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Environment Minister Amy Adams today announced Government funding of $115,000 towards a project to improve regional council understanding of soil loss into water ways.

“Regional councils need better information to help them manage soil erosion and sediment build-up in our water ways. Most regions have monitoring programmes and collect data, but these have usually been developed in isolation,” Ms Adams says.

Environment Minister Amy Adams today announced government funding of $190,000 for the West Coast Regional Council to trial two computer software tools which support good decision-making on water use.

“The West Coast Regional Council will trial the software tools using the Grey River catchment as a case study,” Ms Adams says.

“The applications illustrate the likely consequences of different options for water use and limits on a variety of important aspects of water management.

Environment Minister Amy Adams has announced funding of $100,000 for a collaborative approach to fresh water modelling in the Wellington region.

The money was awarded to Greater Wellington Regional Council from the Government’s Community Environment Fund.

“There are so many different models available, each with its own strengths or shortcomings. This project will get all the modellers together to determine which is the most appropriate to use in specific circumstances or under specific conditions,” Ms Adams says.

The Government will provide $150,000 to support the set-up of an e-planning system to enable efficient water allocation in Marlborough, Environment Minister Amy Adams announced today.

The funding was awarded to the Marlborough District Council from the Government’s Community Environment Fund.

“The e-planning tool will allow water users like farmers, viticulturists, horticulturists and industry to identify water demand for their property based on soil type, climate conditions and crop type,” Ms Adams says.

Environment Minister Amy Adams today announced funding of $135,000 towards a project run by Waikato Regional Council to better understand and overcome the barriers farmers face in reducing contaminants running off their land into water ways.

“Achieving water quality limits and targets for fresh water in many areas depends on farmers changing management practices,” Ms Adams says.

Environment Minister Amy Adams has announced funding of $125,000 to support an Otago Regional Council study to measure nitrogen leaching in the iconic Lakes catchments of Hawea, Wanaka and Wakatipu.

“The study will improve the prediction of nitrogen leaching from sheep and beef farms, which is not as well understood as dairy farming,” Ms Adams says.

Environment Minister Amy Adams today announced government funding of $65,000 towards a Gisborne District Council project to identify spawning sites for native fish species in the region.

The money was awarded to the council from the Government’s Community Environment Fund.

“There are a number of different native freshwater fish species in the Gisborne region and the survival of some of these is threatened,” Ms Adams says.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has welcomed news that New Zealand will ratify the Arms Trade Treaty - a world-first agreement aimed at regulating and controlling the trade in conventional arms.

Prime Minister John Key made the announcement when he met with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in Auckland this morning.

“The Arms Trade Treaty is a major step forward in global efforts to reduce the harm caused by the illicit arms trade,” Mr McCully says.

Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga today launched Tongan Language Week at the Tongan Methodist Church in Otahuhu, Auckland.

Tongan Language Week runs from 1-7 September and the theme this year is ‘Ko e kai ia ‘a e Tonga: Enriching Aotearoa with Tongan Wisdom.

“This week is about showcasing Tongan culture, pride and most importantly the Tongan language in New Zealand” Mr Lotu-Iiga said

Commerce Minister Craig Foss says new rules coming into force today will protect New Zealand’s international reputation as a trusted place to do business.

The Limited Partnerships Amendment Act takes effect today requiring all limited partnerships to have a general partner who lives in New Zealand or an enforcement country.  This person can be held responsible if a partnership fails to comply with its obligations. 

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has welcomed the completion of the Apia racecourse solar array in Samoa today.

“The 2.2 Megawatt photovoltaic array at the Apia Sports Complex will provide the highest electrical output from a single installation in the South Pacific,” says Mr McCully.

“Along with two other solar projects in Samoa it is expected meet a total of 4.5 per cent of the total energy demand in Samoa and supply approximately 4,400 households. In total New Zealand has contributed over $7.5 million towards these three projects.

