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“Ramping up New Zealand’s innovation potential across the high-tech manufacturing and services sectors will be a major catalyst for New Zealand's future growth,” says Science and Innovation Minster Wayne Mapp.

Dr Mapp and Acting Minister for Economic Development, David Carter, today released Powering Innovation, an independent report looking at how New Zealand can best grow its high-tech manufacturing and services sectors.

Economic Development Minister David Carter today launched the Food and Beverage Information Project, the most comprehensive analysis of New Zealand’s F&B industry ever undertaken.

“The food and beverage industry accounts for more than half of our total exports and employs one in five New Zealanders, directly or indirectly. Full knowledge of the industry and its performance internationally is key to lifting export growth,” says Mr Carter.

Biosecurity Minister David Carter says Horticulture New Zealand’s claim that New Zealand’s border protection has been significantly reduced because of the Rugby World Cup is rubbish.

“It’s ridiculous to suggest that New Zealand would relax its biosecurity safeguards as thousands of visitors pour into the country. Horticulture New Zealand is being alarmist about a screening process that has been in place at our airports for some time.

Better links between the health technology sector and the health service are behind a plan to establish a national health innovation hub, say Economic Development Minister David Carter and Health Minister Tony Ryall.

The hub will assist with developing health technology ideas generated by clinicians and companies into business propositions, products and services.

“New Zealand’s health technology industry currently generates $1.8 billion in annual revenue but there is plenty of room for growth,” says Mr Carter.

Agriculture Minister David Carter has welcomed today’s announcement of another successful Primary Growth Partnership bid which lifts the total funding awarded to nearly $500 million.

The Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) is to fund half of a $19.5 million programme led by Ballance Agri-Nutrients to transform traditional fertiliser use, as well as reduce nitrate run-off on dairy farms.

Australia and New Zealand have submitted their written proposal to host the Square Kilometre Array, the most powerful radio telescope ever conceived and one of the most ambitious projects of our time.

The submission of the Australian and New Zealand proposal is an important step in the international decision making process to determine the best place to site the Square Kilometre Array (SKA).

Planning for New Zealand’s irrigation infrastructure steps up the pace with the Irrigation Acceleration Fund now open for business, says Agriculture Minister David Carter.

The Irrigation Acceleration Fund was announced in this year’s Budget and provides $35 million over five years to support the development of proposals to the ‘investment ready’ prospectus stage. 

The Land and Water Forum has been engaged by the Government to progress the next stage of policy work on setting limits on water quality, quantity and allocation, Environment Minister Nick Smith and Agriculture Minister David Carter announced today.

An independent panel has been established to report to Maori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples and Economic Development Minister David Carter with a Maori economic development strategy and action plan by July 2012.

“The panel’s  job is to help raise the rate of return on Maori-owned assets, and to grow the Maori contribution to New Zealand’s economy, by providing a framework for Maori and the Government to work together better,”  the Ministers say.

A programme designed to help New Zealand business leaders broaden their international experience and global management skills has been launched today by Economic Development Minister David Carter.

“The Global Executive Leadership Programme is the first of its kind in New Zealand and targets the global management mindset needed by our leading businesspeople to succeed in international markets,” says Mr Carter.

A government fund that supports community-led growth and innovation in the rural sector has been widened to include aquaculture.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s Sustainable Farming Fund (SFF) will now consider applications for projects that support economic and environmental performance in the marine and land-based aquaculture sector.

A surge in the number of entrants in this year’s Winter Games is a vote of confidence in New Zealand as a major events destination, says Economic Development Minister David Carter.

Around 1000 athletes representing 50 countries will take part in the New Zealand Winter Games 2011 in Otago and Canterbury over the next fortnight.

Speaking at the launch in Queenstown, Mr Carter said the Games are now one of the largest winter sports events outside the Winter Olympics, reflecting New Zealand’s growing reputation as a major events host.

Consultation on the rules by which independent milk processors can access raw milk from Fonterra is now underway, Agriculture Minister David Carter announced today.

The Raw Milk Regulations form a key part of the decade-old dairy industry regulatory regime.

