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The Minister of Women’s Affairs, Hekia Parata, congratulates the Institute of Directors on the launch of its inaugural Mentoring for Diversity programme, aimed at increasing the number of women on NZX-listed and large company boards.

“I applaud the Institute of Directors (IoD) for establishing this programme,'' says Ms Parata.

"In a number of cases women often have the skills but are just not sure how to get into governance roles. This programme will really help them.”

Acting Minister of Energy and Resources, Hekia Parata, today released a report from the Electricity Authority on the steps it has taken to improve electricity market performance.

“The report clearly shows the Electricity Authority has made significant progress in delivering priorities identified in the Ministerial review of the electricity market and Electricity Industry Act 2010,'' says Ms Parata.

Acting Minister of Energy and Resources, Hekia Parata, says all gas consumers should have their supply restored by midday following a gas leak on the Maui pipeline five days ago.

Welding on the damaged section of the pipeline, just north of New Plymouth, was completed on Friday. The pipe was tested rigorously yesterday and repressurised early this morning, which will see the gradual restoration of the last remaining consumers.

The Acting Minister of Energy and Resources, Hekia Parata, today visited the site of the gas leak on the Maui pipeline, just north of New Plymouth.

Vector has been working around the clock, rotating crews, since the early hours of Tuesday morning to fix a section of the pipe, which had ruptured along the seam.
The affected section has been removed, and work is continuing on fitting the new section, with testing at each stage.

Vector advise, if progress continues at the current rate, they hope to have gas supply fully restored by late Sunday.

Acting Minister of Energy and Resources, Hekia Parata, today welcomed a project to insulate all of the homes in central Foxton as part of the Government’s Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart programme.

‘Warm Up Foxton’ is being led by New Zealand company Autex Industries Ltd, in partnership with PowerShed Ltd and the Horowhenua District Council. Their additional funding contribution means that up to 1300 Foxton households could get their homes insulated at little or no cost.

The Acting Minister of Energy and Resources, Hekia Parata, is thanking consumers for conserving gas while Vector contend with a leak on the Maui pipeline in Taranaki.

The residential savings have meant that another band of users will be brought back on today.

Gas supply was restored to essential services yesterday including hospitals and rest homes, and a number of dairy factories and bakeries.

Acting Minister of Energy and Resources, Hekia Parata, says gas consumers need to continue limiting their usage while Vector work on a leak on the Maui pipeline in Taranaki.

Ms Parata says Vector is making good progress with the leak, just north of New Plymouth, which is affecting consumers in the North Island.

Acting Minister of Energy and Resources, Hekia Parata, has this evening been briefed in New Plymouth on plans to address the incident that is impacting on gas supply across the upper North Island.

Vector advised early this morning of an incident on the Maui pipeline, which transports gas north from Taranaki.

Vector is the technical and system operator for the Maui pipeline. The area where the gas escape has occurred is steep and difficult terrain.

Acting Minister of Energy and Resources, Hekia Parata, has arrived in New Plymouth for a briefing on a gas leak that is affecting customers in the North Island.

Vector was advised this morning of a large gas escape, which resulted in a loss of pressure on the Maui pipeline which transports gas north from Taranaki.

The escape occurred in the remote White Cliffs area, north of New Plymouth.

The pipeline has been isolated and is currently being depressurised.

The Acting Minister of Energy and Resources, Hekia Parata, today launched a project on the East Coast that will see 2,000 homes in the Gisborne and Tairawhiti region insulated over the next two years.

The $5 million special project extends the Eastland Community Trust’s Healthy Homes project to improve the health and wellbeing of people on the East Coast.

The Acting Minister of Energy and Resources, Hekia Parata, today welcomed the launch of a special project that will see the homes of many Pacific Island people in Wellington and Dunedin made warmer and healthier.

The Pacific Peoples Healthier Homes project aims to reduce respiratory illness rates in Pacific Island people, by insulating homes at little cost to the homeowner.

The programme is being run by the Pacific Peoples Wellbeing Trust and is part of Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart, the Government’s insulation and heating programme.

The Acting Minister of Energy and Resources, Hekia Parata, has today announced that three marine energy projects will receive funding as part of the Government’s Marine Energy Deployment Fund.