Prime Minister John Key, Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee and Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson today laid the last of 273 symbolic decorative poppies on the wall of the newly named Arras Tunnel, which runs underneath the National War Memorial Park site.

The poppy tiles symbolise the 2721 New Zealand fatalities in the Anzac campaign.

Mr Finlayson announced the tunnel will be named Arras Tunnel after the French town where the New Zealand Tunnelling Company dug huge networks of underground tunnels during the First World War.

Results of aerial and ground surveillance of the Coromandel Peninsula show that the presence of Phytophythora taxon Agathis (PTA), or kauri dieback disease is not widespread in the area, Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy announced today.

Prime Minister John Key today announced that Hon Judith Collins has resigned from Cabinet.

Mr Key says the resignation of Ms Collins followed the receipt of new information that raises allegations about Ms Collins’ conduct as a Minister.

“The relationship between a Minister and their Chief Executive is vital, and goes right to the heart of a trusted, effective government.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully says New Zealand is deeply disturbed at today’s reports indicating the involvement of Russian troops in the conflict in eastern Ukraine. 

“If these reports are confirmed, such actions will escalate the crisis at a time when efforts should be directed to easing tensions,” Mr McCully says.

“The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) met today to discuss these developments. The Council should take a leading role in addressing this situation. 

Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Lotu-Iiga today attended a national commemoration at the Cenotaph in the Auckland Domain to mark the centenary of New Zealand’s occupation of Samoa.

Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams has today announced draft licencing rules for the use of television white space devices in New Zealand.

“Television white space offers opportunities for new ways to deliver wireless services such as broadband,” Ms Adams says.

“More efficient use of the radio spectrum, such as through the use of white space, will be increasingly important as new technologies continue to drive demand for wireless frequencies.”

Associate Conservation Minister Nicky Wagner today announced more than $500,000 in funding for Waikato area conservation groups.

Tui 2000, QEII National Trust, Pirongia Te Aroaro o Kahu Restoration Society, Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust and the National Wetland Trust have all received grants from the Community Conservation Partnership Fund.

Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith today welcomed the July building consent figures from Statistics New Zealand that show the number of new dwelling consents is growing at record rates.

“These building consent figures show the Housing Accord in Auckland is delivering record residential building growth and that the Christchurch residential rebuild is progressing at pace,” Dr Smith says.

The National Science Challenge – New Zealand’s Biological Heritage Ngā Koiora Tuku Iho – is to receive funding of $25.8 million over five years for research to protect and manage the country’s biodiversity, improve our biosecurity, and enhance our resilience to harmful organisms.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce says the Challenge spans a wide range of scientific disciplines and will include researchers from nearly all New Zealand’s relevant research institutions.

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew welcomes Cervical Screening Awareness Month this September encouraging women to get up to date with their cervical smears.

“The theme of this year’s campaign is for women to think about how their health matters not just to them, but also to those they love,” says Mrs Goodhew.

“We know that cervical cancer is one of the most preventable of all cancers, but it’s all about early detection.

Health Minister Tony Ryall has given the go-ahead for the introduction of a single patient information system to all hospitals in the South Island.

“The South Island Patient Information Care System (SI PICS) will connect hospitals and health services in the South Island so health professionals can share information securely and provide patients with better care,” says Mr Ryall.

Minister of Pacific Island Affairs Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga hosted a function this evening in Parliament’s Grand Hall to celebrate the partnership between the Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) and Pasifika Futures.

In March this year, Pasifika Futures was appointed as the new Whānau Ora commissioning agency for Pacific communities in New Zealand. 

Foreign Minister Murray McCully today announced that New Zealand will provide $500,000 to support humanitarian efforts by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Iraq.

“The situation in Iraq has worsened dramatically since the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) began their offensive,” Mr McCully says.

“ISIL’s actions deserve the strongest condemnation. We have been appalled by the loss of life, displacement of civilians and the widespread abuses of human rights.