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Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson and Disability Issues Minister Tariana Turia today announced terms of reference and timeframes have been set for a review into building access for disabled people.

The review will look at how the Building Act and Building Code’s provisions relating to access for people with disabilities are being implemented when buildings are first constructed or altered.

Trade Minister Tim Groser will depart today for Bali Indonesia to attend the 9th World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference running from 3-6 December.

At the Conference Mr Groser will give his support to final efforts to achieve a package of new trade measures. “The continuing importance of the World Trade Organisation and its negotiating agenda to New Zealand should not be underestimated,” Mr Groser says.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy is welcoming major cuts in tariffs for many exporters today, as the Economic Cooperation Agreement between New Zealand and the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu (Chinese Taipei) comes into effect.

“From today tariffs are removed from milk powder, cheese, butter, apple, cherry and wine exports to Chinese Taipei,” says Mr Guy.

“This will mean tariff savings of nearly $40m on current trade. It’s great news for our exporters.

Prime Minister John Key has today announced that Australia has invited New Zealand to participate in the 2014 G20 meetings during Australia’s year as Chair.

“Prime Minister Tony Abbott phoned me on Thursday to invite New Zealand to the G20 meetings next year and I warmly welcomed his invitation to take part,” says Mr Key.

“It is a testament to the Australia-New Zealand relationship, and a strong indicator of how the new Tony Abbott Government in Australia views New Zealand.”

New Zealand television is now a digital-only zone after the analogue signal was switched off by Broadcasting Minister Craig Foss.

Mr Foss switched off the Waiatarua TV Tower analogue transmitter at 2am this morning, marking the end of a three year campaign to ensure New Zealand households were ready for the digital transition.

“This is a significant milestone in the history of New Zealand television. Scheduled analogue services have been operating since the 1960s, when New Zealanders had access to just one channel for a few hours each night.

Education Minister Hekia Parata met with her counterpart, Hon Christopher Pyne, Federal Minister for Education for Australia today at the Standing Council on School Education and Early Childhood Education in Sydney.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully and Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman today praised the work of the Royal New Zealand Air Force in the Philippines as the C-130 Hercules stationed in Tacloban prepares to return to New Zealand.

“Typhoon Haiyan had a catastrophic impact on parts of the Philippines, leaving more than 5000 people dead and destroying more than one million homes,” Mr McCully says.

Courts Minister Chester Borrows says that the Government is determined to deliver a modern, electronic court.

“Transitioning our courts from their antiquated, paper-bound way of working into a modern, electronic model is a huge challenge that offers huge benefits for a faster court system,” says Mr Borrows.

“We’ve already made significant progress, with more and more court services now available online.  We’ve also learnt a lot about what we need, and what better technology can give us.

Sport and Recreation Minister Murray McCully today announced the formation of a senior officials’ inter-agency group and the implementation of a national match fixing policy to safeguard New Zealand sport.

The measures were recommended by a Sport NZ-led report into the implications of the Australian Crime Commission investigation linking organised crime and banned substances to some Australian sporting codes.

“The report found no evidence of widespread drug use or organised crime in New Zealand sport,” Mr McCully says.

Broadcasting Minister Craig Foss has acknowledged the work of NZ On Air and the Media Access Charitable Trust as New Zealand’s captioning service moves out of TVNZ after 25 years.

New Zealand’s captioning service, previously part of TVNZ, is now a stand-alone service known as Able, run by the Media Access Trust and funded by NZ On Air.

“I would like to congratulate all involved in a smooth transition and continued commitment to make Kiwi content accessible to as many New Zealanders as possible,” says Mr Foss.

Health Minister Tony Ryall has today announced the chairs and deputy chairs of the 20 district health boards (DHBs).

“14 chairs and 13 deputy chairs are continuing in their roles,” says Mr Ryall.

“To encourage greater regional collaboration in the planning and delivery of health services, there are seven chair and deputy chair cross-appointments.

“For example, there are multiple cross-appointments of chairs and deputies in the four Northern region boards and the three boards in the Greater Wellington region.

Internal Affairs Minister Chris Tremain today announced the reappointment of Lisa Hansen to the Gambling Commission. The new term, Ms Hansen’s second as a Commissioner, is for three years.

