Displaying 1 - 24 of 136 results.

Formal proposals are being requested from three responders to carry out New Zealand’s largest housing redevelopment project, Ministers Bill English and Dr Nick Smith say.

Ngāti Paoa Consortium, Tūhono Tāmaki Consortium and Exemplar Communities Consortium have been invited to submit proposals for the first phase of the Tāmaki Regeneration project, redeveloping around 1,000 existing social houses into 2,500 social, affordable and market houses. 

  • Bill English
  • Nick Smith
  • Finance
  • Building and Housing

Treasury’s latest forecasts show the Government’s programme of responsible economic and fiscal management is delivering benefits for New Zealanders, Finance Minister Bill English says.

“Economic growth is expected to average around 3 per cent over the next five years – considerably stronger than forecast in Budget 2016 - supporting more jobs, falling unemployment and higher incomes,” Mr English says.

  • Bill English
  • Finance

Targeted early intervention and a Social Investment approach is being reflected in the steadily improving Better Public Services (BPS) Results, Ministers Bill English and Paula Bennett say.

The Government has released the BPS mid-year report which outlines the progress being made against the 10 challenging Results set by the Prime Minister in 2012.

  • Paula Bennett
  • Bill English
  • State Services
  • Finance

The NZ Super Fund and the Accident Compensation Corporation’s purchase of minority stakes in Kiwibank has been welcomed by Finance Minister Bill English and State Owned Enterprises Minister Todd McClay.

“The deal keeps Kiwibank in public ownership and gives the bank access to additional sources of capital,” Mr English says.

“It also returns a dividend of about $200 million to the Government which can be used for other high priorities.”

  • Bill English
  • Todd McClay
  • Finance
  • State Owned Enterprises

The sale of Solid Energy’s mines provides the best outcome for employees, creditors and communities, Finance Minister Bill English and State Owned Enterprises Minister Todd McClay say.

Solid Energy announced today that it had reached agreement on the sale of the Stockton, Strongman and Liverpool mines on the West Coast, the  Rotowaro and Maramarua mines in the Waikato and the New Vale and Ohai coal mines in Southland.

  • Bill English
  • Todd McClay
  • Finance
  • State Owned Enterprises

Finance Minister Bill English has launched an online portal aimed at giving a clearer picture of high-value infrastructure investments opportunities throughout Australasia.

Together with Australian Treasurer, Scott Morrison, Mr English has launched the Australia New Zealand Infrastructure Pipeline (ANZIP) in Sydney today.

About 25 New Zealand-based projects and about 90 Australian-based projects are listed - from government agencies, local authorities, State-owned enterprises and publicly-listed companies. 

  • Bill English
  • Finance

Finance Minister Bill English has today launched the Government’s Ten Year Capital Intentions Plan (CIP) which shows a pipeline of $100.9 billion worth of infrastructure projects over the next decade.

The 2016-2025 CIP is the third of its kind since it was launched in 2014 and brings together the infrastructure investment intentions of central and local government, State-owned enterprises, and public and private companies.

  • Bill English
  • Finance

Finance Minister Bill English has today presented the Crown accounts for the year to June, showing a surplus of $1.8 billion in 2015/16, up from $414 million in 2014/15.

The Crown accounts show core Crown expenses are under 30 per cent of GDP for the first time since 2006, net debt has stabilised to 24.6 per cent of GDP and net worth has grown to $89.4 billion in 2015/16.

  • Bill English
  • Finance

Finance Minister Bill English departs today for the United States to attend the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington DC.

“The meetings will provide me with a valuable opportunity to discuss issues of economic interest to New Zealand with representatives of other governments and policy specialists and to get a read on international developments,” Mr English says.

  • Bill English
  • Finance

Finance Minister Bill English and State Owned Enterprises Minister Todd McClay announced today that Trevor Janes will be the next chair of KiwiRail, and former State Owned Enterprises Minister Tony Ryall will be the next chair of Transpower.

Mr Janes has been appointed a director of KiwiRail from today and will take over as chair from 1 November. He succeeds John Spencer who has chaired KiwiRail for four years and before that its predecessor, the New Zealand Railway Corporation, for two.

  • Bill English
  • Todd McClay
  • Finance
  • State Owned Enterprises

Finance Minister Bill English and Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce have today acknowledged the release of the Productivity Commission’s draft report New and Emerging Models of Tertiary Education.

“The report was commissioned to investigate how trends in technology, tuition costs, skill demand, demographics and internationalisation may drive new and changed business models and delivery models in the tertiary sector,” Mr English says. 

  • Steven Joyce
  • Bill English
  • Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment
  • Finance

Good morning,

I’m pleased to see such a good turnout for what is, I believe, a significant step towards better services for people, and better government for the country.

