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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley welcomes the first reading of legislation to allow greater flexibility for people to move to the Cook Islands, Niue, or Tokelau, and receive New Zealand Superannuation or Veteran’s Pension.

Under the Social Assistance (portability to Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau) Bill a person who has lived in New Zealand for 10 years, 5 being after the age of 50, will be able to return to these islands. When they turn 65 they can then apply for Superannuation or Veteran’s Pension.

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga has presented Corrections’ inaugural Partner of the Year award to Housing New Zealand.

The award recognises the joint initiative which sees prisoners at Spring Hill Corrections Facility and Rolleston Prison work to refurbish houses for Housing NZ.

“The innovative partnership between Corrections and Housing NZ is a ‘win win’ for both agencies,” says Mr Lotu-Iiga. “Offenders gain valuable skills, qualifications and work experience, while Housing NZ has its houses repaired and refurbished.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has finished the first leg of a six day mission to Sri Lanka and India this week, promoting trade and New Zealand’s co-hosting of the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2015.

Mr Guy met with President Rajapaksa and several Sri Lankan Ministers over the last two days.

“Our two countries are building a stronger relationship through the New Zealand-Sri Lanka Dairy Cooperation Arrangement (DCA). The DCA is our commitment to the development of Sri Lanka’s dairy industry,” says Mr Guy.

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith today welcomed the passage of the Trade (Safeguard Measures) Bill.

“This Bill updates New Zealand’s trade safeguards regime to ensure it is consistent with World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules and to promote efficient, transparent and objective investigative and decision making processes,” Mr Goldsmith says.

A new Bill to combat organised crime and corruption passed its first reading with unanimous support in Parliament today.

Justice Minister Amy Adams says the Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Legislation Bill will respond to the threat posed by illicit activities such as money laundering, fraud and drug-related crime, both domestically and internationally.

“This Government takes the threat of organised crime to New Zealand’s economy and reputation very seriously,” Ms Adams says.

Conservation Minister Maggie Barry has congratulated the winners of the inaugural Conservation Innovation Awards.

The World Wildlife Fund Conservation Innovation Awards were presented at a ceremony in Wellington last night. The awards recognise innovative approaches to conservation issues.

Ms Barry presented the inaugural award to inventor Gian Badraun and Microsystems Research for their product ‘Trap Minder’, an early response system for monitoring predator traps and bait stations.

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith today welcomed the next step in reforms aimed at enhancing the sustainability of the New Zealand Standards system.

The Standards and Accreditation Bill passed its first reading in Parliament today and will now be considered by the Commerce Committee, which will report back to Parliament by 31 March 2015 after a public consultation process.

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith today announced the approval of the phase two regulations of the Financial Markets Conduct Act. The regulations come into effect on 1 December 2014.

“The approval of these regulations represents the last major step in the once-in-a-generation reform of our financial markets,” says Mr Goldsmith.

Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Jo Goodhew will be celebrating International Day for Volunteer Managers tomorrow.

“The fifth of November is more than just a day for fireworks. For the last 15 years it is also a day for recognising the hard work and dedication of those Volunteer Managers that drive the voluntary sector,” Mrs Goodhew said.

“Volunteer managers bring a passion to the voluntary sector, ensuring New Zealand’s over one million volunteers feel supported and rewarded for the work they do in the community,” she said.

The Government remains committed to its social investment approach to improve services for New Zealanders most in need, Finance Minister Bill English says.

“The Prime Minister has made clear that in this third term the Government will further focus on issues influencing children in material deprivation and hardship. Just as there are many and sometimes inter-related causes of hardship, there must also be multiple and sometimes inter-related strands to the solution. 

New Zealand’s top researchers will receive $56 million in Marsden Fund grants over the next three years as a result of funding decisions announced today, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce says.

101 programmes have been approved in this year’s funding round and include projects on robotics as therapy for cerebral palsy, using Google balloons to probe weather systems, why heart failure is common in diabetics, and fine-scale imaging of the Alpine Fault zone.

Education Minister Hekia Parata has announced the winners of The Challenge, a creative school competition honouring one of New Zealand’s finest fighting forces, the 28^th Māori Battalion.

The Challenge gives Year 7-13 students the opportunity to express what they learn about the Battalion using 21^st century media.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has today named diplomat Justin Fepuleai as New Zealand’s next Consul-General to New Caledonia. He will also be accredited to French Polynesia and Wallis and Futuna.

