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Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye today announced that Murupara Area School would be included in the Government’s major school development funding initiative.

“While detailed costs are yet to be finalised, at least $10 million will be committed to redevelop and extend the Murupara school site to upgrade infrastructure, remediate facilities and accommodate an extended roll and curriculum,” Ms Kaye says.

State Services Minister Jonathan Coleman and Civil Defence Minister Nikki Kaye say civil defence emergency management will be strengthened by transferring the agency to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC).

“We are shaping our government agencies so they can deliver better services to New Zealanders out in the community when they most need it,” says Dr Coleman.

Talofa lava, Kia orana, Malo e lelei, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Bula vinaka, Namaste, Malo ni, Halo ola keta, Mauri, Fakatalofa atu and greetings.

Good morning. 

I’d like to acknowledge:

Schools with ultra-fast broadband will soon be able to share their fibre connections with their local communities, Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye said today.

“In communities with poor connectivity, typically rural or remote areas, schools will be able to make their fibre infrastructure available to the wider community,” Ms Kaye says.

Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye will travel to the United States today to attend Google’s first Global Education Symposium.

The symposium will be held at Google’s California headquarters. It will be attended by 40 education leaders including Ministers, Secretaries of Education and senior officials from Malaysia, India, Brazil, Mexico, Poland, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and the United States.

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye today announced major property redevelopments for Freemans Bay School and Southern Cross Campus in Auckland.

“We know that great teaching and learning goes on in our schools, but having modern learning environments just makes the whole process of raising achievement for all our young people that much easier,” says Ms Parata.

Food Safety Minister Nikki Kaye today announced research has been commissioned to assess New Zealand consumer understanding and the impact of nutrition labelling on food.

Food Safety Minister Nikki Kaye welcomes a food safety agreement signed today between New Zealand and China to strengthen cooperation in food safety and food quality. 

The Food Safety Cooperation Arrangement between the Ministry for Primary Industries(MPI) and the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) was signed today in Wellington by the Chinese Vice Minister, Liu Peizhi and MPI Deputy Director General Carol Barnao.

Youth Affairs Minister Nikki Kaye today announced $28,500 funding to help send 12 young environmental leaders to the Auckland Islands on a Young Blake Expedition programme.

“I am allocating this grant to the Sir Peter Blake Trust to enable these young leaders to go on the expedition to the beautiful and remote sub-Antarctic Auckland Islands in February 2014,” Ms Kaye says.

“The participants will help draft a feasibility study for the establishment of a research station.

Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye today announced 57 Christchurch schools are set to get their wireless network upgraded as part of the national Schools Network Upgrade Project (SNUP). 

“From next year, these schools will be able to make full use of ultra-fast broadband with entire campus coverage through the upgrade of their wireless network,” Ms Kaye says.

“These upgrades will provide tailored, appropriate solutions to ensure the best long-term value for each school.

Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye says ground-breaking research released today by the Ministry of Education has found timber-framed classrooms are extremely resilient to earthquakes.

“This is good news for the education budget because we will not have to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on earthquake strengthening these buildings,” Ms Kaye says.

“The research has confirmed these buildings are safe and resilient in quakes. This means that we can focus on modernising buildings to provide better learning environments.

Youth Affairs Minister Nikki Kaye today announced $60,000 funding to deliver mentoring opportunities for up to 50 for young people with disabilities.

“I am allocating a total of $60,000 over the next three years to the YES Disability Resource Centre,” Ms Kaye says.

“This is to assist the Carabiner youth mentoring programme which matches young people with disabilities, aged 17 to 24, with a volunteer mentor.

Civil Defence Minister Nikki Kaye says good planning has helped in the response to the state of local emergency that was lifted at 2.30pm today.

“The Horizons District Council has done excellent work predicting river levels from rain within the catchment areas,” Ms Kaye says.

“This allowed the Wanganui District Council to declare a state of local emergency at 3.30pm on Tuesday to ensure evacuations could take place before the Whanganui River reached its predicted peak.

Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye today announced the first 21 schools in New Zealand to sign agreements with Network for Learning (N4L) to connect to its managed network.

“The first three to be connected by December and take advantage of Government funding for a managed network package are West Auckland’s Massey Primary School, South Canterbury’s Waimate High School and Wanaka’s Mt Aspiring College,” Ms Kaye says.

“There are 18 other schools to be connected by the end of the year.

Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye today announced a change in how schools can use their capital funding to support building bicycle or fitness tracks at schools.

“We know that cycle tracks have numerous benefits, including helping to develop safe cycling habits and building up confidence and fitness,” Ms Kaye says. “I want to make it easy for schools that want to promote exercise to engage students in lifelong healthy habits that also help with their learning.

E ngā mana, e ngā reo, rau rangatira ma, tēnā koutou katoa.

I’m delighted to be here with you today. I would like to acknowledge the kaumātua for their welcome. 

I would also like to acknowledge the PPTA executive including your president Angela Roberts.

We are all here because we believe in improving the lives of young New Zealanders.

Every day I meet so many people who are passionate about education and the ability of our education system to improve the lives of young New Zealanders.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Food Safety Minister Nikki Kaye are welcoming Martyn Dunne CNZM as the new Director-General of the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).

“Mr Dunne has an outstanding record of service in the military, the public service and as a diplomat,” says Mr Guy.

“His appointment signals a fresh start for MPI. I look forward to working with him on important issues like biosecurity and doubling our exports by 2025.”

Tēna koutou, tēna koutou, tēna koutou katoa.

Good morning and thank you for inviting me to open this forum on managing volcanic risk in Auckland.

I am very pleased to be here. It's great to see so many people taking this opportunity to increase and share their knowledge about volcanic risk in Auckland, and the plans that are in place in the event of an eruption.

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye today announced a plan to transform the way school property is delivered to better support 21st Century learning environments and improved outcomes for students.

“Just as importantly, it will free up sector leaders, principals and their boards, to focus on the main business of schools – raising achievement,” Ms Parata says.

Youth Affairs Minister Nikki Kaye has today announced $60,000 in funding to run Youth in Emergency Services (YES) programmes in six New Zealand communities.

“I was very impressed with the successful Youth in Emergency Services pilot programme run in Rotorua this year. I believe it is important to give young people in other areas the opportunity to experience this great programme,” Ms Kaye says.

The Government is making a $536,000 contribution to recovery costs from serious flooding on the West Coast in December 2010, Civil Defence Minister Nikki Kaye said today.

“Over a 48 hour period from 27 December 2010 heavy and persistent rain fell on the West Coast affecting areas from Haast to Karamea. This caused flooding, slips and debris fall, as well as considerable land and property damage and loss of livestock in the region,” Ms Kaye says.

Food Safety Minister Nikki Kaye today announced consultation has begun to define manuka honey to enable truth in labelling.

“The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) will be asking the honey industry, scientists and other interested stakeholders for their say through this consultation process,” Ms Kaye says.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Food Safety Minister Nikki Kaye have today confirmed details of the Government’s investigation into the whey protein concentrate contamination (WPC) incident, including two further members.

“Now that the Inquiries Act has passed into law, the terms of reference have been finalised and the appointments of Tony Nowell CNZM and Dr Anne Astin as inquiry members have been confirmed. The Inquiry will be officially established once it is notified in the New Zealand Gazette on 12 September 2013,” says Mr Guy.

Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye says a change to the way education property is disposed of will free up money to reinvest in new school property faster.