Search

The Government has stepped up its efforts to improve forestry safety and Labour Minister Simon Bridges is calling on those in the industry to do the same. 

“The Government is committed to implementing the major step change in workplace health and safety that we need to see in New Zealand, which will help bring down fatalities and serious injuries in the forestry sector,” Mr Bridges says. 

Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse has announced a review of the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, which regulates immigration advice and created the Immigration Advisers Authority (IAA) and the Immigration Advisers Complaints and Disciplinary Tribunal.

“The Act is now more than five years old and a review is timely to ensure the new system is working as effectively and efficiently as possible.

A group of 20 young people in care will be recognised today at the William Wallace Awards, jointly hosted by Prime Minister John Key and Social Development Minister Paula Bennett.

The Awards are an annual event celebrating young people in foster care who’ve excelled across a range of areas, including academically, in music, art, and sport, and as role models in their communities.

“These young people have all overcome extremely difficult starts to life, and have shown huge determination and courage to get to where they are now,” Mrs Bennett said.

Trade Minister Tim Groser welcomed Korea’s decision to resume formal negotiations toward a free trade agreement, following a meeting today in Bali with his Korean counterpart, Minister of Trade Yoon Sang-jick.

“The resumption of negotiations was discussed by Prime Minister John Key and Korean President Park Geun-hye during the Prime Minister’s recent visit to Korea in July. I am pleased that their shared determination to conclude a free trade agreement has led to this point,” Mr Groser says.

ACC Minister Judith Collins says a new Safety Star Rating Scheme (SSRS) is a good opportunity for ACC to encourage better practices with a tangible measure of progress.

“If you’re a top performing business, you’ll be recognised for it – and your customers will know about it too,” says Ms Collins.

ACC and WorkSafe New Zealand are working with businesses and workers’ representatives to develop a voluntary scheme that rates businesses’ workplace safety to improve long-lasting safety culture.

Local government Minister Chris Tremain today welcomed the release of the Auditor-General’s inquiry into the Mangawhai waste water scheme as a step forward in restoring local democracy in Kaipara.

“The report identifies many failures in the governance and management of the council but does not identify any case of fraud or illegal activity.  I have asked my officials to take a detailed look at the report to identify what further actions (if any) should be taken,” says Mr Tremain.

Greater certainty around court scheduling will give parties more clarity as to their court dates and improve the way we use our court and judicial resources, says Courts Minister Chester Borrows.

“A court case can’t proceed without everyone present – lawyers, defendants, witnesses and a judge – and too often this results in delays in cases getting to court and courtrooms sitting idle,” says Mr Borrows.

“It takes too long to get a case through our criminal courts, and any unnecessary delay should not go unchecked.”

Minister Responsible for Novopay Steven Joyce today released the report on complaints and notifications in regards to Pay Period 18 of the schools’ payroll.

Pay Period 18, which was paid on the morning of 27 November, paid 89,785 people a total of $176.64 million.

The report shows that complaints and notifications were received regarding 0.079 per cent of staff across the country, eight staff were notified as not paid, 38 were overpaid, and 25 underpaid. Affected staff were from 62 schools or 2.53 per cent of schools in the payroll system.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says he is very pleased by the Court of Appeal’s finding, released today, that the residential red zoning of the most damaged parts of greater Christchurch was lawful, and that the process was well conducted.

Civil Defence Minister Nikki Kaye today presented the first civil defence identification tags for disability assist dogs.

“This nationwide initiative means that in an emergency, the tags will make it easy for certified disability assist dogs to be identified and remain with their owners or, if they become separated, to be quickly reunited,” Ms Kaye says.

Commerce Minister Craig Foss has welcomed the creation of a new financial literacy consortium – The Exchange.

Major financial institutions will make up The Exchange’s membership. These members will meet to share relevant information about financial literacy projects and allocate resources as they see appropriate to improve financial literacy in New Zealand. The Exchange will cooperate with the Commission for Financial Literacy and Retirement Income with their on-going financial literacy strategy.

