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The provisional road toll for 2014 is 297, Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss says.

“Each number in the road toll represents a lost life — someone who will forever be missed by their family, friends and community.  That’s the real impact of crashes on our roads,” Mr Foss says.

“Let's also not forget that for every fatality, there are dozens more people hurt — many of them seriously, leaving them and their families to cope with life-long and debilitating injuries.”

Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson QC has paid tribute to former President of the Court of Appeal, Rt Hon Sir Ivor Richardson, who has died at the age of 84.

"It is hard to think of anyone who has made a more substantive contribution to the law and social policy than Sir Ivor Richardson,” Mr Finlayson said. “His was a career marked by excellence in everything he did.”

Pacific Peoples Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga welcomes the New Year’s Honours awarded to people who have served the Pacific community.

“My congratulations go to this year's worthy recipients,” says Mr Lotu-Iiga.  “Service to family and the community is one of the core Pacific values. These outstanding individuals have worked for decades to serve and help their communities.”

This year’s recipients include:

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Ben Taufua, Auckland, for services to the Pacific community.

Ethnic Peoples Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga congratulates the recipients of New Year’s Honours who have served their ethnic communities.

"These outstanding people have worked tirelessly to support their respective communities,” says Mr Lotu-Iiga. “Their efforts help ensure that people of diverse cultures maintain their own heritage while joining the wider New Zealand community.”

This year’s recipients include:

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Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith is welcoming new consumer protections that will require builders to have written contracts, provide information on their relevant skills, experience and qualifications, and disclose their insurance and warranty cover from tomorrow.

“These new requirements are about improving how building work is contracted in New Zealand. They ensure increased professionalism, open disclosure and clear expectations about what work is to be done, at what price, and in what timeframe,” Dr Smith says.