefs and care for one another.

We are indeed blessed today with the presence of our kaumatua, Denis Hansen; the Patron, Buck Shelford, and all of the whanau who are living in this wonderful house.

The name of this whare – waimarie – is absolutely perfect,

It is a concept which immediately conjures up an expression of hope: 

kia u ki te whakapono, kia aroha tetahi ki tetahi –
hold strong to your beliefs and care for one another.

Prime Minister John Key has welcomed today’s announcement of the broad outlines for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement, and hailed it as an important step towards gaining greater access for New Zealand exporters.

The agreement was announced at a meeting of the nine countries in the TPP hosted by US President Barack Obama on the fringes of the APEC summit on Honolulu.

The salvage of the Rena, which has been grounded off the coast of Tauranga since 5 October, is moving into a new stage with Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) confirming today that almost all of the heavy fuel oil aboard has now been recovered.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce has congratulated Maritime NZ and the Svitzer salvage team for their work and commitment to what has been a very precarious operation.

The Thailand - New Zealand Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (TNZCEP) is delivering increased trade between our two countries, Trade Minister Tim Groser announced today.

Since coming into effect on 1 July 2005, bilateral merchandise trade had doubled to NZ$2.086 billion (US$1.58 billion) in the year to June 2011.

“This is a remarkable achievement given the difficult global economic environment in recent years,” Mr Groser said.

Agreement on the broad outlines of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is an important step towards a high-quality free-trade deal that will benefit New Zealand exporters, Deputy Prime Minister Bill English and Trade Minister Tim Groser say.

Leaders of the nine countries in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) today agreed on the broad outlines of the free trade agreement, at a meeting hosted by US President Barack Obama in Honolulu on the fringes of the APEC summit. Mr English represented New Zealand on behalf of Prime Minister John Key.

New Zealand Trade Minister, Tim Groser, welcomed the announcement by Mexican Secretary of the Economy, Bruno Ferrari, that Mexico will eliminate its 20% tariff on kiwifruit imports.

Both New Zealand and Mexico are likeminded economies that share the principles of APEC of free and open trade and investment. Both work closely to advance APEC’s agenda, particularly to enhance the competitiveness of both economies. Likewise, Mexico and New Zealand work towards a stronger multilateral trading system.

Trade Minister Tim Groser has welcomed today’s announcement by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda that Japan will seek to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiation.

“Japan is a giant in world trade and economic affairs,” Mr Groser said.

“Having Japan join the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a group committed to free trade and closer integration of Asia-Pacific economies, would be of immense significance.

“At a time of uncertainty in the global economy this announcement sends a strong positive message,” he added.

Good afternoon and thank you for inviting me to speak to you today.

I am sure that you have all found the conference informative and will be putting a few things in your back pocket to take away and incorporate into your work.

Just over a year ago, I stood before you, new to the role of Associate Education Minister, and still learning what makes the special education sector tick.

And now I know the answer: it is people like you, who everyday make a difference for students with special education needs, their parents and communities.

Education Minister Anne Tolley says the Government is set to invest $6 million in establishing a new secondary school in Kawerau, to provide modern learning environments and help boost student achievement.

The new year 7-13 school will provide excellent 21st Century facilities for students in new and refurbished buildings on the current Kawerau College site, with separate campuses for middle and senior school students.