The projects include a wave energy device for Stewart Island, turbines to generate electricity for the Parnell Baths in Auckland, and funding for a cable to link a wave energy device at Moa Point in Wellington.

“New Zealand has huge potential to generate electricity from marine energy in the future,” says Ms Parata.

The Minister of Women’s Affairs, Hekia Parata, is delighted with the results of a survey out today which show the gender pay gap has reached an all time low.

The New Zealand Income Survey shows that the gender pay gap has decreased from 10.6 per cent to 9.6 per cent in the last financial year.

“I am delighted that the pay gap is tracking in the right direction,’’ Ms Parata says.

“The popularity of Diwali illustrates the influence Indian culture has had on our society,'' the Minister for Ethnic Affairs Hekia Parata told guests at tonight’s Diwali celebration at Parliament.

“As a country we led the way with Suffrage, let’s continue to lead the way for further change,” the Minister of Women’s Affairs, Hekia Parata, told a breakfast at Parliament this morning to celebrate Suffrage Day.

Suffrage day marks the anniversary of those who pioneered New Zealand Women's right to vote in 1893. 

New Zealand is comparatively well advanced in helping women become fully engaged in the economy, the Minister of Women's Affairs, Hekia Parata, told the APEC Women and the Economy Summit in San Francisco.

"But there is always more to do. Our Government is committed to growth and we recognise the contribution that women can make to that."

Data published today in the New Zealand Energy Quarterly shows that in the first six months of this year almost 80 per cent of New Zealand's electricity generation came from renewables, says the Acting Minister of Energy and Resources, Hekia Parata.

“The electricity industry is buzzing with new construction projects across the country. We’ve seen four wind farms, two geothermal generators and a gas-fired power station commissioned in the last few years.

The Acting Minister of Energy and Resources, Hekia Parata, says the APEC Energy and Transportation Ministerial Conference resonated with all the key elements of the New Zealand Energy Strategy and the New Zealand Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy.

Ms Parata represented the Government at the conference in San Francisco where the energy policy roundtable discussion focused on "Stability, Diversity and Resilience: Ensuring Energy for Growth."

The Acting Minister of Energy and Resources and the Minister of Women’s Affairs, Hekia Parata, will represent the New Zealand Government at the APEC Energy Ministerial Conference and the APEC Women and the Economy Summit in San Francisco next week.

Ms Parata will attend two Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) energy meetings. On September 12 she will attend the Energy Security Policy Roundtable which will discuss the impact of energy security and technology on economic growth in the region.

The Minister for Ethnic Affairs, Hekia Parata, will tonight host the seventh festival of Eid ul-Fitr (Eid) at Parliament to mark the end of fasting for the holy month of Ramadan.

"The month of Ramadan is a period of contemplation, reflection and celebration - to gain spiritual harmony and give thanks for the health and happiness of friends and family," says Ms Parata.

The Associate Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, Hekia Parata, today welcomed the release of Employer Supported Volunteering: A Guide for the New Zealand Public Service.

“Employer supported volunteering has a number of benefits for society, for the agency, for the employee and for the community,” Ms Parata says.

The New Zealand Energy Strategy and the New Zealand Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy released today by the Acting Minister of Energy and Resources, Hekia Parata, show an energy future that delivers for all New Zealanders.

“New Zealand is blessed with an abundance of energy resources,” says Ms Parata.

“Our Government’s goal is to make the most of all the assets we have – hydro, wind, geothermal, oil, gas and minerals.

The Acting Minister of Energy and Resources, Hekia Parata, today acknowledged the significant investment the Tūwharetoa Settlement Trust has made in home insulation for its people.

The Trust has signed an agreement under the Government’s insulation programme, Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart, that will see it invest up to 67% of the cost to insulate each house.

2,600 homes of iwi members across the country will benefit making it the largest iwi home insulation partnership to date.

The Minister of Women’s Affairs, Hekia Parata, is encouraging more businesses to follow the lead of the NZX who are proposing new rules that will require all publicly listed companies to declare how many women they have in senior roles.

Along with Prime Minister, John Key, Ms Parata was one of the guest speakers this morning’s ‘Enhancing New Zealand’s Leadership - women, productivity and our economy,’ breakfast in Auckland, which was hosted by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and the Trans Tasman Business Circle.