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Customs Minister Maurice Williamson announced today that New Zealand Customs has opened a dedicated lane for United States Global Entry programme members at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch airports.

The lane will streamline and speed up the arrival process for Global Entry members entering New Zealand on a United States passport.

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson today announced three appointments to the Engineering Associates Registration Board.

Deborah Cranko, Ross McArthur and Glynn Cowley have been appointed for two year terms.

Ms Cranko is the director of Cranko Architects and specialises in commercial, educational residential projects.

Mr McArthur is a senior manager at Downer New Zealand, and is responsible for the development and maintenance of the company’s graduate, cadet and apprenticeship programmes.

Statistics Minister Maurice Williamson today announced one appointment and two reappointments to the Advisory Committee on Official Statistics (ACOS).

Professor Natalie Jackson, Director of the National Institute of Demographic and Economic Analysis, and Professor of Demography at Waikato University, will join the committee for an initial term of three years.

The Government will carefully consider the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission’s full report and its recommendations, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson and Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson say.

The third and final part of the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission’s report (Volumes 5-7) into the causes of building failures during the earthquake was publicly released by the Government today.

Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson and Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson today released the second part of the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission’s report (Volume 4), which covers a range of practice and policy issues relating to earthquake-prone buildings, particularly how these buildings are identified and managed.

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson is encouraging New Zealanders to have their say on proposals to improve the earthquake-prone buildings policy system, released in a consultation document today.

“The destructive earthquakes in Canterbury have highlighted the need to review and improve our system for dealing with earthquake-prone buildings in New Zealand,” Mr Williamson says.

Two amendments to the Geographic Board (Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa) Act 2008 will provide better clarity and consistency around official place names, Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson says.

The amendments were included in the Statutes Amendment Bill (No3), which was passed in Parliament today.

“The first amendment fixes an anomaly where the Act could have been interpreted as requiring all alternative place names to be used in official documentation and publications,” Mr Williamson says.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson says the two accolades Land Information New Zealand won at the Asia Pacific Spatial Excellence Awards for its innovative LINZ Data Service is a great achievement.

The awards were presented in Canberra last night.

“Being named winner of the ‘Spatial Enablement’ category and the JK Barrie Award for Overall Excellence is recognition of the work Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) has done to develop and implement the LINZ Data Service (LDS),” Mr Williamson says.

Land Information New Zealand is to lead a programme of work to accelerate recovery and rebuild efforts in Canterbury, the Government announced today.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says the programme will address barriers to data sharing, provides solutions to harnessing web technology and facilitates 3D visualisation.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson today announced the Government has approved an Order in Council allowing the Waimakariri District Council to extend its deadline for general property revaluations until 1 December 2014.

"Under the Order, the council will have an additional two years to revalue properties in its catchment area for rating purposes," Mr Williamson says.

The revaluation was originally scheduled to be completed by 1 July 2011, but was extended until December this year due to the Canterbury earthquakes. 

Customs Minister Maurice Williamson says a concerted effort to choke off the supply of methamphetamine precursor drugs is paying dividends.

More than 1.2 tonnes of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine was captured by Customs in 921 seizures in 2009 – which was a record high.

“In the first nine months of this year just over 300 kilograms was intercepted in 264 seizures,” Mr Williamson says.

New Zealand and China Customs have agreed to work more closely together to combat the smuggling of pharmaceutical products used to manufacture methamphetamine (‘P’). 

The agreement is the result of talks between Chinese officials and Customs Minister Maurice Williamson during a two-day visit by China Customs.

The two customs administrations are also committed to continuing work to advance further growth in trade.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson today announced the Government did not support the inclusion of three clauses (34A, 34B and 34C) in the Reserves and Other Lands Disposal Bill 2008 and would seek to remove them.

"These clauses relate to an area of esplanade reserve at Opua. They would allow the local authority to grant easements, which would effectively allow certain commercial related activities to be conducted on the reserve".

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson today launched the Christchurch Housing Showcase Design Competition in Christchurch.

Phase one of the competition will seek innovative and exciting designs that can be translated into an inner city housing complex.

“The competition is an opportunity to explore the potential for Christchurch to become an example of modern living and is open to any consortium that includes a professional designer and a property developer,” Mr Williamson says. 

Customs Minister Maurice Williamson says the two-day visit by the China Customs Vice Minister, Mr Lu Peijun, is an opportunity to further strengthen the connection New Zealand has with China in all areas of customs activity.

"As our largest supplier and our second largest export market, our trade relationship with China is important. New Zealand Customs has an excellent working relationship with China Customs and we appreciate their willingness to work cooperatively with us on issues specific to New Zealand's trade.";

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson announced today that owners of retirement village units will soon be entitled to the original capital sum of their investment following situations such as the Canterbury earthquakes.

"I have made an important variation to the Retirement Villages Code of Practice 2008, to address issues highlighted by the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011," Mr Williamson says.

The four-millionth passenger passed through SmartGate this week (Thursday), highlighting the on-going popularity of the technology with New Zealand and Australian ePassport holders.

Customs Minister Maurice Williamson says since its introduction in 2009 the popularity of SmartGate has grown rapidly, and the uptake in New Zealand is higher than in Australia.

The country’s 162 most important statistics will help the Government deliver on its priorities of a better public service and building a more competitive and productive economy, Statistics Minister Maurice Williamson says.

Mr Williamson is welcoming the announcement of a new tier 1 statistics list, developed by Statistics New Zealand and other government agencies and advisory committees.

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson today announced Sharyn Westlake has been reappointed as a member of the Chartered Professional Engineers Council.

“Ms Westlake is an experienced civil engineer with both regional government and engineering consultancy experience.  She is currently a senior engineer in the Flood Protection Department at Wellington Regional Council,” says Mr Williamson.

Changes to gas and electrical certification regimes mean safer outcomes for consumers, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley and Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson said today.

The changes mean all gas and electrical installation work will now require certification.

The amended regulations will be published in the New Zealand Gazette today and are the result of a review of the regimes to ensure they provide cost-effective public safety outcomes.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson today announced the appointment of Garrick Murfitt to the New Zealand Geographic Board, Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa – New Zealand’s place-naming authority.

“Mr Murfitt brings extensive community and organisational experience to the position, having played a leading role in rural organisations and local government for many years,” Mr Williamson says.

More researchers will now be able to use valuable data for statistical research, says Statistics Minister Maurice Williamson.

Recent changes to the Statistics Act 1975 will open up new avenues of research for academic and private research institutions.

“Statistics New Zealand is continuously trying to open up information and this is another step in the right direction,” says Mr Williamson.

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson has announced the re-appointment of two members to the Electrical Workers Registration Board, Neil McLeod and Shane Dolan, and the appointment of two new members, Melbourne Orange and William Waterworth.

The Minister would like to thank outgoing members David Bradshaw, and Eddie Eeles for their valuable contributions to the Board.

Murray Burns and Nicholas Fleckney have been appointed to the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board, Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson announced today.

Mr Williamson said Mr Burns and Mr Fleckney replace Sue Ineson and James Fruean whose terms expired on 16 September this year. Both Graham Hardie and John Simmiss have been reappointed for a further term.