Over the last five years, we’ve talked about social investment and about doing what works in social services.

Throughout that time agencies have been developing and assembling the pieces of a system that will deliver on this promise.

  • Bill English
  • Finance

Finance Minister Bill English has congratulated the new chair of the Reserve Bank’s board of directors Professor Neil Quigley.

Professor Quigley has been elected unanimously by his fellow directors, replacing Dr Rod Carr who is standing down after three years as chair.  Economist Kerrin Vautier has been appointed as deputy chair. 

  • Bill English
  • Finance

The latest release of the Major Projects Performance Report shows the delivery of the Government’s biggest investment projects is continuing to improve Finance Minister Bill English says.

The July 2016 report updates the progress of the 55 most complex, high-value projects that, together, have a whole of life cost of $36 billion.

The projects, which span 33 agencies, are assessed using a five-point scale ranging from Red through to Amber and then Green.

  • Bill English
  • Finance

Finance Minister Bill English and Transport Minister Simon Bridges today released a joint report with Auckland Council which sets out a clear direction for the development of Auckland’s transport system over the next 30 years.

“This report marks the culmination of the Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP) which has involved the Government and Auckland Council working closely together over the last year to develop an aligned strategic approach, including an indicative package of transport investment,” Mr English says.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Bill English
  • Transport
  • Finance

The third highest growth rate in the OECD shows the Government’s management of the economy is delivering more jobs and opportunities for New Zealanders, Finance Minister Bill English says.

Statistics New Zealand reported Gross Domestic Product grew by 0.9 per cent in the three months to 30 June 2016. This took annual growth to 3.6 per cent – putting New Zealand’s growth rate in the top three among developed economies.

  • Bill English
  • Finance

Good afternoon and thank you for having me.

I wanted to take the opportunity today to stand back a bit from some of the day to day issues and pick one of two things which are forcing us to change the way we think.

But before I do that I want to cover the economy briefly.

New Zealand’s economic prospects are good.

There are a lot of events going on around the world that cause concern on any day of the week. We can’t do much about any of them.

  • Bill English
  • Finance

The draft Productivity Commission review of urban planning rules demonstrates that the current system has strengths but is also unresponsive and risk-averse, Finance Minister Bill English says.

Late last year the Government asked the Commission to review urban planning rules and processes, and identify the most appropriate system for land use allocation.

  • Bill English
  • Finance

The Government has released its response to the Productivity Commission’s inquiry, Using Land for Housing, confirming it is already implementing most of the recommendations, Finance Minister Bill English says.  

At the Government’s request, the Commission reviewed the planning and development systems in the fastest-growing urban areas around the country looking for ways to increase the supply of land for housing.

It sits alongside a further Productivity Commission inquiry, into urban planning, which is expected to be released this year.

  • Bill English
  • Finance

A team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will arrive in New Zealand tomorrow to begin assessing the stability of the country’s banking and insurance sectors and financial markets, Finance Minister Bill English says.

The Financial Sector Assessment Programme is a routine part of the IMF’s financial surveillance. The last FSAP for New Zealand in 2004 found that the New Zealand banking system was efficient and adequately supervised.

  • Bill English
  • Finance

Finance Minister Bill English and State Owned Enterprises Minister Todd McClay have announced the appointment of Jane Taylor to the Board of NZ Post commencing today.

She will become chair of NZ Post when present chairman Sir Michael Cullen retires on 31 October 2016.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sir Michael who has provided excellent stewardship of the Board, and made a significant contribution to the restructuring and success of NZ Post over the past six years,” Mr English says.

  • Bill English
  • Todd McClay
  • State Owned Enterprises
  • Finance

Finance Minister Bill English has welcomed the appointment of Lawrence Yule, Geoff Hunt and Fiona Mules to the National Infrastructure Advisory Board, and the appointment of existing board member John Rae as the new board chairman.  

“The new members bring skills and experience from the local government, procurement and the construction sectors,” Mr English says.

“These are important attributes for the board which advises the government on a range of infrastructure matters.”

  • Bill English
  • Finance

Finance Minister Bill English has arrived in Australia today to attend a range of speaking engagements and bi-lateral meetings.

Mr English will meet with Australian Treasurer Scott Morrison and New South Wales Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian, as well as a range of businesses, to assess the progress of the Australian economy.

  • Bill English
  • Finance

The first release of the Investor Confidence Rating (ICR) has given government agencies a mid to high level rating for investment management practices, Finance Minister Bill English says. 

“The ICR provides a valuable evidence-based assessment of how the Crown’s most investment-intensive agencies are performing and where they have scope to improve further.”

The Treasury has completed its assessment and rating of the first tranche of government agencies that manage significant Crown investments and assets.

  • Bill English
  • Finance