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Research released today focusing on Chinese visitors’ preferences will support further strong growth in the tourism sector, Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett says.

The China Visitor Insight report presents key findings into the needs of Chinese travellers to New Zealand and will to help local businesses develop a deeper insight into the expectations of independent Chinese travellers.

Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett and Salvation Army Territorial Commander Commissioner Robert Donaldson have announced the Government and The Salvation Army will work together to provide more social housing for vulnerable Aucklanders.

As announced by Mrs Bennett today, a request for more social housing from the community housing sector in Auckland is expected to deliver over 500 new places, with 87 places provided by The Salvation Army.

Community Housing Providers will deliver over 500 new social housing places in Auckland, well in excess of the 300 target, Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) will contract with five registered Community Housing Providers to deliver 508 new social housing places over the next three years. $10 million in up-front funding will be provided to support costs related to bringing the supply on stream.

Promoting New Zealand as an outstanding tourist destination and stronger ties between nations is the focus of Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett’s visit to Argentina this week.

Mrs Bennett travels with Air New Zealand today aboard its inaugural flight to Buenos Aires. A Boeing 777-200 will operate three return services a week out of Auckland.

The Minister Responsible for Housing New Zealand, Bill English, along with Social Housing Minister, Paula Bennett, are welcoming news that the massive programme to repair 5000 earthquake-damaged social housing stock in Christchurch has been reached ahead of schedule.

The 2010 and 2011 earthquakes damaged 95 percent of Housing New Zealand’s properties, affecting about 20,000 tenants across greater Christchurch.

New tourism figures out today show overseas visitors are voting with their wallets and endorsing New Zealand’s reputation as a world-class destination, Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett says.

International visitor spending has increased by 38 per cent to $9.4 billion in the year to September according to the latest International Visitor Survey.

“There has never been a more exciting time to be involved in tourism in New Zealand,” Mrs Bennett says.

Ongoing restraint in the public sector and a focus on better frontline services has seen a further reduction in the number of core Government employees, State Services Minister Paula Bennett says.

The June 2015 update of the Core Government Administration shows 35,632 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) staff, a reduction of 474 from December 2014. This latest result is 843 under the cap set by the Government in 2012, and the lowest since it was introduced. 

Vulnerable New Zealanders are benefiting from continued growth in the community housing sector, Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

The number of social housing tenancies with registered Community Housing Providers (CHPs) has now surpassed 300. CHPs have been eligible to house tenants with the Government’s Income Related Rent Subsidy since April 2014.

Figures out today show the positive impact tourism continues to have on regional economic growth, Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett says.

The Regional Tourism Estimates for year ending March 2015 have been released today by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

“Tourism continues to go from strength to strength, and these latest figures show that it isn’t just the major tourist destinations that are benefiting,” Mrs Bennett says.

Ministers Bill English and Paula Bennett are pleased to announce the Government is now taking Expressions of Interest from Community Housing Providers (CHPs) to transfer social housing in Invercargill and Tauranga.

As announced by the Prime Minister in January, the Government’s Social Housing Reform Programme includes plans to transfer 1,000 to 2,000 Housing New Zealand Corporation houses and tenancies to registered CHPs over the next year.

The first meeting of the Pay Equity Working Group is an important milestone in the work to deal with equal pay claims, Ministers Paula Bennett and Michael Woodhouse say.

Ministers announced the formation of the Group in October to develop principles for dealing with claims of pay equity under the Equal Pay Act.

“Pay equity is a serious issue, and I am very pleased that representatives of employers, unions and Government agencies are getting together to discuss how progress can be made,” State Services Minister Paula Bennett says.

Councils and New Zealand investors are big winners from the first multi-billion dollar local government bond listing, Ministers Paula Bennett and Paul Goldsmith say.

The Local Government Funding Agency (LGFA) has today listed $5.56 billion of its bonds on the NZX Debt Market. Established in 2011, the LGFA raises debt on behalf of local authorities on terms more favourable to them than if councils raised the debt individually.

P-users are delaying vulnerable people from getting access to social housing and have forced Housing New Zealand to demolish 14 contaminated homes in three years, Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

 “Last year Housing New Zealand (HNZ) decontaminated nearly 230 meth infected homes costing taxpayers $2.3-million,” she says.

“We will not tolerate any meth use in HNZ properties,” Mrs Bennett says.

Changes to discourage people from refusing reasonable social housing offers will help house vulnerable New Zealanders sooner, Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

“Some people on the social housing register are unrealistically picky when they are offered a property,” Mrs Bennett says.

“Every year people are refusing offers of hundreds of social housing properties without a good reason and this is holding up others from getting into warm, dry and adequate homes.

Giving councils greater flexibility to change their structures and coordinate infrastructure across a region will help ensure they are able to support future growth, Local Government Minister Paula Bennett says.

The Government will introduce legislation early in 2016 to allow councils to transfer functions and responsibilities between regional councils and territorial authorities.

New Zealanders have beaten stiff competition from Australia, picking up multiple awards at a ceremony celebrating excellence in community housing this week.

Housing New Zealand Corporation (HNZC) and VisionWest Chief Executive Officer Lisa Woolley were honoured at the Australasian Housing Institute’s 2015 Professional Excellence in Housing Awards held in Perth on Wednesday.

State Services Minister Paula Bennett is in Finland and Sweden this week to attend meetings with Ministerial counterparts and present New Zealand’s perspective on providing better public services.

Mrs Bennett will deliver one of the keynote addresses at the OECD Public Governance Ministerial meeting in Helsinki, Finland.

The proposed transfer of approximately 1,500 Housing NZ Corporation houses and tenancies in Tauranga and Invercargill to registered Community Housing Providers will shortly move to the next stage, Ministers Bill English and Paula Bennett say.

As announced by the Prime Minister in January, the Government’s Social Housing Reform Programme includes plans to transfer 1,000 to 2,000 Housing NZ Corporation houses and tenancies to registered Community Housing Providers over the next year.

Employers and unions have agreed to a Government proposal to set up a Joint Working Group to develop principles for dealing with claims of pay equity under the Equal Pay Act.

Minister of State Services Paula Bennett and Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Michael Woodhouse say the group will recommend agreed principles on pay equity that could be applied in all sectors of the economy.

The latest Social Housing Register figures show the results of working closely with applicants and supporting their individual needs, Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

The September 2015 Social Housing Register quarterly figures, released today, has decreased by 1,132 from the September 2014 quarter to 4,467 – a 20% decrease.

The Inquiry report into Phillip John Smith / Traynor’s escape is being released alongside the Government’s response to its findings, State Services Minister Paula Bennett says.

A Government Inquiry was launched in December 2014, following Mr Smith / Traynor’s abscondment while on temporary release from prison.

“I am confident that this review provides information needed by agencies to assist with their response to vulnerabilities identified through Mr Smith / Traynor’s departure from New Zealand,” says Mrs Bennett.

A Chinese reality TV star’s plea for tourists to take care while driving in New Zealand will help spread the road safety message in one of our most popular tourist markets, Ministers Paula Bennett and Craig Foss say.

The five minute video, released this week in China, is fronted by Huang Lei, the star of China’s number one reality show ‘Dad, where are we going?’ 

It was filmed in New Zealand during Huang Lei’s visit in June, secured by Tourism New Zealand.

More vulnerable New Zealanders will be able to access emergency housing when they need it, Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

The Government will invest $2 million in non-government organisations (NGOs) in Auckland for a short-term emergency housing response to help address the shortage of emergency housing places.

Treasury and the Ministry of Social Development are looking to identify further opportunities for the supply or transfer of social housing, Ministers Bill English and Paula Bennett say.

“Under the Social Housing Reform Programme the Government has committed to subsidise an additional 3,000 social housing tenancies nationally, by the end of 2018,” Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.