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Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce has today announced new appointments to the University of Waikato, Massey University, Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi and the Waikato Institute of Technology.

The new appointees are:

Transport Minister Steven Joyce says a funding and ownership agreement between the government and Auckland Council will enable 50 percent more electric trains to be purchased for the Auckland network.

“Commuter rail is an increasingly important way for Aucklanders to get to work each day and this package will complete a massive $1.6 billion government-funded upgrade to the Auckland metro rail network.

The government has confirmed a series of Rule changes that will improve the licensing and safety of motorcycle riders.

Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce has appointed Dr Judith Johnston as a Commissioner of the Tertiary Education Commission. 

Dr Johnston, who has been appointed for a period of three years, will replace Deidre Dale whose term expired on 31 August 2010. 

“Judith is a highly capable individual who has had extensive governance experience,” Minister Joyce said.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce has signed a Rule that will change the give way rules at intersections from March 2012.

He says the changes will help reduce confusion on our roads by removing some of the demands the current rules place on drivers’ decision-making at intersections.

“A high profile education campaign will be carried out closer to the time to ensure drivers are aware of the new requirements and when they begin.”

Transport Minister Steven Joyce has today released Connecting New Zealand, a summary of the government’s intended policy direction for transport over the next decade.

Mr Joyce says the government has been working hard to progress its three main areas of focus in transport policy: economic growth and productivity, value for money, and road safety.

“Connecting New Zealand reinforces our commitment to these areas by clearly summarising how each of those aims impact on the different parts of the overall transport sector.”

The roll out of ultra fast broadband (UFB) in the Wellington region is now underway.\ 

The Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Steven Joyce, this morning joined with Chorus to deploy the first UFB-enabling network in the Lower Hutt suburb of Kelson this morning.

“9,200 premises will be passed with new fibre in the year to June 2012.  By July next year the UFB rollout will be continuing in earnest across most of the region,” says Mr Joyce.

Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce has today confirmed four further appointments to the establishment Board of Education New Zealand – the new Crown Agency established to support and grow New Zealand’s export education sector.

Jenny Alford, Neil Barns, Jill Tattersall and Elizabeth Valintine join Chair Charles Finny on the Board.  The Agency commences operations on Thursday.

The government has approved Telecom’s plan to split its assets after structural separation – the first major step in Telecom’s proposed demerger process.

Telecom’s Asset Allocation Plan identifies how assets and liabilities will be split during Telecom’s proposed demerger and the key terms of all intended material sharing arrangements.

The Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Steven Joyce, says the approval of the plan kick-starts the most significant telecommunications industry change in the past 20 years.  

A successful government pilot programme to recover debt from student loan holders living overseas will be expanded to target a further 50,000 debtors in Australia and the United Kingdom, says Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce and Revenue Minister Peter Dunne.

The announcement follows an Inland Revenue pilot targeting 1,000 Australian-based loan holders which has, in the past 10 months, led to the recovery of more than $4.7 million.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce today announced the appointment of Gill Cox to the Board of the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA).

The appointment is for the period 1 September 2011 to 31 October 2013. Mr Cox replaces Mr Garry Moore, who retired as an NZTA Board member at the end of his term on 30 June 2011.

Communications and Information Technology Minister Steven Joyce welcomed the release of a discussion document prepared by the Ministry of Economic Development on the allocation of the ‘digital dividend’ radio spectrum.

The digital dividend is the radio spectrum that will be freed up when New Zealand switches over to digital television. The digital switchover is scheduled

to be completed by late 2013.

The freed up spectrum is in the 700 MHz range and is ideal for next generation mobile broadband services.

Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce says an improvement in course and qualification completion rates in the tertiary education sector show that the increased focus on performance is paying off.

The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) today released 2010 educational performance information for tertiary education organisations that highlights a marked improvement in student achievement, particularly at institutes of technology and polytechnics (ITPs) and industry training organisations (ITOs).

The roll out of ultra fast broadband to more than 1.4 million Aucklanders got underway today as Chorus deployed the first fibre in the city under the government’s Ultra Fast Broadband (UFB) initiative.

Steven Joyce, the Minister for Communications and Information Technology, says the UFB initiative is essential for continued growth in Auckland.

The government’s Ultra Fast Broadband initiative (UFB) will see fibre rolled out to more than 50,000 premises around New Zealand in the next twelve months including schools, hospitals and businesses, says Communications and IT Minister Steven Joyce.

Chorus, with which the government has partnered to deliver 70% of the UFB to much of New Zealand, has today released plans which will see fibre rolled out in the next twelve months to parts of Ashburton, Auckland, Blenheim, Dunedin, Masterton, Napier, Palmerston North, Rotorua, Taupo and Wellington.

The first ultra fast broadband-enabling fibre has been deployed in Tauranga today, marking the start of a rollout which will transform the local economy, says Steven Joyce, the Minister for Communications and Information Technology.

Mr Joyce says ultra fast broadband will bring real gains to schools, business and medical facilities in Tauranga and around the country.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce has today confirmed the appointment of NZ Transport Agency Chief Executive Geoff Dangerfield as interim Chair and Trustee of the Road Safety Trust.

The Road Safety Trust is a Crown-established charitable trust that funds community-based road safety initiatives, research, education, and other projects beneficial to road safety.  The Trust sets its priorities in line with the government's Safer Journeys road safety strategy.

Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce has welcomed a report showing that New Zealand’s tertiary institutions continue to record strong financial positions.

The report, released today by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), shows that tertiary institutions have improved their financial position year-on-year between 2008 and 2010.

The report shows that in 2010, all sub-sectors improved on their 2008 surplus:

Transport Minister Steven Joyce has today welcomed the announcement of the winning contractor to construct the Waterview Connection, part of the Western Ring Route and the last big piece of the puzzle in Auckland’s motorway network.

Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce says new law passed today will introduce greater transparency in the setting of compulsory student services fees, boost New Zealand’s international education sector and safeguard standards in the tertiary sector.

“New Zealand has a tertiary education system to be proud of and I want to see that reputation enhanced, both here and overseas,” he says.

Good morning – it’s a pleasure to be here for the twentieth annual Education New Zealand conference. It happens against the backdrop of a very uncertain world -

Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce has appointed former diplomat Charles Finny as the inaugural Chair of Education New Zealand – the new Crown agency established to support and encourage international education.

Education New Zealand will begin operating on 1 September.

Mr Joyce says he is pleased to have someone of Charles Finny’s experience and standing to get this vital new agency up and running.

The Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Steven Joyce, has today announced the release of two tender documents for the final Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI) contracts.

The contracts will cover:

Prime Minister John Key and Transport Minister Steven Joyce have this morning officially open the new Hobsonville motorway in Auckland – six months ahead of schedule.

The Hobsonville Motorway is part of the Western Ring Route – a 48 kilometre alternative to State Highway 1 running between Manukau and Albany via State Highways 20, 16 and 18.  The government has designated the route as a Road of National Significance in recognition of its importance to growth in Auckland and in the wider economy.