Displaying 145 - 168 of 529 results.

Labour Leader David Cunliffe needs to explain why he has tried to con the New Zealand public and front up about where the money would come from for his planned big spend-up, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says.

“Mr Cunliffe has been deliberately pulling the wool over the eyes of the New Zealand public by cancelling two Labour policies last week and saying that gives him $1.5 billion a year to spend,” Mr Joyce says.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Economic Development

The Labour Party is showing that after five years in Opposition and three Opposition Leaders they still haven’t learned any lessons from their last time in Government.

“Once again, the moment we get a lift in the economy, they want to start bribing people with massive extra spending. We haven’t even got to the end of January and Labour and the Greens are already promising to spend the thick end of an extra three quarters of a billion dollars a year,” Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Economic Development

Minister Responsible for Novopay Steven Joyce says a 100 per cent completion rate for schools involved in the End-of-Year process and an accompanying low error rate are tributes to the hard work done by school administrators and Novopay staff and contractors.

Mr Joyce today released the reports on complaints and notifications received in regards to Pay Period 20 and 21 of the schools’ payroll - which are the End-of-Year pay periods.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Education

New Research & Development Growth Grants worth more than $140 million over three years have been awarded to 31 high tech New Zealand businesses by Callaghan Innovation, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce announced today.

R&D Growth Grants were introduced last year as part of changes to R&D funding designed to encourage more research and development to be undertaken by businesses in New Zealand. They provide up to $5 million co-funding a year to mid-sized and large New Zealand-based companies that are experienced in doing R&D.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Science and Innovation

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce today released the 2014 Occupation Outlook report, a comprehensive overview of job demand, likely incomes, and training requirements for 50 different career options across New Zealand.

“The Occupation Outlook is designed to be one of the first places for young people and their families to look when making decisions on subject choices and future careers,” Mr Joyce says.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment

2014 will start with a much simpler vocational training system that is easy to navigate for employers, trainees and educators, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce says.

“Four years ago we had a highly complicated vocational training system in New Zealand with a total of 39 separate industry training organisations and more than 4500 separate qualifications”, Mr Joyce says.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce today announced appointments to eight tertiary education institution councils, which include four new council members.

“I am pleased to welcome these high-calibre council appointees into their new roles and to welcome the reappointment of a number of council members in recognition of the high-quality governance they have been providing to these institutions,” Mr Joyce says.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Labour Minister Simon Bridges today welcomed the completion of the major policy programme to respond to the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy.

“With the completion of this critically important work, the Government has met the commitment we made in December 2012 to respond to all the Commission’s recommendations by the end of this year,” says Mr Joyce.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Steven Joyce
  • Labour
  • Economic Development

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce today announced the investment of more than $2.4 million to help unlock the science and innovation potential of Māori knowledge, resources, and people.

Eighteen programmes will receive $2,425,772 in funding from the Te Pūnaha Hihiko Vision Mātauranga (VM) Capability Fund, administered by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, with decisions informed by an independent assessment panel of experts.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Science and Innovation

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce today announced funding of up to $804 million over ten years for the second tranche of New Zealand’s National Science Challenges.

The ten National Science Challenges were announced in May, and funding for the first three Challenges was released in October. 

The remaining seven Challenges and their funding levels are:

  • Steven Joyce
  • Science and Innovation

High demand for the Government’s Apprenticeship Reboot means the Government has decided to add another 4000 places on top of the 10,000 already funded, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce says.

The $31.2 million Apprenticeship Reboot was announced in January by Prime Minister John Key, as part of an overhaul of the apprenticeship scheme to get more apprentices qualified and more in priority trades.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment

Results from the first end of year pay for schools show the good progress that has been made this year in stabilising Novopay, Minister Responsible for Novopay Steven Joyce says.

The Government today released the report on complaints and notifications in regards to Pay Period 19 of the schools’ payroll.

