Search

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce today announced the Major Events Fund is investing $1.5 million in Winter Games New Zealand 2015 and $1.25 million in Winter Games New Zealand 2017.

Winter Games New Zealand is a bi-annual event held in the Southern Lakes district and attracts some of the world’s most elite snow sport athletes. Investment in the next two Winter Games will support the events goal to become one of the top three snow sports events in the world and continue to profile New Zealand internationally as a premier winter destination.

Associate Minister of Tourism Todd McClay emphasised the importance of the Government’s Tourism Growth Partnership as he helped launch Skyline’s Rotorua Mountain Bike Gravity Park today.

The Government’s Tourism Growth Partnership co-invested $225,000 alongside the $225,000 invested by Skyline Gravity Park to upgrade the park to international race standards.

“The Park offers an outstanding experience to the New Zealand mountain biking scene and will also grab interest from international mountain biking events and visitors,” Mr McClay says.

A national service will be held at the New Zealand Memorial on Chunuk Bair, Gallipoli on 8 August 2015 to commemorate the centenary of the historic Anzac battle, Veterans’ Affairs Minister Michael Woodhouse has announced.

“On the 99th anniversary of this battle, I am pleased to confirm a national service will be held on the Gallipoli peninsula next year for the centenary.

The first phase of weathertightness repairs to Gisborne Intermediate School is now complete, Associate Minister of Education Nikki Kaye says.

The $2.3 million project is being carried out in three phases as part of the Ministry of Education’s Building Improvement Programme, which was set up in 2009 to manage the testing and remediation of school buildings affected by water damage.

“The administration building has been re-clad and re-roofed, and work on the  technology block will begin this month,” Ms Kaye says.

Latest Ministry of Health data shows over 162,000 hips, knees and other elective operations were performed last financial year – 44,000 more operations than six years ago.

Mr Ryall says this significant increase means every day 170 more patients are getting the operations they need and they’re getting them faster compared to 2008.

“Elective surgery makes a real difference to patients and their families – it reduces pain, restores independence and improves quality of life.

The Crown has made an all-of-government submission to the Bay of Plenty Regional Council partially opposing the application to leave the Rena wreck where it is on the Astrolabe (Ōtāiti) Reef, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Minister for Disability Issues Tariana Turia welcomed the release of the second report of the Independent Monitoring Mechanism on Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ‘Making disability rights real - Whakatūturu ngā Tika Hauātanga,’ today.

The Minister for Disability Issues says the consultation report on Access to Buildings for People with Disabilities reflects the voice of the disabled community, is responsive to their needs and recognises that for a society to be fully inclusive, then disabled people must be treated as equal participants.

Minister for Whānau Ora Tariana Turia has announced that the trialling of a new national information sharing system for Whānau Ora is now underway. Four Whānau Ora sites are trialling the new system that will eventually be available to all Whānau Ora providers and collectives.

Associate Minister of Health Tariana Turia says that research reports recently released show that Māori continue to face a number of barriers preventing them from accessing palliative health.

Associate Minister of Health Tariana Turia has welcomed the Health Select Committee report for the Smokefree Environments (Tobacco Plain Packaging) Amendment Bill saying it is another significant step towards a Smokefree Aotearoa 2025.

The bill has proposed a number of amendments that will ensure that the effects of branding and advertising of tobacco products are minimised.

The Government is to provide a $744,000 Community Conservation Partnership Fund grant to the Kiwis for kiwi™ to support 80 community-led kiwi recovery programmes around New Zealand, Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith announced today at Rainbow Springs with Rotorua MP Todd McClay.

“Kiwis once numbered in their millions but with predators and the loss of habitat now number 70,000. They will not exist for our grandchildren outside of sanctuaries if we do not step up our protection,” Dr Smith says.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has authorised a strategic alliance between Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines, which will see Air New Zealand fly into Singapore for the first time since 2006.

Mr Brownlee says the decision is good news for air travellers, who will benefit from more flights and lower fares between New Zealand and Singapore.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has appointed diplomat Patrick Rata as New Zealand’s next Ambassador to Italy.

“Italy is a good friend to New Zealand and an influential member of the European Union,” Mr McCully says.

“New Zealand is pleased to have recently concluded negotiations on a Partnership Agreement with the EU that will place our overall relationship with the European Union on an even stronger footing.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has today joined Prime Minister John Key in announcing the selection of the preferred developers and operators for Christchurch’s new Convention Centre Precinct.

“This is a big milestone for a project that will provide a major boost to the economic heart of the rebuilt Christchurch,” Mr Brownlee says.

A proposed package of measures to improve the status of New Zealand’s iconic longfin eel population has been announced today by Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy.

“The longfin eel is the largest freshwater eel in the world and is only found in New Zealand. This package of measures will help ensure its survival for future generations.”

The proposed measures include:

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has announced diplomat Guergana Guermanoff as New Zealand’s new Consul-General to Shanghai.

“New Zealand’s trade with China has been growing strongly in the past five years, and Shanghai is an important point of entry to the Chinese market for many New Zealand firms,” Mr McCully says.

“Shanghai is an important post for New Zealand.  It is the commercial hub of China. The new Consul-General will oversee the further expansion of New Zealand’s presence in the Shanghai Delta. 

Foreign Minister Murray McCully announced today that up to 100 young New Zealanders will be able to spend a year in Croatia following the signing of a reciprocal Working Holiday Scheme.

"This arrangement will enable young New Zealanders and Croatians aged between 18 and 30 to holiday or work each other’s countries,” Mr McCully says.

“Croatia is the newest member of the European Union, and this arrangement complements the arrangements we have in place with other EU nations.

Court services in Oamaru have a new home, with the official opening of the purpose-built Oamaru Hearing Court in Humber Street, Courts Minister Chester Borrows said today.

“This facility provides a cost-effective solution for court services in Oamaru,” says Mr Borrows.

“While our first choice was always to get back into the old courthouse, this facility balances our need to be responsible in the way we spend taxpayer money with the need to provide a suitable venue for court.”

Record numbers of people are filing their tax returns online as Kiwis take advantage of new services provided by Inland Revenue, says Revenue Minister Todd McClay.

From April to July, 20,000 more New Zealander’s used Inland Revenue’s online service to file their tax returns than the same period last year, taking the total to more than 150,000 and growing.

The latest employment statistics show that Pacific people are benefiting from a strengthening economy with the number of Pacific people now employed at 111,400, compared with 93,400 in June 2013.

Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga says as Pacific unemployment decreases, it means thousands more Pacific people are in jobs earning a living, and able to support themselves, their families and their communities.

The rollout of fast internet to schools is almost five months ahead of schedule with 700 schools now connected to the Government’s Managed Network, Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye says.

“The 700th connection was the target for the end of the first year so it is great news that this milestone has been reached so early. It is a tribute to the team at Network for Learning (N4L) to have connected so many schools so quickly,” Ms Kaye says.

Prime Minister and Tourism Minister John Key today announced the Government’s Tourism Growth Partnership (TGP) is investing in two further organisations in order to grow the tourism sector in New Zealand.

The TGP is investing $600,000 in the Canterbury Tourism Partnership to support the rebuild of the tourism sector in the Canterbury region, and $50,000 to China Travel Service NZ Ltd.

A neighbourhood regeneration project consisting of 32 new homes, a new Early Childhood Education centre and the redevelopment of the local Scout Hall was launched today as the first phase of the long-term plans of the Tāmaki Redevelopment Company (TRC).