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The 550,000 New Zealand businesses on the Companies Register will be issued a unique New Zealand Business Number (NZBN) by the end of 2013 making it easier to interact with Government, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Commerce Minister Craig Foss announced today.

“Having a single business number means that by 2016 businesses will only have to provide government with their information once, which will be automatically shared across government departments,” Mr Joyce says.

Minister Responsible for Novopay Steven Joyce today released the reports on complaints and notifications in regards to Pay Periods 9 and 10 of the schools’ payroll.

Pay Period 9, which was paid on the morning of 24 July, paid 90,392 people a total of $167.69 million.

The report shows that complaints and notifications were received regarding 0.12 per cent of staff across the country, 13 staff were notified as not paid, 37 were overpaid, and 58 underpaid. Affected staff were from 76 schools or 3.1 per cent of schools in the payroll system.

The high and medium-high technology manufacturing sectors have shown growth and resilience despite global economic challenges, a new Government report shows.

The High and Medium-High Technology Manufacturing Sectors Report was today released in Christchurch by Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce has welcomed the findings of an economic analysis of the Government’s investment in major events.

The ‘Economic Evaluation Outcomes Meta-evaluation Report’ outlines the results of an approach modelled on a cost-benefit analysis methodology undertaken by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment in 2012.

The Government today announced changes to incentive schemes to encourage more television production being made in New Zealand and build on our world-class reputation for high-quality post production work, and innovative digital and visual effects.

It follows a comprehensive review of New Zealand's screen sector by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce today released further documents relating to the agreement to design, build and operate the $402 million New Zealand International Convention Centre in Auckland.

The documents can be found at: http://www.med.govt.nz/sectors-industries/regions-cities/new-zealand-international-convention-centre-information-release

An in-depth report into the performance of New Zealand’s information and communications technology (ICT) sector was released today by Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams.

The ICT Report makes a number of findings about the New Zealand ICT sector including:

Legislation to give effect to the agreement to build a $402 million international-standard convention centre in Auckland today passed its first reading in Parliament.

“The New Zealand International Convention Centre Bill is about investment, jobs and growth,” Mr Joyce says.

“This Bill gives effect to the agreement signed last week between the Government and SkyCity to build a world-class convention centre in Auckland that will be a major asset for New Zealand.

I move that the New Zealand International Convention Centre Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Commerce Committee to consider the Bill. At the appropriate time, I intend to move that the Bill be reported to the House by 14 November 2013.

Mr Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to introduce this Bill.

This Bill is first and foremost about investment, jobs and growth for New Zealand and their families.

Legislation that will give effect to the final agreement to design, build and operate a $402 million international standard convention centre in Auckland has today been introduced to Parliament.

The New Zealand International Convention Centre Bill is to have its First Reading on Thursday. It follows the signing of the final agreement on Friday night between the Government and SkyCity.

New online Government services are proving popular with Kiwi families and businesses, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Internal Affairs Minister Chris Tremain say.

As part of an update on progress on the Better Public Services programme, the Government today released the latest results for its planned one-stop online shop for businesses (Result 9) and for New Zealanders to complete transactions with Government easily online (Result 10).

Result 9: NZ businesses have a one-stop online shop for all government advice and support

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce has announced the Government and SkyCity last night completed negotiations and signed a 368-page final agreement to design, build and operate a $402 million international standard convention centre in Auckland.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce today launched a new Government service in Auckland to help businesses raise capital and accelerate their international growth.

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise’s Better by Capital service is one of 50 initiatives in the Government’s Business Growth Agenda, Building Capital Markets.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce today announced the appointment of Murray Gribben of Wellington as the new Chair of New Zealand Venture Investment Fund Ltd (NZVIF).

Current director, Anne Blackburn, has been appointed as the new Deputy Chair.

The new appointments are in response to the retirements of the current Chair, Sir John Anderson, and Deputy Chair Brian Mayo-Smith.

The Government and SkyCity Entertainment Group have extended to Friday, 5 July the timeframe for negotiation of the final agreement to design, build and operate the $402 million New Zealand International Convention Centre.

“We have made good progress on an agreement that runs to a few hundred pages, and it makes sense to take a few more days to ensure all details are sorted,” Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says.

Regional GDP data released today by Statistics New Zealand shows the importance of regions exploring all their economic opportunities, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says.

The new research – Regional GDP for the years ended March 2007 to 2010 – follows the release of the Government’s first Regional Economic Activity Report in April.

“Statistics New Zealand’s new regional GDP data provides a valuable insight into the economic performance of our 15 regions, Mr Joyce says.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce today announced an eight-member investment advisory panel for the Major Events Development Fund.

The Major Events Investment Panel, chaired by Brian Roche, will advise Major Events Ministers - whose portfolios include Tourism, Foreign Affairs, Sport and Recreation, Economic Development, and Arts, Culture and Heritage – on investing the $10 million per annum Fund.

The Opposition’s so-called ‘Manufacturing Crisis’ inquiry remains nothing more than a failed political stunt with a bunch of re-tread solutions and a lack of knowledge of the measures the Government is already implementing, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says.

The Government and SkyCity Entertainment Group have extended the timeframe for negotiation of the final agreement to design, build and operate the $402 million New Zealand International Convention Centre.

The Heads of Agreement signed by both parties on May 12 sought the completion of a full agreement by June 14, or at a later date by mutual agreement. It set out the contribution that each side would make to building the NZICC and was negotiated by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment on behalf of the Government, with approval by Cabinet.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce today released a new report showing opportunities for further growth in the New Zealand fresh fruit sector, including into Asia.

The Coriolis Research report, Driving Growth in the Fresh Fruit Sector, says that New Zealand’s fruit exports are shifting towards Asia and away from traditional markets like Europe and North America.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Trade Minister Tim Groser today announced the appointment of Jennifer Kerr to the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Board.

Ms Kerr has been appointed for a three-year term from June 2013.

Ms Kerr was formerly Group Director Human Resources at Fonterra and has worked in human resources in the oil industry in the United States and Europe and the leisure industry in the United Kingdom.

The Ministers of Economic Development and Maori Affairs have appointed a five member Advisory Board to assist in the implementation of the recently adopted Māori Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan, He Kai Kei Aku Ringa.

The strategy and action plan, prepared by the independent Maori Economic Development Panel, provides a blue print for Māori economic development through to 2040.

The Advisory Board’s responsibilities are on-going stewardship, monitoring and evaluation of the strategy and how it will be implemented.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is in the process of finalising contracts with 37 advertising agencies that will make up the All-of-Government advertising services, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce announced today.

The new contracts are part of a public sector-wide Government Procurement Reform Programme aimed at making government buying as efficient as possible and reducing costs. It includes all public sector agencies, councils and up to 2500 schools.

The decision today by Conservation Minister Nick Smith to approve the access agreement for Bathurst Resources’ Escarpment Mine near Westport is good news for jobs and economic growth on the West Coast, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges say.

The announcement follows an interim decision by the Environment Court in March that it was likely to grant resource consent to the open-cast mine subject to appropriate conditions being agreed.