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The Government has received the Constitutional Advisory Panel’s final report which recommends that the conversation about New Zealand’s constitutional arrangements should continue, Deputy Prime Minister Bill English and Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples say.

The 12-member independent panel spent more than six months having a conversation with New Zealanders about  our constitutional arrangements. These included the role of the Treaty of Waitangi, Maori representation in Parliament and local government, the Bill of Rights Act and other matters.

Deputy Prime Minister Bill English leaves tomorrow to lead New Zealand’s ministerial delegation to the annual Australian New Zealand Leadership Forum in Sydney.

He will be accompanied by Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce, Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully, Trade Minister Tim Groser and Commerce Minister Craig Foss.

The ninth Forum, which brings together senior politicians, business and academic leaders from both countries, takes place on Wednesday.

Government agencies are making good progress across the 10 Better Public Services results to address some of New Zealand’s most challenging issues, Deputy Prime Minister Bill English and State Services Minister Jonathan Coleman say.

The Government today issued the first progress report on the results and the measurable targets sitting under them. Ministers have also agreed to set up a $20 million a year seed fund over four years to support government agencies as they work towards meeting their targets.

The Auditor-General’s report into the Yang Liu affair is extremely damning of the way Shane Jones handled the issue, and calls into question David Shearer’s judgment in reinstating him to Labour’s front bench, Acting Prime Minister Bill English says.

“Within minutes of the report being tabled in Parliament this afternoon, we have David Shearer rushing out and reinstating Shane Jones,” he says.

“Six weeks over summer to think about new policy, and Labour comes up with precisely nothing,” Deputy Prime Minister Bill English says.

“The Labour leader’s speech today was full off last year’s slogans and no new policy.

“He says that he wants to be hands-on, and yet opposes every hands-on move National is making to encourage investment and growth. On top of that, Labour still hasn’t apologised for their wasteful policies the last time they got their hands on the economy.