Displaying 169 - 192 of 2741 results.

The Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update this month will revise the estimated range of proceeds from the Government’s share offer programme to $4.6 billion - $5 billion, Finance Minister Bill English says.

“The revised assumption of share sale proceeds is based on Solid Energy clearly being in no position to be sold anytime soon, and it takes account of other developments and the results of share offers to date,” he told Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee today.

  • Bill English
  • Finance

Justice Minister Judith Collins has welcomed the first reading of world-leading legislation to stop cyber bullies in their tracks.

The Harmful Digital Communications Bill introduces a range of measures to address damaging online communications and ensure perpetrators are held to account for their actions.

“Countries around the world are grappling with the challenges presented by increased communications within the cyber-sphere,” Ms Collins says.

  • Judith Collins
  • Justice

Trade Minister Tim Groser has led a call at the WTO’s 9th Ministerial Conference in Bali for urgent action to protect global fish stocks. New Zealand has been coordinating a group of countries that includes Argentina, Australia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Iceland, Norway, Pakistan, Peru and the United States.

  • Tim Groser
  • Trade

Results of an international study show New Zealand is continuing to perform above the OECD average in reading, maths and science but has slipped against some countries, Education Minister Hekia Parata says.

The 2012 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study, which is carried out every three years, compares the performance of just over half a million 15-year-olds from 65 countries or economies across reading literacy, maths and science.

  • Hekia Parata
  • Education

Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith today welcomed Parliament’s first reading of a bill which narrows the range of infrastructure costs councils can charge housing developers and introduces an independent appeals process.

  • Nick Smith
  • Housing

Local councils will be encouraged and assisted to work more efficiently under new legislation that passed its first reading in Parliament today, says Local Government Minister Chris Tremain.

A key part of the new legislation addresses one of the contributing factors to housing affordability.

  • Chris Tremain
  • Local Government

New Zealand had been ranked the least corrupt country in the world for the eighth year running, Justice Minister Judith Collins says.

Transparency International’s Corruption Perception index released today ranked New Zealand first, equal with Denmark, out of 176 countries for having the lowest perception of corruption in the public sector.

“One of New Zealand’s biggest assets internationally is its reputation for being corruption free,” Ms Collins says. 

  • Judith Collins
  • Justice

The Government has stepped up its efforts to improve forestry safety and Labour Minister Simon Bridges is calling on those in the industry to do the same. 

“The Government is committed to implementing the major step change in workplace health and safety that we need to see in New Zealand, which will help bring down fatalities and serious injuries in the forestry sector,” Mr Bridges says. 

  • Simon Bridges
  • Labour

Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse has announced a review of the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, which regulates immigration advice and created the Immigration Advisers Authority (IAA) and the Immigration Advisers Complaints and Disciplinary Tribunal.

“The Act is now more than five years old and a review is timely to ensure the new system is working as effectively and efficiently as possible.

  • Michael Woodhouse
  • Immigration

A group of 20 young people in care will be recognised today at the William Wallace Awards, jointly hosted by Prime Minister John Key and Social Development Minister Paula Bennett.

The Awards are an annual event celebrating young people in foster care who’ve excelled across a range of areas, including academically, in music, art, and sport, and as role models in their communities.

“These young people have all overcome extremely difficult starts to life, and have shown huge determination and courage to get to where they are now,” Mrs Bennett said.

  • Paula Bennett
  • Housing
  • Social Development

Trade Minister Tim Groser welcomed Korea’s decision to resume formal negotiations toward a free trade agreement, following a meeting today in Bali with his Korean counterpart, Minister of Trade Yoon Sang-jick.

“The resumption of negotiations was discussed by Prime Minister John Key and Korean President Park Geun-hye during the Prime Minister’s recent visit to Korea in July. I am pleased that their shared determination to conclude a free trade agreement has led to this point,” Mr Groser says.

  • Tim Groser
  • Trade

ACC Minister Judith Collins says a new Safety Star Rating Scheme (SSRS) is a good opportunity for ACC to encourage better practices with a tangible measure of progress.

“If you’re a top performing business, you’ll be recognised for it – and your customers will know about it too,” says Ms Collins.

ACC and WorkSafe New Zealand are working with businesses and workers’ representatives to develop a voluntary scheme that rates businesses’ workplace safety to improve long-lasting safety culture.