“Our relationship with the French territories in the Pacific is extremely important,” Minister McCully says.

“New Caledonia and French Polynesia are two of New Zealand’s largest trading partners in the Pacific, and our total goods trade is worth more than $350 million annually.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has appointed diplomat Barney Riley as New Zealand’s next Ambassador to Egypt.

“New Zealand has a strong trade relationship with Egypt. It is our third largest trading partner in Africa and has a growing interest in New Zealand dairy and meat,” Mr McCully says.

“Egypt is the most populous Arab country and as regional leader its stability is important for the region.  

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith today released a discussion document on new consumer credit regulations aimed at improving the information lenders provide to people taking out loans.

“These regulations will mean consumers can get the information they need to make good decisions when borrowing money,” Mr Goldsmith says. 

“I welcome feedback on these proposals from borrowers and lenders to ensure that the regulations provide the intended consumer benefits while minimising compliance costs.”

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says a series of Ebola readiness briefings for key health sector staff in major metropolitan centres gets underway in Christchurch today.

“While the risk of Ebola entering New Zealand remains very low, it's important that we are continuously maintaining our levels of preparedness,” says Dr Coleman.

“These briefings by the Ministry of Health are part of this – we are continuously following the international situation and updating our processes on the basis of the best possible scientific advice.

Prime Minister John Key will travel to China and Myanmar next week to attend the APEC Leaders’ meeting and the East Asia Summit.

Mr Key is one of 21 political leaders attending this year’s APEC meeting, which is being hosted by China, in Beijing from November 10-11.

“This year’s APEC is focusing of advancing regional economic cooperation and promoting innovative development, economic reform and growth, which fit well with New Zealand’s own economic priorities,” says Mr Key.

More than forty tukutuku panels will be shipped to New York this month as they start their journey to the United Nations Headquarters where they will be permanently installed.

At the exhibition closing of Kāhui Raranga – Aotearoa New Zealand’s heart at the United Nations, the Minister for Māori Development Te Ururoa Flavell said the tukutuku panels were, “a powerful statement to the world about our country; who we are; and the land that shaped us.”

Conservation Minister Maggie Barry has welcomed the start of Conservation Week, which this year has a theme of “Discover the world where you live.”

Conservation Week 2014 runs until 9^th November. There are more than 150 events planned nationwide, ranging from beach clean ups and special guided night walks, to training dogs to stay away from kiwi and native snail monitoring.

Many of the events are designed to be opportunities for people to take a behind-the-scenes look at projects in their local area and to learn more about conservation.

Climate Change Minister Tim Groser today welcomed the latest international report on climate change which was released last night in Copenhagen.

Climate Change 2014, the Synthesis Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fifth Assessment brings together the findings from the three previously published volumes of the report. They cover The Physical Science Basis; Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability; and Mitigation of Climate Change. 

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman welcomes the Health Promotion Agency’s latest alcohol moderation campaign which launches tonight with a television campaign promoting water as a tool to pace your drinking.

“Binge drinking is a major issue for New Zealand with the social and economic effects impacting on individuals, communities and New Zealand as a whole,” says Dr Coleman.

Albany Convoy Commemorations
Commemorative Address,
Albany, Western Australia

Your Excellency the Governor General Sir Peter Cosgrove,

Prime Minister Tony Abbott,

Distinguished guests,

Members of the Australian and New Zealand Defence Forces,

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls,

I am honoured to be with you today to commemorate a momentous event for our two countries.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy is leading a six-day New Zealand trade mission to Sri Lanka and India, departing tomorrow.

The Minister will be accompanied by representatives of 15 New Zealand organisations as well as ex-New Zealand cricket captain Stephen Fleming, who is coach of the Chennai Super Kings cricket team.

“This trade mission to Colombo, Delhi and Mumbai is a great opportunity to profile New Zealand’s co-hosting of the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup in just 100 days to two cricketing nations,” says Mr Guy.

Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith is urging people to be responsible and respectful when using fireworks over the Guy Fawkes week ahead, with sales permitted from tomorrow until Wednesday 5 November.

“We want people to enjoy their fireworks but this relies on users carefully following instructions, ensuring children are properly supervised and being conscious of neighbours and animals,” Dr Smith says.