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Prime Minister John Key today announced the appointment of Ian Fletcher as the new Director of the Government Communications Security Bureau.

Mr Fletcher is a New Zealander who has held senior executive positions in Australia and the United Kingdom since 1998.

He has been a successful public sector chief executive in Australia in his current position, as the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Queensland State’s Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation since 2009.

Leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum.

Forum Secretary-General Tuiloma Neroni Slade.

Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon.

Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Kamalesh Sharma.

Secretary-General of the ACP Group of States Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas.

His Worship the Mayor of Auckland Len Brown. 

Diplomatic representatives.

Distinguished guests.

Welcome to New Zealand and the great city of Auckland for the 42nd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard have reaffirmed their commitment to improving education in the Pacific by extending funding for language and literacy education across the region.

Australia and New Zealand are aiming to ensure 500,000 more children in the Pacific are enrolled in school and 75 per cent of all children in the region can read by age 10 by 2021.  Almost one million school-aged children in the Pacific currently do not attend school.

Prime Minister John Key has announced New Zealand will support country-specific initiatives to strengthen maritime safety in the Pacific as part an on-going, region-wide effort.

“Following a number of serious accidents in 2009, both New Zealand and Australia offered to work with regional and national organisations to improve maritime safety in the region, and this assistance was accepted by fellow Forum leaders,” Mr Key says.

Pacific countries vulnerable to violent natural disasters are set to benefit from enhanced tsunami risk management systems, Prime Minister John Key said today.

“Our region is particularly prone to cyclones, floods, tsunami and other catastrophic disasters, many of which can wipe out hard-won development gains in minutes,” says Mr Key.

A public-private partnership between the Government and cruise operator Carnival Australia will help further open up the burgeoning cruise industry to the Pacific, Prime Minister John Key announced today.

“The cruise industry is the fastest-growing segment of global tourism, with average annual growth at 8.7 per cent for the past decade, and the South Pacific is one of the fastest-growing markets,” says Mr Key.

Prime Minister John Key will host leaders from around the Pacific in Auckland next week, as the 42nd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting gets underway on Tuesday.

The event, which runs until September 9, will also signal the start of New Zealand’s year-long tenure as Chair of the Forum, taking over from Vanuatu.

Prime Minister John Key said tonight the Government was saddened by the death of a New Zealand SAS soldier during an incident in Afghanistan’s capital.

“I have limited details about the soldier’s death, but I am advised that he died during fighting that followed an attack by insurgents in Kabul in the last few hours,” says Mr Key.

“On behalf of the Government, I want to offer my condolences to the family of the soldier.

“His death is a reminder of the dangers our Defence Force personnel face while serving in Afghanistan.”

Prime Minister John Key has announced that, to recognise the anniversary of the first Canterbury earthquake, Cabinet will meet in Christchurch on Monday 5 September.

This will be the first time Cabinet has met outside Wellington in 16 years. The last was 1995, when Cabinet met in Paihia during Waitangi Day celebrations to commemorate the 155th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty.

Prime Minister John Key says the State Funeral for Sir Paul Reeves will be held Thursday in Auckland.

“The Tangi, which precedes the State Funeral, will be at the Auckland Anglican Maori Mission's Tatai Hono Marae, Holy Sepulchre Church, in Khyber Pass starting at 2pm this afternoon.

“The State Funeral, which I will be attending along with a number of Ministers and MPs from across the House, is scheduled for 11am Thursday 18 August, at the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Parnell, Auckland.”

Prime Minister John Key today announced that Hon Henry Puna, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, will arrive in New Zealand on Sunday for a three-day visit.

“I look forward to meeting Mr Puna on Monday,” says Mr Key. “The Cook Islands and New Zealand share the closest of ties, with Cook Islanders also holding New Zealand citizenship, and it is a relationship we value highly.

Prime Minister John Key today welcomed the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal’s commitment to help the city’s CBD retailers kick-start their businesses ahead of summer.

Restart the Heart, an initiative to give temporary, re-locatable accommodation to displaced businesses, will receive a $3.36 million interest-free loan from the Appeal.

Prime Minister John Key today announced details of the state farewell that will be held for the Governor-General, Rt Hon Sir Anand Satyanand, when he completes his term of office next week.

The state farewell will take place next Wednesday at Parliament starting at 11.40am.

The farewell will begin with the Governor-General, Lady Susan Satyanand, and the Vice-Regal Party arriving on the forecourt of Parliament from Government House.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Stuart McCutcheon.

