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The North Island Grid Upgrade Project will ensure New Zealand can keep up with growing electricity demand by providing a new power link into Auckland, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley said today.

A new overhead transmission line between Whakamaru, north of Taupo, and Auckland, was officially switched on by Prime Minister John Key today, signifying the completion of the $824 million upgrade project.

Prime Minister John Key has extended his condolences to the friends and families of the people who died when a tornado struck West Auckland earlier today.

“A thunderstorm and tornado struck West Auckland around 1pm today, tearing down trees, and ripping roofs from houses,” Mr Key says.

“This must have been an extremely frightening situation for many people in the local community.

“I’d like to thank the emergency services staff, who are responding to the situation. It’s critical they are able to focus on the response.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully is challenging the Labour Leader to make Phil Goff apologise or sack him following yesterday’s failed attack on Auckland lawyer Peter Kiely.

“Yesterday Mr Goff made allegations designed to damage the reputation of a respected citizen. His allegations were factually wrong, yet he has refused to apologise,” Mr McCully says.

“Mr Shearer needs to ask himself whether that is a standard he is prepared to accept.

A bill that gives effect to New Zealand’s international obligations to protect cultural property from destruction or theft in times of war has been passed by the House.

The Cultural Property (Protection in Armed Conflict) Bill strengthens the current operational practice and excellent reputation of our armed services personnel overseas with respect to protecting cultural property in war zones Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Chris Finlayson said.

Battery cages for layer hens are to be phased out under a new Code of Welfare released today by Primary Industries Minister David Carter.

From tomorrow (7 December), no new battery cages can be installed by egg producers and a staged phase-out of existing cages will begin.  By 2022, all battery cages will be prohibited.

“Scientific evidence and strong public opinion have made it clear that change is necessary.  We need alternatives to battery cages,” says Mr Carter.

People with degrees earn substantially more than those with no qualifications, the annual report on the performance of the tertiary education system shows.

Profile & Trends 2011, released today by the Education Ministry, shows that in 2011 people with a bachelor’s or higher qualification earned 65 per cent more than those without a qualification – up from 63 per cent in 2010.

The number of people aged 15 years and over with a bachelor’s degree or higher qualification was 17 per cent in 2011 compared to 11 per cent in 2001.

Police Minister Anne Tolley says a Bill which clarifies the definition of certain firearms and places controls on the importation of restricted airguns has passed its third reading in Parliament.

The Arms (Military Style Semi-Automatic Firearms and Import Controls) Amendment Bill clarifies the definition of military style semi-automatic firearms (MSSAs), and places controls on the importation of airguns that look like real pistols, MSSAs or restricted weapons. Importers of such airguns will now be required to have a special Police permit.

Two amendments to the Geographic Board (Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa) Act 2008 will provide better clarity and consistency around official place names, Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson says.

The amendments were included in the Statutes Amendment Bill (No3), which was passed in Parliament today.

“The first amendment fixes an anomaly where the Act could have been interpreted as requiring all alternative place names to be used in official documentation and publications,” Mr Williamson says.

Justice Minister Judith Collins has joined with representatives of 48 countries in Brussels at the Ministerial launch of the Global Alliance against child sexual abuse online.

The Global Alliance aims to eliminate legal loopholes exploited by the distributors of child abuse material, strengthen efforts to grow the Interpol international database of child abuse material, and make it easier to initiate joint cross-border police investigations.

“Online sexual abuse of children knows no borders and child pornography circulates easily across countries.

Associate Tourism Minister Chris Tremain has welcomed the arrival of Waka Tapu to Rapanui/Easter Island.

Two waka hourua (double–hulled sailing canoes) carrying 12 crew departed Auckland in August on a 10,000 nautical mile voyage to Rapanui and back.

“Today the waka reached Rapanui safely – using only the stars, moon, sun, ocean currents, birds and marine life to guide their way across 5,000 nautical miles of the Pacific Ocean,” says Mr Tremain.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully has called allegations made by Phil Goff MP against former Pacific Forum Line director Peter Kiely “reckless, cowardly and wrong”.

