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Hon Maurice Williamson and Hon Kate Wilkinson have today declined consent to Natural Dairy (NZ) Holdings Limited to acquire the Crafar farms.

The Ministers’ decision covers the applications by Natural Dairy (NZ) Holdings Limited to acquire UBNZ Assets Holdings Limited and 16 of the Crafar farms.

The Ministers also declined consent to UBNZ Assets Holdings Limited’s retrospective application to acquire the four Crafar farms it purchased in February 2010.

A Department of Building and Housing document released today will provide guidance on the repair and rebuilding of houses in earthquake affected Canterbury, Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson says.

The Guidance on House Repairs and Reconstruction following the Canterbury Earthquake will help speed up the rebuilding effort while enhancing quality and safety.

Mr Williamson says the document will assist in the recovery effort by providing a clear and consistent approach to the rebuilding work as desired by councils, insurers, designers and builders.

People will soon benefit from more open and accessible information on their communities and environment, Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson says.

Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) through the New Zealand Geospatial Office (NZGO) will lead the development of a national framework – a spatial data infrastructure – that connects people and users of location-based or geospatial information.

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson has today introduced a new Bill to Parliament that proposes changes to the Building Act 2004.

The Building Amendment Bill (No 3) is the result of a comprehensive review of the Building Act 2004.

“It forms part of a package of changes aimed at lifting the overall performance and productivity of the building and construction sector,” Mr Williamson says.

A financial assistance package for owners of leaky homes is a step closer today with the first reading of a bill to Parliament, Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson says.

Under the Weathertight Homes Resolution Services (Financial Assistance Package) Amendment Bill, the Government will contribute 25% of the cost of repairing a leaky home and local authorities will also pay 25% if they had signed off the original work.

Acknowledgements

• Blair Cranston, President, Registered Master Builders Federation
• WarwickQuinn, Chief Executive, Registered Master Builders Federation
• All the companies who have sponsored awards, and all those who are here tonight to receive them.

Introduction

I am delighted to celebrate with you the 20^th successful year of the Registered Master Builders House of the Year and Commercial Project Awards.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson has announced an $850,000 Government approved fund for Land Information New Zealand's re-establishment of critical surveying information in Canterbury following the 4 September earthquake.

Mr Williamson says Canterbury's landscape has changed significantly since the earthquake.

Customs Minister Maurice Williamson says the New Zealand Customs Service is celebrating 170 years of protecting our borders and being the nations "Guardians at the Gate."

Mr Williamson says the Customs Service is New Zealand's oldest government department and this milestone is an important piece of history for New Zealand.

"The history of Customs mirrors the history of New Zealand and I am proud to celebrate the important work Customs does in protecting our communities.

A Bill to modernise and streamline New Zealand's land transfer legislation will be introduced next year following a recommendation by a recent Law Commission review, Land Information Minister Mauri

SmartGate, the automated passenger clearance system at Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch Airports, will process its 500,000th passenger today.

Customs Minister Maurice Williamson, and Brendan O'Connor, Australia's Minister for Home Affairs, are pleased to announce the release of the first trans-Tasman time release study (TRS) which looks

Acknowledgements 

• Alex Cutler, Chief Executive,  New Zealand Green Building Council
• Pieter Burghout, Chief Executive, BRANZ
• Nick Collins, General Manager, Beacon Pathway Ltd

Thank you for the invitation to launch the Homestar residential rating tool. 

Confidence among consumers and accountability among builders are at the heart of moves to get more tradespeople licensed in Canterbury. 

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson has released a discussion document on the Construction Contracts Act 2002 today.

Acknowledgements:

• Bob Taylor, Executive Director, Fire Protection Association of New Zealand
• Ross Aitken, Vice President, Fire Protection Association of New Zealand
• Mike Hall, National Commander, New Zealand Fire Service
• Mitchell Brown, Master of Ceremonies

Introduction:

Thank you for inviting me to open your annual conference.

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson today announced the appointment of Dr Arthur O'Leary, and the reappointment of Andrew Hazelton, to the Chartered Professional Engineers Council

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson today announced the reappointment of Mr Marshall Cook to the New Zealand Registered Architects Board, for a further term of three years.

Following their meeting in Beijing yesterday the ministers of customs for New Zealand and China signed a statement of cooperation to combat the smuggling of pharmaceutical products used to manufact

In a meeting today Customs Minister Maurice Williamson and his Chinese counterpart, Minister Sheng Guangzu have acknowledged the good work to date in implementing the New Zealand - China Free Trade

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson opened New Zealand's first Simple House in Otara, Auckland today.

Introduction

Good morning and welcome. It’s great to be back in Otara this morning for the opening of this Simple House.

Last time I was here, in March, I was driving a bob cat and turning the first sod. Many of you here today will have been at that event and I’m sure you’ll agree it’s great to be able to see, and walk around, the finished house.

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson today announced the appointment of Mr Shane Dolan and reappointment of Ms Penny Mudford to the Electrical Workers Registration Board.

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson today announced the appointment of Mr Grant Benvenuti and Mr Garrett Glynn to the Engineering Associates Registration Board, for terms of two y

Acknowledgements

• Mike Fox,  Chair of Master Builders
• WarwickQuinn, CEO of Master Builders
• Ruma Karaitiana, CEO of BCITO

Thank you for inviting me to present the awards tonight.  It gives me the opportunity to congratulate Master Builders on their organisation of this competition.