Secretary-General Tuiloma Neroni Slade.

Ladies and gentlemen.

Distinguished guests.

Kia ora and Pacific greetings to you all.

It’s a great pleasure to be here today to deliver this address in the 40th anniversary year of the Pacific Islands Forum.

New Zealand is committed to strengthening and deepening relations with our closest neighbours in the Pacific.

This Government has made good progress on Pacific relations in the past few years since we came into office.

Prime Minister John Key today announced that Kerry Prendergast has been appointed Chair of the New Zealand Tourism Board for a three year term.

The New Zealand Tourism Board, trading as Tourism New Zealand (TNZ), markets New Zealand as a tourism destination.

The current Chair, Greg Muir, is not seeking re-appointment following the completion of his three-year term in July.

Kerry Prendergast is the former Mayor of Wellington and former Vice-President of Local Government New Zealand.

Six outstanding young Pacific New Zealanders were recognised today at the Prime Minister’s Pacific Youth Awards, an initiative which highlights the achievements and potential of future leaders.

Prime Minister John Key says the winners embody the community spirit and determination all New Zealanders admire.

“Today’s winners are high achievers in their fields and are inspirational to their peers. They have made enormous contributions to their schools and communities, and have shone academically.

Lord Siale 'Ataonogo Tu'ivakano will arrive in New Zealand tomorrow on his first visit as Prime Minister of Tonga, Prime Minister John Key announced today.

“Tonga and New Zealand have a strong and lengthy relationship, forged over decades of working together,” says Mr Key.

“I am pleased to be able to welcome Lord Tu'ivakano here, particularly so I can thank him personally for the generosity both the Government and the people of Tonga showed towards Canterbury in the wake of the earthquakes that devastated the region.

Prime Minister John Key says New Zealand has lost one of its greatest statesmen with the passing of Sir Paul Reeves.

Sir Paul, who held New Zealand’s highest honour, the Order of New Zealand, died this morning in Auckland.

“Sir Paul, who trained for the Anglican priesthood, became New Zealand’s first Maori Governor-General in 1985 and his tenure was one of inclusiveness and compassion,” says Mr Key.

Thank you for that introduction, Myron. And thank you to the US Chamber of Commerce for continuing to support the US/New Zealand relationship.

It's great to be back in the United States. I arrived in Washington DC only last night, but on my way over, I spent a couple of days in California.

I met representatives of the film industry in Los Angeles, and visited some IT companies – including Facebook and Google – in San Francisco.

Prime Minister John Key today said the unusual circumstances surrounding a group of Israeli nationals caught up in February’s earthquake in Christchurch were fully investigated and no evidence was found of a link between the group and Israeli intelligence.

Mr Key revealed the investigation following media reports questioning the activities of a group of Israeli nationals in New Zealand at the time of the earthquake.

Prime Minister John Key is shocked and saddened at the latest terrorist attacks on the Indian city of Mumbai.

More than 20 people were killed and many more injured in the three bombings which happened simultaneously in Wednesday’s rush hour.

Mr Key has only recently returned from India and, while in Mumbai, he paid tribute to the people who were killed in the November 2008 terrorist attacks.

“Signing the condolence book at the Taj Palace Hotel was an emotional experience. The 2008 attacks were a terrifying experience with devastating consequences.

Prime Minister John Key today welcomed the announcement that Christchurch businesses, community groups and children are set to receive funding in the latest round of disbursements from the Government’s Christchurch Earthquake Appeal.

“Since the Appeal was set up in February, people from around the country and the world have dug deep to help Christchurch recover. That generosity has given the Appeal the opportunity to assist a wide variety of worthy projects which will help make a difference to Christchurch.

It’s a great pleasure to be back again to open the Local Government New Zealand conference.

I’d like to acknowledge the hard work of your President, Lawrence Yule, and board members.

I’d also like to extend my personal thanks to Local Government Minister Rodney Hide.

Rodney has been an effective and focused Minister for the past two and a half years. He has been instrumental in the Auckland governance reforms and, as you know, he is a dedicated advocate for the local government sector.

Prime Minister John Key today announced he will be visiting the United States later this month and will meet President Barack Obama in Washington DC.

The visit will take place from 18 to 22 July, and will include a full two-day programme in Washington DC as well as time in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

The meeting with President Obama is scheduled for Friday 22 July local time (Saturday NZ time).