“The Government’s goal is to promote fair and efficient dairy markets in New Zealand and after 10 years, it’s timely to revisit the raw milk regulations,” says Mr Carter.

Economic Development Minister David Carter today welcomed the appointments of Karen Fistonich and Robin Hapi to the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Board.

Mr Carter also announced the reappointment of Board Chair, Jon Mayson.

Karen Fistonich is currently Chairperson, and a longstanding member of the Villa Maria Estate Board.  She has considerable experience in the wine industry and has been involved in the development of two specialist vineyard companies.

Economic Development Minister David Carter today launched a $30 million venture capital fund established by Wellington investment firm MOVAC, saying growth capital is essential to building export-focused, high productivity young companies.

“The global financial crisis has resulted in limited investment activity in the New Zealand venture capital sector since 2007.

New Zealand needs to consider how it leverages off its clean green brand in global markets and how new technologies can be developed to reduce environmental impacts, Environment Minister Nick Smith and Acting Minister for Economic Development David Carter say.

The Ministers today launched the Advisory Group on Green Growth's discussion paper in Wellington. The eight-member Advisory Group was announced by the Government in January to ensure the Government receives the best advice on green growth initiatives.

France and New Zealand working together for a more sustainable agriculture

Bruno Le Maire, French Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries, Rural Affairs and Town and Country Planning and New Zealand Agriculture Minister David Carter, welcome the signing by 31 countries of the Charter for the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases in Rome on 24 June.

New Zealand is establishing a competitive international NZ$25 million fund to support research on mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from pastoral farming.

Agriculture Minister David Carter will today announce the New Zealand Fund for Global Partnerships in Livestock Emissions Research at the inaugural ministerial meeting of the Global Research Alliance in Rome.

The fund draws on the $45 million New Zealand committed to the Alliance in 2009, and it will be allocated over four years.

More than 30 countries will today officially sign up to the New Zealand-led Global Research Alliance on agricultural greenhouse gases at a Ministerial Summit in Rome.

The Alliance brings together countries with a mutual interest in researching ways to produce more food while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The inaugural ministerial meeting to formally approve the Charter, or working methods of the Alliance, will be chaired by International Climate Change Negotiations Minister, Tim Groser.  Agriculture Minister David Carter leads the New Zealand delegation. 

The work programme considering government support for the screen sector, including its response to the review of the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) by Sir Peter Jackson and David Court, has been released.

“Government initiatives play a significant role in supporting the film and television industries in New Zealand,” Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson said. “So we want to ensure our response to the review by Sir Peter Jackson and David Court is part of a work programme looking at government initiatives across the sector.”

Customs Minister Maurice Williamson and Biosecurity Minister David Carter today welcomed the signing of a contract to develop a new border processing and management system.

New Zealand Customs, with MAF, has signed the contract which formally kicks off the development of a joint border management system (JBMS). The new system combines Customs’ and MAF’s existing independent systems, Cusmod and Quantum.

Mr Williamson said the new system would bring very sophisticated technology to the New Zealand’s border.

Agriculture and Economic Development Minister David Carter will represent New Zealand at the inaugural Global Research Alliance Ministerial Summit in Rome next week, and travel to Milan and London.

While in Rome, Mr Carter will also lead the New Zealand delegation to the 37th meeting of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) where he will deliver New Zealand’s Ministerial Statement and participate in the election of the new Director-General of the FAO.

Agriculture Minister David Carter has today announced steps to further improve New Zealand’s animal welfare system.

An advisory group is being formed to oversee the development of a national animal welfare strategy, to feed into a review of the Animal Welfare Act.

"New Zealand has one of the best animal welfare systems in the world, but we are always looking at improvement. The Act is now more than a decade old and needs to reflect changing practices and attitudes," says Mr Carter.

Economic Development Minister David Carter is welcoming negotiations with SkyCity to build a large international convention centre in central Auckland.

Mr Carter says the proposed 3500-seat centre would create around 800 new jobs and inject an estimated $90 million a year of extra spending by international visitors into the New Zealand economy.

“The proposed New Zealand International Convention Centre will give New Zealand an edge in a significant growth market as the venue would compete with other centres in Australia.