“The reappointment will retain valuable governance experience and skills. Ms Hansen, a Wellington barrister, will continue to provide her expertise and help maintain the high level of legal knowledge on the Commission,” says Mr Tremain.

Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman has held successful talks with China’s Minister of National Defense, General Chang Wanquan.

“It has been great to visit China for the first time in my role as Minister of Defence,” says Dr Coleman. “It has also been good to reciprocate the many visits to New Zealand by senior members of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), including General Zhao Keshi’s recent visit.

Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Jo Goodhew today announced the recipients of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellowships for 2014.

“I congratulate all the recipients of this year’s Fellowships and wish them successful and productive study trips,” says Mrs Goodhew.

“The Trust aims to help New Zealanders from all walks of life to travel overseas and bring back new insights and understanding that will enrich their community and, ultimately, New Zealand as a whole.

State Owned Enterprises Minister Tony Ryall today announced seven new appointments and 11 reappointments across five SOEs and two airport companies. 

“This appointment round introduces some highly skilled directors into the portfolio and also provides for good continuity of skill and experience,” says Mr Ryall. 

French Associate Minister for Defence, in charge of Veterans’ Affairs, Monsieur Kader Arif and New Zealand Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Christopher Finlayson have signed a letter of intent regarding centenary commemorations of the First World War at the Auckland War Memorial Museum today.

The Ministers met in Auckland and reaffirmed the deep friendship between the two nations stemming from shared experiences on the battlefields of the First World War.

Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams says public comments from some parliamentary parties that they will not be supporting legislation in regards to copper pricing is not unexpected.

“While we have not sought support for legislation from our support parties, they have indicated to me that legislation was always going to be a challenge, so today’s announcement comes as no surprise,” Ms Adams says.

“For some time the Government has been considering a number of possible non-legislative options.

From 6 January 2014, the New Zealand Legislation website (legislation.govt.nz) will become a source of official legislation, making New Zealand one of the few comparable jurisdictions to provide free official up-to-date online legislation to the public, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson says.

The change is a result of the Legislation Act 2012, which up-dates and modernises the publication of legislation.

The Minister for Disability Issues, Tariana Turia has reiterated her call for all public transport companies to review their policies and provide staff training immediately following further reports of incidents of discriminatory treatment of disabled people and those with pushchairs.

“I was very alarmed at news reports that disabled passengers and those with children and pushchairs are experiencing discrimination while trying to board buses in the Hutt Valley and Wellington,” says Minister Turia.

Corrections Minister Anne Tolley says that building work is on schedule for the 29 buildings on the site of the new prison at Wiri in South Auckland.

Work is due to be completed on the new cell blocks, training, education and health buildings by early 2015, for the new 960-bed men’s prison.

Education Minister Hekia Parata today announced the Government will spend more than $31 million over the next three years to accelerate Māori secondary school student achievement, under the new Building on Success programme.

Speaking at the Iwi Chairs Forum in Gisborne, Ms Parata said Building on Success would extend the great progress made through the current Māori achievement programmes, including Te Kotahitanga, He Kākano and Starpath.

Associate Minister of Health Tariana Turia has congratulated the five recipients of the 2013 John McLeod Scholarships and Te Apa Mareikura Awards held at Te Papa Tongarewa Museum in Wellington last night.

“These awards recognise the work and absolute commitment by our emerging talent to reduce the disparities that still exist in our community between Maori and non-Maori.  While the recipients have achieved academic success and medical qualifications, they are also grounded in the issues that affect whanau, hapu and iwi,” says Minister Turia.

Commerce Minister Craig Foss today welcomed the appointment of Rob Everett as chief executive of the Financial Markets Authority.

“Mr Everett’s legal and compliance experience will have him well prepared for his role at the FMA and in facilitating the development of fair, efficient and transparent financial markets,” says Mr Foss.

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson today announced changes will be made to pool safety laws to save more lives.

“Amendments to the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987 are expected to prevent a further six children drowning in home swimming pools every 10 years.  It will build on the success of the 1987 Act, which reduced the number of drownings in home pools from about 100 every decade to about 30 now.