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The Government remains committed to sound management of its finances and returning to surplus in 2014/15 as the economy continues to grow, Finance Minister Bill English says.

Tax revenue, Government spending and net debt were all slightly lower than expected in the Crown accounts for the three months to 30 September issued today, but these variances are expected to reduce over coming months.

The lower than forecast tax revenue contributed to a slightly larger than expected operating deficit before gains and losses of $2.48 billion for the three months.

Minister to host inaugural SCPEM meeting

Police Minister Judith Collins will chair the inaugural meeting of the Standing Council on Police and Emergency Management (SCPEM) in Auckland this week.

The meeting will be held on 11 November and will be attended by more than 70 New Zealand and Australian Police and Emergency Management Ministers, Police Commissioners and senior officials.

SCPEM, established by the Council of Australian Governments in September 2011, forms part of the new Ministerial Council arrangements recommended in the Hawke Review.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says new official data shows the region’s economy continues to improve strongly, with trade through Canterbury’s ports and airport hitting a two-year high of $950 million in September.

“The recovery is well under way,” Mr Brownlee said.

“This is the sixth monthly release of this data set and consolidates a number of positive trends over the period.”

The latest Ministry of Economic Development economic indicators show steady growth being driven by trade and manufacturing.

Education Minister Anne Tolley has wished students the best of luck for this year’s NCEA exams which get underway tomorrow.

More than 143,000 candidates are preparing for the NCEA and NZ Scholarship exams, which continue until 30 November.

“The Government is ambitious for every single New Zealand student,” says Mrs Tolley.

“I know students all over the country are studying hard, and I want to wish them all the very best of luck in the days ahead,” says Mrs Tolley.

More farmers are purchasing helmets and wearing them on their farms in response to the Government’s quad bike safety campaign, says Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson.

“The Department of Labour’s first monitoring results for the campaign, which began in November 2010, shows a 200 percent increase in the number of quad bike helmets being sold and a rise in farmers wearing them – this is a fantastic effort in just one year.

The Crown has signed an Agreement in Principle towards settling the historical Treaty of Waitangi claims of the Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki iwi, Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki suffered significant Treaty breaches including land loss through raupatu and significant Crown taking of ‘surplus lands’ from old land claims such as the Fairburn Purchase that left them effectively landless from the 1880s. Today Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki retain less than 1% of their original land.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce says while it is pleasing to see the road toll continue to come down, there are still far too many preventable deaths on New Zealand roads.

The government’s ultra fast broadband (UFB) initiative is now underway in Christchurch, with the first fibre laid today in Aidanfield.

The Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Steven Joyce, says ultra fast broadband will assist the transformation of the Canterbury economy.

Under the UFB initiative Enable Networks is contracted to roll out fibre-optic cable to across Christchurch and in Rangiora.

The New Zealand King Salmon Company Limited’s (NZKS) proposal to establish eight new salmon faming sites in the Marlborough Sounds has been sent directly to an independent Board of Inquiry under the Government’s nationally significant proposal process with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson and Environment Minister Nick Smith announced today.

A new temporary stadium with seating for 17,000 will be built in Christchurch for major sporting and cultural events.

"The new temporary stadium will allow Cantabrians to experience the excitement of Crusaders and Canterbury ITM Cup home games again as well as Phoenix football matches, rugby league games, other major sporting events, concerts and festival events," says Mr Key.

"I'm thrilled the New Zealand Rugby Union has also announced today our world champion All Blacks will play a test match against Ireland at the new venue in June next year.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed today's announcement that a new temporary stadium will be built in Christchurch in time for next year's Super Rugby season.

"I'm absolutely delighted the Government has been able to pull together this deal to fund building the new temporary stadium in Christchurch," Mr Brownlee says.

"This means Cantabrians don't have to miss out on major sporting and music events for another year and will have many great occasions to look forward to," he says.

The number of New Zealanders on Unemployment Benefits dropped by 791 last month says Social Development and Employment Minister Paula Bennett.

“There are 13,500 fewer people on Unemployment Benefits since the peak last January and about half of that decrease is made up of young people.”

“We’ve seen 549 fewer 18-24 year olds on the Unemployment Benefit over the last month, which is fantastic,” says Ms Bennett.

There are 54,870 New Zealanders on the Unemployment Benefit and 330,755 people on all benefits.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett is pleased to announce the successful applicants to the Fresh Start Innovation Fund.

