Search

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner says the addition of two cash detector dogs at the border, Rajax and Xaria, will increase Customs’ capability to stop illegal movements of money.

Associate Conservation Minister Nicky Wagner today announced more than $500,000 in funding for Waikato area conservation groups.

Tui 2000, QEII National Trust, Pirongia Te Aroaro o Kahu Restoration Society, Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust and the National Wetland Trust have all received grants from the Community Conservation Partnership Fund.

Associate Conservation Minister Nicky Wagner today announced $475,000 in funding for four Otago conservation projects.

Community Conservation Partnership Fund grants will be made to the Orokonui Ecosanctuary, Landscape Connections Trust, Otago Peninsula Biodiversity Group, and Herbert Heritage Group.

“The projects these groups are advancing align perfectly with the Department of Conservation’s goals of connecting more urban dwellers to conservation and working in partnership with others.

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner says the opening of the first drug screening laboratory at the border will dramatically speed up analysis of unknown substances, saving time and money for Customs.

The $250,000 lab was officially opened by Prime Minister John Key today at Customs’ Auckland Airport facility.  It has been built and equipped from the first proceeds of crime funding allocation. 

A trust dedicated to protecting kiwi in eastern Coromandel has been awarded $25,000 for predator control, Associate Conservation Minister Nicky Wagner has announced.

The grant from the Community Conservation Partnership Fund will allow the Whenuakiwi Trust to continue its successful kiwi care project at Whenuakite by hiring a contractor to target predators such as possums and rats.

Associate Conservation Minister Nicky Wagner today announced the Kauri 2000 Trust has received $57,000 to help prevent the spread of Kauri Dieback disease on the Coromandel Peninsula.

The grant is from the Department of Conservation’s Community Conservation Partnership Fund.

“The Trust is spearheading efforts to establish and maintain a community based action network to help prevent the spread of kauri dieback by raising levels of awareness, and encouraging practical changes in behaviour to reduce the risk to Kauri in the Coromandel.

Statistics Minister Nicky Wagner is encouraging community groups to make use of information released today on 143 ethnic groups.

Statistics New Zealand today released detailed statistics on 143 of the 300 ethnic groups recorded in the 2013 Census.

“Ethnic group profiles provide in-depth and valuable information about the groups that make up New Zealand’s population and show us how they are changing over time.

A group of volunteers dedicated to clearing wilding trees around Flock Hill in upper Waimakariri is to receive a major funding boost, Associate Conservation Minister Nicky Wagner announced today.

Waimakariri Ecological and Landscape Restoration Alliance will receive $309,000 over the next three years from the Department of Conservation’s Community Conservation Partnership Fund.

“Wilding trees are now the most significant threat to biodiversity and infrastructure in the 60,000 hectares of public and privately owned lands in the upper Waimakariri Basin.

Associate Conservation Minister Nicky Wagner today announced Conservation Volunteers New Zealand and West Coast branch of Forest and Bird have been awarded Community Conservation Partnership Fund grants.

Conservation Volunteers, which is a not for profit charitable entity, has been awarded $195,000 for a coastal amenities engagement programme.  It aims to develop community engagement in projects in Buller and Grey Districts.

Statistics Minister Nicky Wagner says information from the 2013 Census has resulted in a record number of New Zealanders downloading and using statistical information.

In the past financial year there were more than 2.5 million visits to Statistics New Zealand’s website, an increase of 320,000 on the previous year.

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner today welcomed a new partnership between New Zealand, Hong Kong and Chinese Customs to develop cash detector dog capabilities in the region.

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner today announced the age limit to use the border clearing technology SmartGate has been lowered from 16 to 12.

It follows a trial of 35,000 young New Zealand and Australian ePassport holders using the self-processing gates to clear Customs.

“Lowering the age to 12 means more families, school groups and sports teams can enjoy faster border processing, which I’m sure will be welcome news to those travelling during busy periods like the school holidays.

Associate Conservation Minister Nicky Wagner today unveiled a new public sculpture in central Christchurch symbolic of nature and renewal.

Statistics Minister Nicky Wagner says the latest Use and Trust in Official Statistics Survey shows an increasing number of New Zealanders are taking part in surveys and accessing government statistics online.

“Participating and sharing information with Statistics New Zealand benefits everyone.  We need to access reliable data for social and economic planning.”

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner today welcomed the Joint Border Management System reaching another milestone.

More than 50 per cent of inward border transactions are now being processed through the Trade Single Window component of the system, which allows importers and exporters to submit shipment details electronically to a single point of contact, rather than dealing with several government agencies.

“It is great traders are migrating steadily to the Trade Single Window, and the 673,000 inward transactions through it to date is ahead of the initial forecasts.

The Data Futures Forum has delivered a range of thought-provoking recommendations on the use of data in New Zealand, Finance Minister Bill English and Statistics Minister Nicky Wagner say.

The forum, an advisory group comprising public and private sector experts, delivered its third and final report to the Government today.

“It shows New Zealand has the opportunity to be a world leader in the sharing of data held by government, with high ethical and privacy standards,” Mr English says.

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner says the introduction of a new state of the art drug analyser will free up hundreds of hours a year for more enforcement work at the border.

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner says $38 million in additional revenue has been collected by Customs in the past financial year following risk-based audits of import and excise entries.

Customs’ trade assurance arm works to verify that import and export entry data is accurate and to ensure correct revenue is collected.  It has an annual target of collecting $15 million in short paid revenue.

“The results from the past year show the systems Customs has in place are working very well.

A system developed by Statistics New Zealand is leading to more timely releases of economic information, Statistics Minister Nicky Wagner says.

The Micro-economic Platform allows data from economic surveys and administrative sources to be stored, processed and analysed in a standard way.

Statistics Minister Nicky Wagner today acknowledged a century of measuring prices by Statistics New Zealand.

The Consumers Price Index (CPI) has measured the rate of price change of goods and services purchased by individuals and families since 1914.

“The role of the CPI in New Zealand society cannot be underestimated, as movements in it influence interest rates, welfare benefits and superannuation payments,” Ms Wagner says.

Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Jo Goodhew and Statistics Minister Nicky Wagner are welcoming Statistics New Zealand’s decision to update its official measure of the not-for-profit sector.

“Community groups are the backbone of our sports and social groups, emergency service organisations, conservation, and the arts and cultural sector. These institutions, and the people who are part of them, make a significant contribution to New Zealand society and the economy,” says Mrs Goodhew.

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner says there has been a sharp increase in seizures of potent LSD mimics and other analogue drugs on blotter tabs.

A just published report estimates the census will deliver about $1billion in benefits during the next 25 years, Statistics Minister Nicky Wagner says.

The report, Valuing the Census, was commissioned by Statistics New Zealand and written by economic analysis firm TDB Advisory.

“The analysis shows every dollar invested in the census generates a net benefit of $5 in the economy, which is a great return on investment.

Statistics Minister Nicky Wagner says a computer system developed 25 years ago to help Pacific nations gather reliable trade information is now used in more than a dozen countries.

The PC Trade system was developed by Statistics New Zealand to support Pacific countries with limited staff or resources.  It has been upgraded several times and is now used in the likes of Tonga, Cook Islands, Kiribati and Niue.

“PC Trade is a long standing success story because it provides a recognised tool and support for the delivery of valuable trade statistics.