Displaying 193 - 216 of 2084 results.

Flights between New Zealand and China are set to double under amended air services arrangements, says Transport Minister Simon Bridges.

“Airlines from both New Zealand and China will be able to offer 42 services per week, per country. This is up from the previous limit of 21 per week.

“The doubling of air services capacity represents another step in expanding tourism, trade and personal ties between our two countries,” Mr Bridges says.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Transport

Education Minister Hekia Parata says $8.6 million has been provided to help schools transition through decile funding changes.

Ms Parata says the Government knows that schools that have moved to a higher decile rating will need time to adjust, and an 18-month transition period and additional funding will assist them.

  • Hekia Parata
  • Education

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has outlined his goal for the primary sector to double the value of exports by 2025 today in a speech to industry leaders in Wellington today.

“The export double goal is an ambitious but achievable target, which will require export growth of around 5% a year,” says Mr Guy.

“This target is based on 2012 export figures of $32 billion for the primary sector, with the aim of raising this to $64 billion by 2025.

  • Nathan Guy
  • Primary Industries

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee and US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel held bilateral talks in Washington today.

Mr Brownlee is in Washington as part of his first official visit to North America as the Minister of Defence, where he also visited the United Nations in New York, and attended the Halifax International Security Forum in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

  • Gerry Brownlee
  • Defence

Prime Minister John Key has today released the findings of the Government Inquiry into allegations regarding Judith Collins and a former Director of the Serious Fraud Office, Adam Feeley.

“I would like to thank former High Court Judge, Hon Lester Chisholm, for his work on this inquiry,” says Mr Key.

“I received the report yesterday and wanted to get it out at the earliest opportunity.

  • John Key
  • Prime Minister

Prime Minister John Key today welcomed the report of Cheryl Gwyn, Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, into issues around the release of information by the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS).

“This is the first inquiry by the Inspector-General under the new oversight regime that my Government passed into law last year,” Mr Key says.

“I said at the time oversight was being significantly strengthened and today’s thorough report is a clear demonstration of that.

  • John Key
  • Prime Minister
  • National Security and Intelligence

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga today acknowledged the release of the Department of Corrections’ Chief Custodial Officer’s Review of the Failure to Return from Temporary Release of Phillip John Smith.

“This review shows there were a number of failings within Corrections regarding the management of the prisoner in the lead-up to his absconding,” says Mr Lotu-Iiga.

“The main issue was that the plan to manage the prisoner was misinformed.”

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Corrections

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says the latest National Health Target results show that over the busy winter months people were treated more quickly in emergency departments across the country than in previous years.

“Today’s quarter one result for 2014 is the best result in emergency department wait times over winter since targets began in 2009, which is significant as this is when services are traditionally at their most stretched,” says Dr Coleman.

  • Jonathan Coleman
  • Health

Justice Minister Amy Adams has asked the Law Commission to resume work on proposals for better supporting victims of sexual violence through the criminal process.

The Law Commission will revisit its previous work on alternative pre-trial and trial processes to identify options for improving complainants’ experience in court.

  • Amy Adams
  • Justice

State Services Minister Paula Bennett has today released the draft Terms of Reference for the Government Inquiry into matters concerning the escape of Phillip John Smith / Traynor.

The draft Terms of Reference focus on:

  • Paula Bennett
  • State Services

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman has welcomed the rollout of a new national IT system aimed at improving the quality of maternity care for women and their babies.

“The new Maternity Clinical Information System (MCIS) is a secure online system which brings together all the information collected on different systems in hospitals and in the community,” says Dr Coleman.

  • Jonathan Coleman
  • Health



Prime Minister John Key today released the final draft of legislation which addresses the rising threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters.



The final draft of the Countering Terrorist Fighters Legislation Bill contains proposals previously announced by Mr Key in a major national security speech earlier this month.



“Following a narrow and tightly focused review of our settings in relation to foreign terrorist fighters, Cabinet has signed off on proposals that will strengthen our ability to deal with the evolving threat we are seeing,” Mr Key says.

  • John Key
  • Prime Minister
  • National Security and Intelligence

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says there has been a high level of interest from New Zealand health professionals wanting to join international efforts to combat the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. 

“Since expressions of interest opened last Monday, 34 people have registered their interest via the Ministry of Health website,” says Dr Coleman.