“Nine providers have received funding to make a real difference with young offenders, particularly with young Maori,” says Ms Bennett.

“As part of the Fresh Start policy for young offenders, the Innovation Fund supports new ideas or programmes that offer a different approach to working with at risk young people,” Ms Bennett says.

Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson today announced four re-appointments and one new appointment as lay members of the High Court under the Commerce Act. 

Lay members assist the Court in cases involving appeals from decisions of the Commerce Commission and in other matters under the Commerce Act, and must have specialist knowledge or experience in industry, commerce, economics, law, or accountancy.

Auckland businessman Evan Williams has been appointed as a member of the board of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa, the Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage Christopher Finlayson announced today.

“Mr Williams’ international experience at the highest level in commercial law, communication, negotiation, financing and corporate governance will be an asset to the Board in its future development” Mr Finlayson said.

Prime Minister John Key today expressed his sadness at news of the death of Allan Peachey, the National MP for Tamaki, who passed away on Sunday morning.

“Allan was a very respected and effective Member of Parliament, who represented his constituents well since he was elected in 2005,” says Mr Key. “I also want to acknowledge Allan’s hard work as chairman of Parliament’s education and science select committee over the past three years.” 

The Minister for Social Development and Employment, Paula Bennett and the Minister for Disability Issues, Tariana Turia, today announced the new Disability Innovation Fund making $500,000 available for innovative ways of getting disabled people into work or retaining them in work.

“A priority for me is to get people into work. This fund supports disabled people into work and also supports employers to retain disabled workers,” said Minister Bennett.

Local Government Minister Rodney Hide has put Hamilton City Council on notice. Should progress in addressing the Audit New Zealand’s recommendations be insufficient, the Government will look at a review process that could lead to the appointment of commissioners.

“I am very concerned about the findings of the Audit New Zealand report into the Council’s handling of the V8 supercar races.  The report highlighted a number of issues with the Council’s expenditure on the races, governance structures and reporting processes.

The Government is supporting exporters through two changes that widen the scope and accessibility of the New Zealand Export Credit Office's trade guarantees, Finance Minister Bill English and Trade Minister Tim Groser say.

"The Government is focused on lifting New Zealand's exports, so we can build a faster growing economy with higher incomes and more real jobs," Mr English says.

Deputy Prime Minister Bill English will attend the 19th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders meeting on 13 November in Honolulu, USA.

Mr English will join leaders from 21 APEC economies to discuss the region's economic growth prospects and ways to advance APEC's vision for an Asia-Pacific-wide Free Trade Area.

"APEC supports closer trade and economic relationships in the region, making it easier for members to trade and invest in each other’s economies," Mr English says.

The Government plans to overhaul consumer credit laws to protect unwary consumers being preyed on by unscrupulous credit companies, Finance Minister Bill English says.

“There has been significant and much-needed reform of the investment side of the financial sector over the past three years,” Mr English says.

“However, credit providers remain largely unregulated and have no conduct requirements, leading some to exploit vulnerable people, resulting in severe financial hardship and spiralling debt. This is not acceptable.”

The Crown and Tāmaki Collective* have signed a Record of Agreement of the agreements reached in settlement negotiations to this point, Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Christopher Finlayson announced today.

“The Record of Agreement is a significant milestone and will form the basis for a deed of settlement about the Collective members’ shared interests to be initialled at a later date,” Mr Finlayson said.

The Crown signed a Deed of Settlement for all outstanding historical Treaty claims with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei today, Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Christopher Finlayson announced.

The deed was signed in a ceremony on Auckland’s Okahu Bay. The Crown was represented by Mr Finlayson, Minister of Defence (and Auckland MP) Dr Wayne Mapp, Minister of Maori Affairs Hon Pita Sharples, and Associate Minister of Maori Affairs Hon Georgina te Heuheu. Maungakiekie MP Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga also attended.

The interception of a large amount of the drug GBL is proof of the success Police and Customs achieve in the fight against crime, Police Minister Judith Collins and Customs Minister Maurice Williamson said today.

Last month Customs officers intercepted a package from Hong Kong at the International Mail Centre.

The package contents were declared as a cleaning chemical. But analysis showed the 24.24 kg of liquid was the Class ‘B’ Controlled Drug Gamma Butyrolactone commonly known as GBL or Fantasy.