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Labour Revenue spokesman David Clark is making a habit of going off half-cocked, with the latest example of his comments on the tender process for updating Inland Revenue’s computer system, Revenue Minister Peter Dunne said today.

“Yet again it is a case of ‘Ready! Fire! Aim!’ from Dr Clark,” Mr Dunne said.

“He needs to gather his facts and then see if they align to his very obvious political intentions before shooting from the lip.”

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has confirmed that New Zealand will vote in favour of the resolution on the status of Palestine, due to go before the United Nations General Assembly this morning. But the Minister says a UN resolution is “a poor substitute for direct negotiations between the two parties”.

Mr McCully says the primary reason for voting in favour of the resolution is that it reflects the long-standing policy of the New Zealand Government.

Trade Minister Tim Groser welcomes the arrival of over 500 negotiators from 11 countries to Round 15 of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, which runs from 3-12 December in Auckland.

“TPP participants already take around 38 percent of our exports and include our largest services and international procurement markets.

“A comprehensive 21st century agreement would provide many more opportunities to New Zealand businesses to grow their trade and investment footprint in the region,” says Mr Groser.

A bill implementing a programme to lift the performance and efficiency of local government has passed its third and final reading in Parliament.

Local Government Minister David Carter says the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill is an important milestone in progressing major reform of New Zealand’s local government sector.

New Zealand’s 78 local authorities make up 4% of GDP, spend $7.8 billion per year of public money and manage $120 billion worth of assets.

The National-led Government is making it easier for disabled and older New Zealanders to live independently at home longer by increasing home and community support services.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says 14.4 million hours of home and community support were provided to disabled and older New Zealanders last financial year – 2.5 million more hours than four years ago.

“These extra support hours are used to help people with activities such as showering, dressing, and preparing a meal,” says Mr Ryall.

The State Sector and Public Finance Reform Bill concluded its first reading debate in Parliament this afternoon, says State Services Minister Jonathan Coleman.

“This omnibus bill is one of the initiatives by the government as part of its Better Public Services reforms,” said Dr Coleman.

“It is progress towards a more innovative, efficient public sector that delivers better results for New Zealanders,” he said. 

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Minister Craig Foss today confirmed the site for a new primary school in the Queenstown area.

The three-hectare site in the Shotover development, adjacent to the Lake Hayes Estate, is located in an area expected to experience significant population growth in the next 15 years.

Hekia Parata said: “Confirmation of the agreement to purchase is excellent news. Queenstown is growing and the community needs extra schooling capacity. The Shotover site is well-located and will ensure young learners are well-catered for.

Investment by the Government to improve court safety has resulted in significant improvements, Courts Minister Chester Borrows announced today.

Between 2009/10 and 2011/12, security incidents in courts have fallen by 35 per cent, with serious incidents down 63 per cent.

“Those who go to court should be able to feel safe, whatever their reason for being there.  That’s why we’re investing in additional court security where it’s needed, and I’m pleased to see that investment paying off,” says Mr Borrows.

The government has received the third and final part (comprising volumes 5 to 7) of the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Building Failure Caused by Canterbury Earthquakes, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Ministers will now consider the third part of the report. An announcement about the public release of the report and the government’s response will be made in due course.

The Government insulation programme Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart has reached its original target of insulating 188,500 homes – ahead of schedule and below budget, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley announced today.

“This successful programme has directly improved the living conditions of many thousands of New Zealanders,” he said.

“Better home insulation has a really significant effect on health and well-being.

“The programme has also supported manufacturing in New Zealand and created jobs.

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.

Cabinet has made an agreement in principle to provide capital support to Canterbury’s three Tertiary Education Institutions for their earthquake rebuilding programme, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce says.

“The University of Canterbury, Lincoln University and Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology have all recently completed initial business cases for capital investment from the Crown as part of their earthquake rebuilding programme,” Mr Joyce says.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully and Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman today confirmed the departure of the New Zealand platoon from the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI).

“RAMSI is a great example of a Pacific solution to a Pacific problem. At the request of the Solomon Islands Government, Pacific Island countries helped a friend in serious trouble,” Mr McCully says.

Women’s Affairs Minister Jo Goodhew has welcomed the launch of the new Voluntary Code of Practice for Board Recruitment, developed by the 25 Percent Group, which supports improved practices in board recruitment.

“I applaud the Code as a further commitment by the private sector towards increasing the number of women in governance. I especially want to congratulate the six recruitment firms who have already signed up to the Code and I look forward to other firms adopting it over time,” said Mrs Goodhew.

Women’s Affairs Minister Jo Goodhew today joined with the Institute of Directors in Auckland to celebrate the successful completion of its 2012 mentoring programme, and welcome a new intake of 27 women for 2013.

“The Institute of Directors is to be congratulated for its persistence and commitment to increasing the number of women on private sector boards,” Mrs Goodhew said.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced three appointments to Antarctica New Zealand’s management board.

Carolyn Burns, Tony O’Brien and Rob Fyfe will serve three-year terms on the board responsible for managing New Zealand’s programme in Antarctica.

“Board members are required to successfully guide New Zealand’s activities in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. With these new appointments, I am confident the board has the right mix of skills and experience to do so,” Mr McCully says.

General practice and district health boards are well on track to achieve the Government’s Better Public Services immunisation target, says Health Minister Tony Ryall. 

“Our goal is 95 per cent of babies fully immunised by the time they’re eight months old, by December 2014, and that coverage rate maintained until at least 2017,” Mr Ryall says.

Associate Education Minister Craig Foss has welcomed confirmation that the Novopay payroll project will be the subject of an independent review.

“While the Ministry of Education’s new payroll project is still in its early stages, the number of issues resulting from the payroll transition has been unacceptable. The review will be comprehensive and thorough,” says Mr Foss.

The independent post implementation review will commence in early 2013.

Announcing the appointment of the Small Business Development Group (formerly Small Business Advisory Group) today, Mr Banks welcomed twelve new members from a diverse range of industries in the economy and representing a number of regions.

“SMEs are the lifeblood of our economy, and the Small Business Development Group plays an important role providing the small business voice in business policy development,” Mr Banks said.

Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson is seeking proud New Zealanders to stand for their local conservation boards and make a difference in their community.

“Preserving our conservation estate is the responsibility of all New Zealanders, not just the government. Members of local conservation boards get to have a say to help protect their local conservation assets for future generations,” Ms Wilkinson says.

Nominations to all conservation boards are being sought. Vacancies on each board are as follows:

Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson is increasing the size of the Taranaki/Whanganui Conservation Board from eight members to ten.

“Two additional members will increase the current knowledge, experience and skill base the board,” Ms Wilkinson says.

“This region has some of our most diverse and stunning conservation areas in the country.

A Bill that removes the requirement for smaller companies to produce complex financial statements has passed its first reading in Parliament.

The Financial Reporting Bill allows shareholders of small and medium sized companies to decide whether the company must prepare financial statements says Commerce Minister Craig Foss.

“More than half a million companies are registered in New Zealand and all of them are currently required to prepare financial statements.

Revenue Minister Peter Dunne today launched two new tax scholarships named after Robin Oliver, a leading light in New Zealand tax policy in recent decades.

Mr Dunne said the scholarships will benefit New Zealand and its economy by supporting continued high quality tax policy.

The Tax Policy Scholarship Award and the Tax Policy Lecture Visit will jointly be known as the Robin Oliver Tax Policy Scholarships, and administered by the Tax Policy Charitable Trust.

Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley and Environment Minister Amy Adams have welcomed the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s interim report on her investigation into hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

The interim report finds that the environmental risks associated with fracking can be effectively managed, providing that the best operational practices are implemented and enforced through regulation.