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Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye today announced that building and maintaining four new schools around New Zealand could be delivered using a public private partnership (PPP). 

An invitation for Expressions of Interest will be issued for the design, construction, financing, and maintenance of Aranui Community School and Rolleston Secondary School in greater Christchurch, Wakatipu Secondary School’s new site in Queenstown and a new school in Auckland yet to be confirmed.

Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced today $9 million funding for new classrooms at Auckland schools Mt Albert Grammar and St Thomas’s School in Kohimarama.

“The Government will provide funding for 21 new classrooms at Mt Albert Grammar as part of a $6 million rebuilding and expansion project,” Ms Kaye says. “And will contribute funding to a new two-storey classroom block at St Thomas’s School, as part of a $3 million building replacement and expansion project.

Civil Defence Minister Nikki Kaye today presented the second round of Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) gold and silver awards at an event at Parliament.

“Recipients of these awards deserve recognition at the national level,” Ms Kaye says.

“Through their efforts they have made a vital contribution to our wellbeing as a nation and they are the backbone of New Zealand communities when there is a crisis.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Thank you all for your warm welcome; it’s a pleasure to be here this morning. I would first like to acknowledge:

Collaboration between the public and private sectors improves emergency preparedness, Civil Defence Nikki Kaye said today at the annual Emergency Management Conference in Wellington.

“It is significant that this conference has been combined with the Business Resilience Summit for the first time this year,” Ms Kaye says.

“This is part of civil defence emergency management (CDEM) building better links with small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and improving New Zealand’s overall business resilience.

Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye says from today schools with ultra-fast broadband can share their fibre connections with their local communities.

“Last November, I announced that the government had agreed to progress schools with ultra-fast broadband having the option to become digital hubs for their communities. I am delighted to confirm that this can now happen, with the Ministry of Education releasing its policy and guidelines today,” Ms Kaye says.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Food Safety Minister Nikki Kaye today announced a working group set up to improve dairy traceability.

“The independent Government Inquiry into the Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC) Contamination Incident highlighted the importance of effective systems for dairy traceability,” Mr Guy says.

“The Inquiry recommended lifting the dairy sector’s ability to trace products and ingredients through a working group focusing on regulatory and worldwide best practices.”

Youth Affairs Minister Nikki Kaye has announced that from today, the Ministry of Youth Development will be accepting applications from city and district councils to the Youth Development Partnership Fund.

There is a total of $889,000 for allocation with between $10,000 and $70,000 available per project.

“The point of this fund is get young people involved in and leading projects that are meaningful to them and their communities,” Ms Kaye says.

Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye says 2000 schools have now registered their interest in joining the Network for Learning (N4L) managed network, with 150 already connected.

“This Government is investing $211 million to provide schools with safe, predictable and fast internet with uncapped data, content filtering and network security services,” Ms Kaye says.

“We are focused on ensuring every student can benefit from technology to achieve their best, no matter where they are in New Zealand.

Youth Affairs Minister Nikki Kaye today announced $55,000 in funding through the Ministry of Youth Development to help strengthen services available to LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender or intersex) youth.

“There are a number of organisations around New Zealand that have been delivering health and services to LGBTI youth but they need to be able to better co-ordinate a plan to address issues like bullying and suicide,” Ms Kaye says.

Food Safety Minister Nikki Kaye says her proposed changes to the Food Bill will provide greater protection for the public during food safety incidents.

“Today I have written to the Chair of the Primary Production Select Committee asking the select committee to consider changes to recall provisions, following the findings of the Government Inquiry into the Whey Protein Concentrate Contamination Incident,” Ms Kaye says.

The Bill is currently before the select committee.

A $200 million insurance settlement for earthquake damage to Canterbury schools is an important confidence boost to the education sector in the region says Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee, Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye.

Mr Brownlee says today’s settlement between the Ministry of Education and Vero Insurance is one of the largest insurance pay outs in New Zealand’s history.

The settlement of legal action by the Ministry of Education against CSR Building Products Ltd over weather-tightness of school buildings is further good news for New Zealand schools, Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye says.

“While the CSR product is only on a small number of schools, I’m very pleased to see the industry responding sensibly and allowing settlement to be reached without the need for court action,” Ms Kaye says.

Youth Affairs Minister Nikki Kaye joined Prime Minister John Key at a dinner last night to celebrate young participants of the 2014 Prime Minister’s Youth Programme.

The annual programme, which is now in its fifth year, involves up to 100 young people aged 14 - 17 years in Auckland. They have been recognised for facing and managing challenges and taking positive steps in their lives, such as improving their academic performance, or moving away from behaviour like truancy and low-level offending.

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye say 212 schools have signed agreements to connect to the Network for Learning (N4L) managed network.

“The pace of connecting schools is gaining momentum. As of today, 212 schools have signed agreements and these communities will be looking forward to being connected in the near future,” Ms Parata says.

“This is great news for our children as they begin the new schooling year over the next couple of weeks.