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The Government has released its detailed action plan for implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and acting Labour Minister Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Building Natural Resources highlights how recommendations from the Green Growth Advisory Group are being integrated into the Government’s wider growth agenda, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Environment Minister Amy Adams say.

“The challenge for New Zealand – and frankly all countries – is how we can make the most of all our opportunities to achieve strong economic growth that delivers jobs alongside policies that improve the environment,” Mr Joyce says.

The latest Business Growth Agenda progress report, Building Natural Resources, sets out how New Zealand can build growth and jobs from sustainably using its natural resources, Finance Minister Bill English and Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce say.

Building Natural Resources sets out the 49 initiatives the Government is taking to improve the way we use and manage our resources. It encourages businesses to find ways to become more innovative to get the best results for the economy and the environment.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has highlighted 20 key projects in the Economic Recovery Programme for Greater Christchurch, which was launched today.

Developed by the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) and Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), the programme lays out a roadmap for economic recovery in the region.

“This has been a thoroughly collaborative process between CERA and MBIE in partnership with local government and the business sector,” Mr Brownlee says.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Sport and Recreation Minister Murray McCully today welcomed the announcement that New Zealand will host the 2014 IRB Junior World Championship.

The annual event, to be held in Auckland in June 2014, was announced by the International Rugby Board this morning.

Fledgling New Zealand businesses will be able to secure their company name, domain name and trade mark from one search with a new product launched today by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says.

ONECheck is an online search tool that delivers more efficient, user-friendly government online services to New Zealand businesses. Until now, people have had to search three different websites to check the availability of their new business name.

A new approach to boosting Māori economic performance will benefit all New Zealanders, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Māori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples say.

The Māori Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan, He Kai Kei Aku Ringa, released at Parliament today provides a blueprint for a productive, innovative, and export-orientated Māori economy that will support better paying jobs and higher living standards.

The latest Pure Advantage report, Green Growth Opportunities for New Zealand, underscores the importance of a significant number of existing government initiatives already underway, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says.

“The new report makes a useful contribution to the debate on how we can make the best use of New Zealand’s natural resources and competitive advantages,” Mr Joyce says.

Collaboration and trade between New Zealand and India in the aviation sector is set to grow following the signing last night of the India New Zealand Aviation Arrangement in New Delhi, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says.

The agreement was signed by the New Zealand High Commissioner Jan Henderson and the Indian Secretary of Civil Aviation Shri KN Srivastava and was witnessed by Mr Joyce and India's Minister of Civil Aviation, Sri Ajit Singh.

The meeting today between Labour, the Greens and New Zealand First was nothing more than a political stunt, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says.

“Not content to be told by nearly every mainstream economic commentator that there is no jobs crisis, manufacturing crisis, or economic crisis, opposition parties are determined to keep talking the New Zealand economy down by heading off in search of one to serve their own political ends,” Mr Joyce says.

The Greens grab-bag of theories to lower the New Zealand dollar shows exactly how little they understand the economy and growth, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says.

“New Zealand has one of the strongest economies in the OECD over the last 12 months, and yet the Greens are determined to talk us down and promote a bunch of ideas that are only in vogue in countries that have run out of options and have massive and crippling public debt,” Mr Joyce says.

The all-of-government contracts for recruitment services have successfully been negotiated with 44 recruitment companies, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce announced today.

“These contracts will deliver savings of between $5.1 million and $16.8 million a year,” Mr Joyce says.

The final level of savings will depend on how much use individual government agencies make of the contracts.

A joint economic development study has been commissioned to look at the potential for and benefits of developing an oil and gas industry on the North Island’s East Coast.

The study is a joint initiative between the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and regional economic development agency Business Hawke’s Bay, on behalf of eight East Coast councils.

Kiwi executives will have the chance to learn from successful international business leaders under a leadership programme jointly funded by Government and business, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says.

Expressions of interest are being invited for the Global Executive Leadership Programme, which provides an opportunity for senior managers to broaden their experience and skills via a programme that spans New Zealand, the United States and China.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce is calling on objectors to Bathurst Resources’ Escarpment Mine project near Westport to support 225 new jobs on the West Coast by withdrawing their court action.

“The Escarpment Mine is an open cast mining project that is ready to go and would provide 225 jobs and incomes for workers and their families on the West Coast straight away,” Mr Joyce says.

Online passport applications and a single customer number for businesses are among plans to improve the way government interacts with companies and the public, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Internal Affairs Minister Chris Tremain say.

As part of the Government’s Better Public Services initiative, the Ministers today released action plans for the Government’s planned one-stop online shop for businesses (Result Area 9) and for New Zealanders to complete transactions with Government easily online (Result Area 10).

New Zealand Businesses will get better access to an estimated US$1.6 trillion worth of overseas government contracts, after New Zealand agreed to join the World Trade Organisation’s Government Procurement Agreement (GPA), Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Trade Minister Tim Groser announced today.

“Joining the GPA creates new opportunities for New Zealand businesses to export more products and services to more destinations,” Mr Joyce says.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Trade Minister Tim Groser today announced Government agencies are working on a broader ‘New Zealand Story’ - an initiative to help New Zealand companies gain an advantage in international markets.

The ‘New Zealand Story’ is one of the initiatives outlined in the “Building Export Markets” progress report launched today as part of the Government’s Business Growth Agenda.

Finance Minister Bill English and Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce have today launched the first Business Growth Agenda progress report on Government actions to boost New Zealand exports.

The Building Export Markets report confirms the Government’s target to increase the contribution of exports to the economy from 30 per cent to 40 per cent of GDP by 2025.

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise is to invest $2.1 million for projects in China, the United States and Northern Europe to build the New Zealand wine brand and add value to our exports, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce announced today.

The programme includes $600,000 of Government support for the Complexity High End Wine Initiative project in the United States through to June 2014.

“The New Zealand wine industry is an important earner for the country, contributing more than $1 billion in export revenue each year,” Mr Joyce says.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Trade Minister Tim Groser today announced the appointment of Andrew Ferrier to the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Board.

Mr Ferrier has been appointed as Chair, for a three-year term commencing November 2012. He is the former Chief Executive of Fonterra, and has held a number of director and executive positions for large multi-nationals.

The Government will invest $1 million from the Major Events Development Fund to support Winter Games New Zealand 2013, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce announced today.

“The Government investment is designed to provide a platform for the event to step-up in 2013 to become one of the world’s top three snow sports events and to deliver the quality expected of a world-leading event,” Mr Joyce says.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce today announced that the Government’s Major Events Development Fund will invest up to $2.2 million on a one-off basis to support infrastructure upgrades for the Auckland V8 Supercars.

The new Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment commences operations on Monday and will ensure New Zealand has clear, co-ordinated and focused government policy leadership with a commitment to economic growth and innovation, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says.