  • Judith Collins
  • ACC

Local government Minister Chris Tremain today welcomed the release of the Auditor-General’s inquiry into the Mangawhai waste water scheme as a step forward in restoring local democracy in Kaipara.

“The report identifies many failures in the governance and management of the council but does not identify any case of fraud or illegal activity.  I have asked my officials to take a detailed look at the report to identify what further actions (if any) should be taken,” says Mr Tremain.

  • Chris Tremain
  • Local Government

Greater certainty around court scheduling will give parties more clarity as to their court dates and improve the way we use our court and judicial resources, says Courts Minister Chester Borrows.

“A court case can’t proceed without everyone present – lawyers, defendants, witnesses and a judge – and too often this results in delays in cases getting to court and courtrooms sitting idle,” says Mr Borrows.

“It takes too long to get a case through our criminal courts, and any unnecessary delay should not go unchecked.”

  • Chester Borrows
  • Courts

Minister Responsible for Novopay Steven Joyce today released the report on complaints and notifications in regards to Pay Period 18 of the schools’ payroll.

Pay Period 18, which was paid on the morning of 27 November, paid 89,785 people a total of $176.64 million.

The report shows that complaints and notifications were received regarding 0.079 per cent of staff across the country, eight staff were notified as not paid, 38 were overpaid, and 25 underpaid. Affected staff were from 62 schools or 2.53 per cent of schools in the payroll system.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Education

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says he is very pleased by the Court of Appeal’s finding, released today, that the residential red zoning of the most damaged parts of greater Christchurch was lawful, and that the process was well conducted.

  • Gerry Brownlee
  • Canterbury Earthquake Recovery

Civil Defence Minister Nikki Kaye today presented the first civil defence identification tags for disability assist dogs.

“This nationwide initiative means that in an emergency, the tags will make it easy for certified disability assist dogs to be identified and remain with their owners or, if they become separated, to be quickly reunited,” Ms Kaye says.

  • Nikki Kaye
  • Civil Defence

Commerce Minister Craig Foss has welcomed the creation of a new financial literacy consortium – The Exchange.

Major financial institutions will make up The Exchange’s membership. These members will meet to share relevant information about financial literacy projects and allocate resources as they see appropriate to improve financial literacy in New Zealand. The Exchange will cooperate with the Commission for Financial Literacy and Retirement Income with their on-going financial literacy strategy.

  • Craig Foss
  • Commerce

Education Minister Hekia Parata is pleased with a recent report showing a programme to address problem behaviour in schools is getting positive results for students across New Zealand.

“In Budget 2013, this Government invested a further $63.5 million over four years to the Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) initiative,” says Ms Parata.

  • Hekia Parata
  • Education

The Minister for Disability Issues Tariana Turia says International Day of Persons with Disabilities is an important day for recognising the rights of disabled people and the need to change attitudes and behaviours towards those who live with disability.

Break Barriers, Open Doors: for an inclusive society and development for all is the theme for International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2013.

  • Tariana Turia
  • Disability Issues

Environment Minister Amy Adams today welcomed the release of a report into the effects of oil pollution on the Bay of Plenty environment, following the Rena grounding.

“While the key findings of scientific monitoring and sampling show that the environment has not yet returned to its pre-Rena state, it is encouraging to see that the environment is recovering,” Ms Adams says.

“The report concludes that the grounding of the Rena should have no long-lasting effects on Bay of Plenty beaches and coastal fisheries.”

  • Amy Adams
  • Environment

Statistics Minister Maurice Williamson has welcomed today’s release of a large amount of 2013 Census data by Statistics New Zealand.

“The information, which includes national highlights, regional data and information about Māori, will help shape how public money is spent over the next few years, including on health, education and transport. 

  • Maurice Williamson
  • Statistics

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced a $2 million package to help Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) improve New Zealand’s wider maritime response capability.

The funding follows the Minister’s release today of an independent review of MNZ’s response to the grounding of the Rena off the coast of Tauranga in October 2011.

Conducted by former Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Murdoch, the review identified several areas for improvement.

  • Gerry Brownlee
  • Transport

Education Minister Hekia Parata today announced a review of the Ministry of Education’s Professional Learning and Development (PLD) expenditure in the schooling sector.

“The Government invests more than $70 million each year in PLD to improve the skills of our teachers and education leaders. However, the long-term level of underachievement in our education system will not be shifted by doing what we have always done,” Ms Parata says.

  • Hekia Parata
  • Education