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Associate Primary Industries Minister Jo Goodhew has today announced the sale of 22,800 hectares of Crown forest cutting rights on the West Coast to Ngāi Tahu Forest Estates Ltd (NTFE).

“The Crown’s forests are being sold to NTFE under a first right of refusal dating back to Ngāi Tahu’s 1997 Treaty Settlement,” says Mrs Goodhew.

“The land the forests are on was previously purchased by Ngāi Tahu as part of their Treaty Settlement.

Women’s Affairs Minister Jo Goodhew will travel to New York tomorrow for the 58th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

“CSW is the principal global policy making body dedicated exclusively to gender equality and the advancement of women,” says Mrs Goodhew.

This year’s theme is challenges and achievements in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals for women and girls.

Women’s Affairs Minister Jo Goodhew says the New Zealand economy will benefit when all organisations achieve greater diversity in their leadership roles.

“I’m encouraging women who are ready for the challenges of a governance role, or are keen to take on more, to get in touch with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs,” says Mrs Goodhew.

Senior Citizens Minister Jo Goodhew has today announced that the SuperGold programme now has more than 11,000 business outlets offering discounts to over 630,000 older New Zealanders.

“Surpassing 11,000 business outlets is another milestone for the programme, further increasing the opportunities for cardholders to access discounts across the country,” says Mrs Goodhew.

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew says the 119 laser strikes on aircraft highlights the importance of the new controls on dangerous laser pointers coming into effect from 1 March 2014.

“Last year we had a record number of laser strikes on aircraft. By comparison there were fewer than ten laser strikes recorded on aircraft in 2006,” says Mrs Goodhew.

Associate Minister for Primary Industries Jo Goodhew and Minister for Climate Change Issues Tim Groser have today announced changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) which will allow for greater transparency.

“From April buyers and sellers of carbon units will be able to see where the unit has come from, so they know how the unit was generated,” says Mrs Goodhew.

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew says people living with dementia will benefit as more caregivers have the opportunity to learn about the dementia-sufferer’s perspective.

“The Walking in Another's Shoes programme was developed in Christchurch and trains caregivers working in rest homes and in the community to look at the world through the eyes of the person living with dementia and focus on their individual needs,” says Mrs Goodhew.

Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Jo Goodhew is encouraging generous New Zealanders to research organisations before donating to them.

“It is important when giving donations to take some simple steps to make sure your money is going to a legitimate charity,” Mrs Goodhew says.

“There are 26,891 registered charities in New Zealand managing an asset base of $40 billion. Together they have an annual income of $14.7 billion – of which 7.5 per cent comes from donations, equating to around $1.1 billion.

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew is today promoting the message “Don’t assume you’re immune to meningococcal”, particularly to students at university hostels and boarding schools as they start the academic year. 

“Meningococcal disease is dangerous, and notoriously difficult to diagnose. It needs urgent medical treatment, but its early symptoms can be mistaken for influenza or other illnesses. Preventing the disease and treating it quickly saves lives,” says Mrs Goodhew.

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew has today announced that all aged residential care providers have signed up to training for a new national clinical assessment tool, six months earlier than the deadline.

“The tool was developed by a collaborative network of researchers in over 30 countries and has raised the standard of assessments for older people’s needs.

E aku rangatira, tēnā koutou katoa. Ka nui te honore ki te mihi ki a koutou.

Thank you Brendan for your introduction.

And special welcome to our guest speakers, young carer Lauren Hitchin and Carers New Zealand CEO Laurie Hilsgen.

I would also like to acknowledge my colleagues the Honourable Chester Borrows, Honourable Michael Woodhouse, Honourable Tariana Turia and Hon Ruth Dyson.

Senior Citizens Minister Jo Goodhew has today launched the Carers’ Strategy Action Plan for 2014 to 2018.

“Nearly half a million New Zealanders are providing care for someone close to them who needs help with everyday living because of a health condition or disability,” says Mrs Goodhew.

“Often the word “carer” does not adequately reflect the diversity of those who take up the role, the special relationship they have with those they care for, and the sometimes tough circumstances in which they live.

Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Jo Goodhew is encouraging people to get involved in their local Community Organisation Grants Scheme (COGS).

“COGS is a government-funded community-driven scheme to support community groups with a total of $12.5 million to distribute throughout New Zealand.

“The members of New Zealand’s 37 local distribution committees assess funding applications and decide which non-profit community organisation will receive a grant,” Mrs Goodhew says.

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew says frontline health services, including travel clinics and emergency departments (EDs), are being encouraged to help counter any spread of measles with new resources.

“There have now been 33 cases of measles recorded since the end of 2013, with seven people needing hospitalisation,” says Mrs Goodhew.

“All these people either caught the disease overseas, or were in contact with someone who had recently done so.

Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Jo Goodhew has today announced $1.27 million investment in the development of a solid support infrastructure for emerging social enterprises.

“Social enterprises are organisations with social or environmental goals which use commercial models to generate income,” says Mrs Goodhew.

“This Government recognises that by combining social goals and business methods, social enterprise has the potential to play a significant role in New Zealand’s social innovation and economic development.

E aku rangatira, tēnā koutou katoa. Ka nui te honore ki te mihi ki a koutou.

Thank you Lindy for your kind introduction.

I would like to acknowledge this year’s 14 Escalator participants.

I also want to acknowledge Lindy as the inspiration behind the Agri-Women’s Development Trust.

Lindy, your foresight and determination in the development of the Escalator programme enables many more women to step up and show what they can do beyond the farm.

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew has today launched a brochure which gives patients information about avoiding infections after surgery.

“While it is not common, some patients will develop an infection following an operation,” says Mrs Goodhew.

“The brochure Preventing infection after surgery explains what Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) are, and what patients can do to help prevent them.

“International research suggests that up to five per cent of surgeries can result in a person suffering from a SSI.

Women’s Affairs Minister Jo Goodhew has welcomed news that a record number of women are participating in the labour market.

The Household Labour Force Survey (HLFS) found women’s participation rate has risen to 63.4 per cent - the highest level since the survey began in 1986.

“The continued increase in the number of women in the workforce shows New Zealand is gradually waking up to the role women can play in growing our economy,” says Mrs Goodhew.

Associate Primary Industries Minister Jo Goodhew has today announced that public consultation on proposed operational changes to the East Coast Forestry Project (ECFP) is now underway.

“The Gisborne region has a severe erosion problem. A quarter of the land is susceptible to severe erosion, compared with only 8 percent of all land in New Zealand,” says Mrs Goodhew.

“The ECFP funds the treatment of land to prevent soil erosion, through planting trees or indigenous regeneration.”

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew says recent cases of measles serve as a timely reminder for people to check they are protected against this highly-infectious disease, especially before travelling.

“There have been 28 confirmed measles cases since the end of December 2013. All these people either caught the disease overseas, or were in contact with someone who had recently done so,” says Mrs Goodhew.

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew has today announced that the country’s free breast screening programme, BreastScreen Aotearoa, is now fully digital.

“The total digitalisation of the country’s breast screening service is a significant milestone in the Government’s commitment to improved technology and access to high quality breast screening services,” says Mrs Goodhew.

“Digital mammography technology provides a number of benefits that make the service more efficient.

Community and Voluntary sector Minister Jo Goodhew has today congratulated the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust as they celebrate their golden anniversary.

“I congratulate the Trust on this significant milestone, it is a testament to its enduring success,” says Mrs Goodhew.

“The Trust was established in 1965 based on the belief of Sir Winston Churchill that enormous good would come from ordinary people experiencing other cultures.

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew has today welcomed further data from the Health Quality & Safety Commission (HQSC) which tracks individual DHBs’ progress in reducing patient harm.

“Patient safety and quality care are priorities for this Government. That is why last year we introduced quality and safety markers in the areas of falls, healthcare associated infections and surgery,” says Mrs Goodhew.

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew has today announced the Government is investing $2.3 million over five years to support the public health workforce. 

“A recent study found that only twenty-nine per cent of the public health workforce holds a generic public health qualification, and that most public health qualifications are only offered at postgraduate level,” says Mrs Goodhew.