Pay Period 19, which was the largest school pay of the year, paid 92,086 people a total of $221.89 million on the morning of 11 December.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Education

Two new specialist research institutes are being established at Victoria University of Wellington to take up some of the fundamental science work previously conducted by Callaghan Innovation, as part of Callaghan’s move to focus on more near-to-market research for Kiwi firms.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Science and Innovation

Minister of Science and Innovation Steven Joyce today released the final Business Case for the development and growth of Callaghan Innovation, New Zealand’s new innovation partner for Kiwi businesses, over the next three years.

Mr Joyce says the Business Case lays out how Callaghan will support New Zealand’s business and science sectors to be more innovative and competitive.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Science and Innovation

The Government today announced changes to the structure and level of support for overseas and New Zealand film and television productions to ensure the further development of New Zealand’s screen industry.

The new changes are designed to encourage the growth of mid-sized New Zealand-based productions that can compete successfully on the world stage; while also increasing the competitiveness of our incentives for international productions in the short to medium term.

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Steven Joyce
  • Arts, Culture and Heritage
  • Economic Development

The Government today announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Lightstorm Entertainment and Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation that will see the next three Avatar films made in New Zealand.

The announcement was made by Prime Minister John Key, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson at Wellington alongside Avatar Director James Cameron, Producer Jon Landau, and Twentieth Century Fox Film co-President of Worldwide Theatrical Marketing and Distribution Paul Hanneman.

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Steven Joyce
  • Arts, Culture and Heritage
  • Economic Development

Minister of Science and Innovation Steven Joyce today announced two appointments to the Science Board – the Board responsible for the allocation of funding used predominantly by research organisations for science, technology, research, and related activities.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Science and Innovation

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce today announced a new stakeholder advisory group that will help Callaghan Innovation, the Government’s new high-tech HQ for business, achieve its mission of helping businesses grow through commercialising innovation.

“This nine-member panel will be an important source of independent expert advice for Callaghan Innovation’s Board as it aligns with business needs,” Mr Joyce says.

Chair of the group is Dr Andrew Coy, Chief Executive of Wellington technology company Magritek.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Science and Innovation

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce today announced that 89 outstanding New Zealand students have been selected to study at top education institutions in Asia next year as part of the inaugural Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia.

Mr Joyce says the scholarships, which cover study periods from six weeks to two years, will enable undergraduate and postgraduate students to gain a deeper understanding of Asia.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment

A world-leading project to transform Christchurch into a smart city of the future and create opportunities for New Zealand’s tech sector is to receive support from Callaghan Innovation, the Government’s new High Tech HQ for business.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Gerry Brownlee
  • Science and Innovation
  • Canterbury Earthquake Recovery

Minister Responsible for Novopay Steven Joyce today released the report on complaints and notifications in regards to Pay Period 18 of the schools’ payroll.

Pay Period 18, which was paid on the morning of 27 November, paid 89,785 people a total of $176.64 million.

The report shows that complaints and notifications were received regarding 0.079 per cent of staff across the country, eight staff were notified as not paid, 38 were overpaid, and 25 underpaid. Affected staff were from 62 schools or 2.53 per cent of schools in the payroll system.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Education

The Government is providing $10.5 million in additional funding for schools to raise student achievement in maths and science, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

“Boosting the skills and achievement of our young people in maths and science are essential for their future careers and for New Zealand’s economic growth and prosperity,” Mr Joyce says.

  • Hekia Parata
  • Steven Joyce
  • Education
  • Science and Innovation

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata today announced the Science and Society project, a unique joint education-science sector plan to lift engagement and achievement in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) across New Zealand.

  • Hekia Parata
  • Steven Joyce
  • Education
  • Science and Innovation

The rising wealth of neighbouring Pacific Rim countries presents a great opportunity for New Zealand tourism, a new Government report says.

The Tourism Sector Report was today released in Auckland by Prime Minister and Tourism Minister John Key and Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce. The Report is the fifth in a series of seven that make up the NZ Sector Reports Series.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Economic Development