The Government is facilitating the deployment of up to 24 volunteers as part of the Australian-flagged mission in Sierra Leone. The Australian mission involves operating a 100-bed Ebola treatment centre. 

  • Jonathan Coleman
  • Health

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce travels to Perth today for a short series of engagements.

This weekend sees Perth hosting the first of four New Zealand job fairs in Australia targeting some emerging skills shortages in New Zealand, particularly in the fields of construction trades, engineering, and computer software and design.  Mr Joyce will attend the job fair tomorrow.

“We have a growing economy that is set to create more than 50,000 skilled jobs over the next couple of years,” Mr Joyce says.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Economic Development

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says a Royal New Zealand Air Force P3 Orion aircraft will remain in the Gulf region for another 12 months to provide ongoing support to regional maritime operations.

“New Zealand has had a P3 Orion supporting international counter-piracy operations as part of the Combined Maritime Forces since earlier this year and that deployment is coming to a close,” Mr Brownlee says.

“The Orion has performed a valuable role that has been welcomed by our international partners.

  • Gerry Brownlee
  • Defence

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner says from early next year traders will be able to register directly with the Joint Border Management System (JBMS) to manage their own information online in real time.

“The Trade Single Window component of JBMS allows traders to submit shipment details electronically to a single point of contact, instead of dealing with multiple government agencies,” Ms Wagner said.

  • Nicky Wagner
  • Customs

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce today welcomed the confirmation of three research collaborations with China.

“China is an important and growing science and innovation partner for New Zealand, and President Xi Jinping’s visit this week highlights the strong science and innovation ties between our countries,” Mr Joyce says.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Science and Innovation

The New Zealand and Australian governments have today re-confirmed their commitment to a single competitive procurement market with the signing of the Australia and New Zealand Government Procurement Agreement (ANZGPA), Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says.

The ANZGPA has been in existence since 1991 but has recently undergone a review to ensure it is still fit for purpose, in light of evolving procurement practices.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Economic Development

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce today announced a Major Events Development Fund (MEDF) investment of $550,000 for an international Golden Oldies event to be held in Christchurch in 2018. 

The Golden Oldies World Sports Festival is a month-long event that will attract masters age teams and individuals from across the world to participate in seven sports: cricket, football, golf, hockey, netball, rugby and softball. 

  • Steven Joyce
  • Economic Development

Education Minister Hekia Parata has welcomed the vote of secondary teachers in favour of new roles being added to their collective agreement.

Ms Parata says the support for the new roles of Community of School Teachers is another significant step forward for the $359 million Investing in Educational Success initiative.

“I’m extremely pleased that secondary teachers have seen the exciting opportunities presented by these new teaching roles, both in terms of lifting student achievement and for their own career pathways.

  • Hekia Parata
  • Education

Sport and Recreation Minister Jonathan Coleman paid tribute last night to the country’s top sports journalists, broadcasters and photographers at the annual Sir Terry McLean National Sports Journalism Awards. 

“Sport is a key part of our identity as New Zealanders and many of our greatest heroes have been sports people. The sports media play an important role in bringing to life the great stories that sport produces,” says Dr Coleman.

  • Jonathan Coleman
  • Sport and Recreation

A Government service to help businesses raise capital and accelerate their international growth is turning its focus to the investment needs and opportunities of highly innovative firms and mid-range companies valued at up to $25 million.

Better by Capital was developed following research that revealed some potentially high-growth firms find it difficult to access capital. Under the programme, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise works with companies to develop a tailored plan to identify the work they need to do to prepare for new capital investment.

  • Todd McClay
  • Steven Joyce
  • Trade
  • Economic Development

At the invitation of Governor-General Lt Gen The Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae and Prime Minister The Rt Hon John Key of New Zealand, President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China made a state visit to New Zealand from 19 to 21 November 2014.

During his visit, President Xi Jinping met with Governor-General Jerry Mateparae, and held talks with Prime Minister John Key. The leaders had an in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues of common interest.

  • John Key
  • Prime Minister

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce today announced the signing with China of two initiatives that will further enhance educational initiatives between China and New Zealand.

The bilateral education arrangements were part of the eighth meeting of the New Zealand-China Joint Working Group on Education and Training, which coincided with the visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to New Zealand this week.

  • Steven Joyce
  • Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment