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Three months since opening, the new He Tohu exhibition at the National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, is delivering on its purpose to engage more people with New Zealand’s key constitutional documents.

With a focus on providing New Zealanders with easy access to public services, the government’s Result Action Plan released today will see 80% of the transactions for the twenty most common public services completed digitally by 2021.  

Minister of Internal Affairs Hon Peter Dunne has today announced moves to improve transparency about the number of people gaining New Zealand Citizenship through exceptional circumstances.

The Department of Internal Affairs will be publishing six-monthly figures showing the number of grants made under the exceptional circumstances contained in section 9(1)(c) of the Citizenship Act 1977.

These figures are available from today.

Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne today announced a new record figure of $272 million in lottery funding to help build stronger, more sustainable communities across New Zealand.

The funding is a result of a very strong 2016/17 financial year for Lotto New Zealand.

Today The Fletcher School at Tufts University in Boston released their latest Digital Evolution Index which, again, puts New Zealand as a standout nation. The report identifies New Zealand as among the digital elites characterised by high levels of digital development and a fast rate of digital evolution.

"I am delighted to see that New Zealand is, for the second time, at the top of the world when it comes to the outstanding progress we have achieved in providing government services to our citizens via digital platforms.

The new caller location system for 111 mobile phone calls has already made a significant impact in the two months it has been up and running, say Police Minister Paula Bennett, Communications Minister Simon Bridges and Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne.

The system automatically provides emergency services with the probable location of a caller when they dial 111 from a mobile phone, enabling police, fire and ambulance services to respond more quickly.

Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne today launched the second service designed around significant events in the lives of New Zealanders.

“’Te Hokinga ā Wairua - End of Life Service' is a source of expert, trusted and accessible information to help guide people facing the loss of a loved one and also allows people to record their preferences ahead of time to make it easier on those they will leave behind.

The launch of Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) today marks a major and historic step on the path to a truly world class emergency response service for New Zealand says Internal Affairs Minister Hon Peter Dunne, who is in Ashburton attending a launch event, one of a number across the nation, to celebrate this occasion.

“The historic change will see more than 14,000 firefighters brought into one national organisation for the first time.

Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne today announced the reappointment of Dr Gareth Schott and Sandy Gill as members of the Film and Literature Board of Review, for new three-year terms along with the appointment of Rachael Schmidt-McCleave as President.

“Ms Schmidt-McCleave will bring expertise in public law and public decision-making, governance and mediation. The reappointments will also maintain the Board’s diverse range of film, art, law and psychology expertise.

Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne says the growing popularity of services designed to prove who you are online and to get your baby off to the best start is evidence of strong progress being made to make digital government a reality for New Zealanders.

“RealMe built up 200,000 verified users over its first two and a half years but achieving the 300,000 mark only took a further seven months and now people are using their secure, trusted and verified online identities up to 24,000 times per month during peak periods.

The Government is investing $3.4 million of new operating funding over the next four years in Budget 2017 to complete works for the Pitt Island Wharf resilience programme on the Chatham Islands.

“The Pitt Island Wharf is an indispensable lifeline asset for the island’s small population of approximately 50 to be able to travel to Chatham Island. In early 2015, the newly-redeveloped Pitt Island Wharf was severely damaged by a series of storms,” Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne says.

He Tohu, a new permanent exhibition of three nation-building constitutional documents that shape Aotearoa New Zealand, was officially opened by Her Excellency, the Rt Hon Dame Patsy Reddy, GNZM QSO, Governor-General of New Zealand, today at the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa.

The exhibition, which opens to the public from Saturday 20 May, has been developed in partnership between Crown and Māori, with significant input from women’s groups.

It features:

New Zealand Post today issued a set of three stamps to commemorate the opening of He Tohu, a new permanent exhibition of New Zealand’s iconic constitutional documents at the National Library of New Zealand in Wellington.

The stamp series was launched at Parliament by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon Peter Dunne, accompanied Taku Parai, representing the He Tohu Iwi Leader Partner Group, and New Zealand Post Chair Jane Taylor.

Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne today announced funding of $8 million of operating funding over the next two years and $2.1 million of capital funding in the next year in Budget 2017 to safeguard New Zealand’s heritage collections and record of Government.

Police Minister Paula Bennett, Communications Minister Simon Bridges and Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne, today announced a new caller location system for 111 mobile phone calls that will improve public safety and help save lives.

“The new system will automatically provide emergency services with a probable location of a caller when they dial 111,” Mrs Bennett says.

Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne is delighted to host a Beehive Code Club event in Parliament today, where primary school students are to conduct  a coding session with MPs and government officials as part of Techweek 2017.

The 30 students from local primary schools and Ngai Tahu are members of Code Club Aotearoa, a charity that aims to give every Kiwi kid the chance to learn to code for free.

“Like reading and maths, coding has become a core skill we need to foster in our kids today.

Internal Affairs Minister Hon Peter Dunne today announced that $1 million of 2016/17 Lottery Grants Board reserves, resulting from profits of New Zealand Lotteries, has been allocated to a Lottery Grants Board Subcommittee set up especially to provide immediate assistance to Edgecumbe and the surrounding community affected by the Rangitaiki River stopbank breach.

Internal Affairs Minister Hon Peter Dunne today announced the appointment of Maxine Shortland to the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board.

“Ms Shortland is the Chief Operating Officer of the Ngāti Hine Health Trust, overseeing its operations and executive, strategic, relationship and change management. Her demonstrated experience in the community and voluntary sector, business acumen and governance skills will make a valuable contribution to the Board,” said Mr Dunne.

Ms Shortland’s term commenced on 1 May 2017.

In a fitting coincidence with International Firefighters Day today, Parliament has passed the third reading of the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Bill. This Bill marks most significant change to New Zealand’s fire legislation in 70 years. It creates a single fire organisation – Fire and Emergency New Zealand, and brings together New Zealand’s rural, urban, paid and volunteer firefighters for the first time.

Three of New Zealand’s most precious constitutional documents were moved to a new location in a unique ceremonial procession in Wellington overnight.

Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne is delighted to announce that a key initiative by the Department of Internal Affairs, SmartStart, has won a prestigious international award for excellence in innovation and communication.

The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) has announced SmartStart as a Merit winner in the 2017 Gold Quill Awards programme. The programme recognises business communication excellence globally, and is acknowledged as one of the most prestigious awards programmes in the industry.