“By attacking Mr Kiely without checking the facts Mr Goff has impugned the reputation of a highly professional individual without any justification.

“Central to Mr Goff’s allegation is that Mr Kiely held shares in shipping company Sofrana at the time PFL, of which he was a director, was considering an offer from Sofrana.

Fewer New Zealanders are getting food poisoning but we must not forget basic food safety rules during the summer barbecue season, Food Safety Minister Kate Wilkinson says.          

“We all love a summer barbecue, but over the festive season, it’s a good time to remember to do the food safety basics.

“Don’t cross contaminate surfaces, properly cook chicken, and make sure the whole family washes their hands before eating,” Ms Wilkinson says.

Three marine reserves will be created under the Subantarctic Islands Marine Reserves Bill, Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson says.

The Bill had its first reading in Parliament today and will establish a marine reserve covering the entire 12 nautical miles of territorial sea around Antipodes Island.

Two more marine reserves around the Bounty Islands and Campbell Island / Motu Ihupuku, covering 58 per cent and 39 per cent of those islands’ territorial seas will also be formed making a total of 435,163 hectares to be protected.

A package of support measures is to be made available to North Island kiwifruit growers affected by the Psa-V vine disease, Primary Industries Minister David Carter announced today.

Mr Carter has declared Psa a medium-scale biosecurity event under the Government’s Primary Sector Recovery Policy, triggering further assistance for growers dealing with the impacts of the disease. 

This year’s Rutherford Foundation Trust Awards and James Cook Research Fellowships recipients have been announced today by Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce.

The two grant schemes have combined Government funding of more than $1.7 million and are aimed at developing the skills of New Zealand scientists.

Auckland lawyer Deborah Marshall has been appointed as a Coroner for the Auckland region, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Three new members have been appointed to the Marsden Fund Council in an announcement today by Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce.

The researchers will take their place on the Council for three-years from December 2012 and each will convene one of the Marsden Fund Council’s panels. They are:

International Volunteer Day every 5 December is an opportunity to thank the many New Zealanders who contribute their time and skills to make our communities better places to live, says Community and Voluntary Sector and Senior Citizens Minister Jo Goodhew.

Mrs Goodhew marked International Volunteer Day 2012 by attending the Napier Connects World Café of local leaders, community groups and service providers.

The Government’s $2.87 billion operating deficit before gains and losses in the four months to 31 October was slightly larger than forecast, after core Crown revenue and expenses both came in below expectations.

“The latest figures confirm that the Government is continuing to control its new spending and getting better results from existing programmes, as we move towards our target of returning to surplus in 2014/15,” Finance Minister Bill English says.

A bill to modernise the family justice system and make it more accessible to those who need it most has passed its first reading in Parliament today.

Associate Justice Minister Chester Borrows says the Family Court Proceedings Reform Bill is the first step towards addressing the serious concerns about the Court raised by court users including the public, judges, lawyers and counsellors.

The Callaghan Innovation Bill, which establishes a new high-tech HQ for manufacturing and services firms, today passed its third and final reading in Parliament.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce says Callaghan Innovation will be a one-stop shop offering firms the business innovation support they need to lift their international competitiveness and in turn boost New Zealand’s economic growth.

Tax systems around the world are adjusting to corporate giants with huge internet footprints, but very little physical presence, Revenue Minister Peter said today in addressing issues around the tax treatment of large multinational companies.

“The reality is that tax regimes internationally have generally been developed for an industrial age, and have struggled to keep pace with new business models and technologies not contained by location or national borders,” Mr Dunne said.

Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson is pleased the purchase of 5.6 hectares of land on the Miranda coast off the Firth of Thames will create a new scenic reserve to protect the area's chenier plains.

Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne today announced that he will establish an independent expert committee early next year to set the approval standards legal highs will need to meet.

Mr Dunne said he had directed the Ministry of Health to develop a regulatory regime consistent with international best practice, avoiding animal testing wherever possible.
He confirmed that he has ruled out the controversial LD50 test, but said that it was still early in the process of developing the new regime and no other decisions had been made.