Education Minister Hekia Parata is pleased with a recent report showing a programme to address problem behaviour in schools is getting positive results for students across New Zealand.

“In Budget 2013, this Government invested a further $63.5 million over four years to the Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) initiative,” says Ms Parata.

The Minister for Disability Issues Tariana Turia says International Day of Persons with Disabilities is an important day for recognising the rights of disabled people and the need to change attitudes and behaviours towards those who live with disability.

Break Barriers, Open Doors: for an inclusive society and development for all is the theme for International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2013.

Environment Minister Amy Adams today welcomed the release of a report into the effects of oil pollution on the Bay of Plenty environment, following the Rena grounding.

“While the key findings of scientific monitoring and sampling show that the environment has not yet returned to its pre-Rena state, it is encouraging to see that the environment is recovering,” Ms Adams says.

“The report concludes that the grounding of the Rena should have no long-lasting effects on Bay of Plenty beaches and coastal fisheries.”

Statistics Minister Maurice Williamson has welcomed today’s release of a large amount of 2013 Census data by Statistics New Zealand.

“The information, which includes national highlights, regional data and information about Māori, will help shape how public money is spent over the next few years, including on health, education and transport. 

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced a $2 million package to help Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) improve New Zealand’s wider maritime response capability.

The funding follows the Minister’s release today of an independent review of MNZ’s response to the grounding of the Rena off the coast of Tauranga in October 2011.

Conducted by former Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Murdoch, the review identified several areas for improvement.

Education Minister Hekia Parata today announced a review of the Ministry of Education’s Professional Learning and Development (PLD) expenditure in the schooling sector.

“The Government invests more than $70 million each year in PLD to improve the skills of our teachers and education leaders. However, the long-term level of underachievement in our education system will not be shifted by doing what we have always done,” Ms Parata says.

Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith today welcomed Parliament’s first reading of a bill which narrows the range of infrastructure costs councils can charge housing developers and introduces an independent appeals process.

Local government Minister Chris Tremain today welcomed the release of the Auditor-General’s inquiry into the Mangawhai waste water scheme as a step forward in restoring local democracy in Kaipara.

“The report identifies many failures in the governance and management of the council but does not identify any case of fraud or illegal activity. I have asked my officials to take a detailed look at the report to identify what further actions (if any) should be taken,” says Mr Tremain.

More than 5300 illegitimate benefits have now been stopped by enhanced information sharing between Inland Revenue and the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) says Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows.

These benefits were costing the taxpayer at least $56 million per year.

“While the vast majority of beneficiaries do the right thing and let us know about their circumstances it is disappointing to see that some people continue to break the law and take money they’re not entitled to,” says Mr Borrows.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully is visiting French Polynesia this week.

“This visit is a chance to further strengthen New Zealand’s relationship with a Pacific neighbour and an important trading partner,” Mr McCully says.

“There are strong cultural and historical ties between our two countries as well as regular flows of visitors.”

During the visit Mr McCully will meet President Gaston Flosse and French High Commissioner Lionel Beffre.

Workers and employers will pay $387 million less in ACC levies in 2014/15, ACC Minister Judith Collins announced today.

“This Government is committed to the long-term sustainability of the ACC scheme so that it is working for the benefit of both levy payers and claimants,” Ms Collins says.

“Workers and employers will be paying less thanks to the Corporation’s astute financial management, outstanding investment performance and dedication to effective rehabilitation.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has turned the first digger-bucket of soil to mark the start of construction on the MacKays to Peka Peka Expressway, an important milestone in the Government’s work to deliver better infrastructure for a more prosperous New Zealand.

Mr Brownlee also welcomed the NZ Transport Agency’s announcement it has chosen a consortium to enter into preferred bidder negotiations with for the Transmission Gully Public Private Partnership (PPP) highway project. 

Associate Tourism Minister Chris Tremain will travel to Los Angeles today to represent the Government at The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug world premiere.

“The world premiere in L.A provides the opportunity to build on the success of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and first of the Hobbit trilogy, and strengthen the New Zealand-Americas tourism relationship,”  says  Mr Tremain.