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Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Maori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell today announced the opening of the 2016 investment round for Te Pūnaha Hihiko - Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund.

“The Vision Matauranga Capability Fund, is designed to grow the skills and capacity of Māori researchers and organisations in science and innovation and support outcomes that benefit Māori and New Zealand," Mr Joyce says.

Up to $2 million per annum is available for investment in new programmes over the next two years.  

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce today announced that the MBIE procurement team will return to market for the All-of-Government Air Travel contract, which has saved government agencies more than $37 million to date.

“This contract was initially signed in late 2011 and around 290 agencies and schools are now participating. The contract expires in December 2016 and a decision has been made by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to retender it, rather than exercise any renewal options,” Mr Joyce says.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley today announced up to $300,000 worth of funding to help people into work in the Buller District.

The Ministry of Social Development funding will be matched by a further $300,000 from the District and will be used to provide wage subsidies for up to 20 people impacted by recent business closures in the region to be hired by new employers.

The Canterbury economy is continuing to strengthen and its economic infrastructure continuing to develop as the region positions itself for long-term growth post the earthquake rebuild.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says Canterbury currently has the lowest unemployment rate in the country at 3.9 per cent, compared with 5.3 per cent nationally. Since December 2011, employment in Canterbury has increased by 40,500 (14.1 per cent) compared with national growth of 8.1 per cent.

Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism John Key, and Minister for Economic Development Steven Joyce, today turned the first sod on construction of the New Zealand International Convention Centre in Auckland.

“SkyCity has now started construction on what will be a world-standard facility,” Mr Joyce says. “It is a very significant investment for Auckland and New Zealand that will bring an additional $90 million in tourism expenditure annually.”

Cabinet has agreed to provide local Councils with more workable and equitable tools to deal with issues around the rating of unused and unoccupied Māori land.

Local councils already have the ability to remit rates on general and Māori land. However this proposed change clarifies the law around the rating of unoccupied and unused Māori land.

The changes will provide councils the ability to remove rates arrears on unoccupied and unused Māori land where there is:

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce today announced that the Government will contribute $4 million to the construction of the Hundertwasser Art Centre and Wairau Māori Art Gallery in Whangarei.

The decision was announced as part of the launch of the Tai Tokerau Northland Economic Action Plan, which identifies 58 actions that will support and enable the growth of the Northland economy, Mr Joyce says.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy have today announced a detailed action plan to invigorate Northland’s economy.

The Tai Tokerau Northland Economic Action Plan is part of the Government’s Regional Growth Programme, which is increasing jobs, income and investment in regional New Zealand.

Mr Joyce says the plan identifies 58 tangible actions that will contribute millions of dollars to the Northland economy.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce leaves for the United States tomorrow on the inaugural Air New Zealand flight to Houston, Texas.

“Houston is the fourth largest city in the US and a major airline hub for the southern and eastern United States,” says Mr Joyce. “It is hugely exciting to see our national carrier flying there and reaching into the middle of the continental US for the first time.

The Government has committed to a further five and a half years of support to help small businesses grow through its Regional Business Partner programme, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Small Business Minister Craig Foss announced today.

Regional Business Partners are local hubs of business development know-how and research and development (R&D) expertise for companies.

All-of-Government procurement contracts are now estimated to be saving $699 million for participating government agencies and taxpayers, an increase on June’s forecast figure of $415 million, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce announced today.

“The increase in forecast savings is due to improved supplier engagement, greater efficiencies and the implementation of more new contracts,” Mr Joyce says.

Opportunities for more investment, more jobs and better incomes for the West Coast will be the focus of a comprehensive economic study announced today by Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy.

A new report on New Zealand’s food and beverage export sector shows that the sector is successfully achieving growth by investing in added value products and moving up the value chain.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy today released the 2015 edition of the Investor’s Guide to the New Zealand Food and Beverage Industry which shows increasing levels of investment in product diversification and branded high value consumer products.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment, Louise Upston have welcomed the announcement today of a new tourism and hospitality college that will open in Northland early next year.

The QRC Tai Tokerau Resort College, will open in Paihia with four student intakes per year. Established by the Queenstown Resort College (QRC), the new college has been developed with support from NZ Māori Tourism.

Partnerships between two New Zealand pilot training institutions and Viet Flight Training will help increase the number of pilots entering the burgeoning Vietnamese aviation market.

Eagle Flight Training and International Aviation Academy of New Zealand both signed agreements with the Vietnamese Flight Training Company to formalise their business partnerships.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce today announced the signing of an agreement between New Zealand and Viet Nam that will allow greater collaboration between both countries’ health sectors.

The signing of the Letter of Arrangement in Hanoi brings opportunities for health-related industries to work with each other’s government agencies, Mr Joyce says.

“This agreement cements the commitment of our respective governments to work together to share knowledge and collaborate in our respective areas of health expertise.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce has today signed a new agreement between New Zealand and Viet Nam which will support Viet Nam’s rapidly growing aviation sector and create new opportunities for New Zealand businesses.

Steven Joyce and Viet Nam Minister of Transport, H.E. Dinh La Thang signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Aviation Cooperation that allows for information-sharing and regular meetings to expand aviation partnerships between both countries.  

Economic Development and Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce has left for Viet Nam today to advance New Zealand’s bilateral relationship and discuss trade opportunities.                             

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne have announced a list of twelve telecommunications providers who have been selected to provide telecommunications and managed security services to Government.

Government agencies will be able to easily select the suppliers and services they want based on their business needs. The All of Government contract will save taxpayers at least $20-$30 million within the first two years

Improving the quality of our natural resources is the key to sustaining economic growth in our primary sectors right across regional New Zealand, says Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy.

Ministers Joyce and Guy today launched the updated Building Natural Resources chapter of the Business Growth Agenda with an emphasis on lifting primary sector productivity while improving our environmental outcomes at the same time.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce today announced a Major Events Development Fund (MEDF) investment of $1.2 million in the next three Ultimate Waterman events.

The Ultimate Waterman seeks the world’s best all-round waterman across various disciplines including surfing, stand-up paddle board, waka-ama, water skill and endurance events.

The Major Events Fund invested $300,000 in the inaugural event in March this year, and the additional investment will support the 2016, 2017 and 2018 events.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Associate Economic Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell have today announced up to $3 million to finalise geotechnical investigations and design options for a new harbour entrance in Ōpōtiki.

The Ōpōtiki Harbour Development Project is one of the key initiatives of the Bay of Plenty Regional Economic Action Plan designed to lift employment, incomes and investment across the region.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy today launched the Bay of Plenty Regional Economic Action Plan, a set of key initiatives designed to lift employment, incomes and investment across the region.

“The Bay of Plenty region is growing well as a result of the recovery from the kiwifruit PSA crisis and the rapidly growing tourism industry.  This Bay of Plenty Action Plan will ensure growth is maintained and extended to all parts of the region, especially the eastern Bay,” Mr Joyce says.

SkyCity’s announcement today of its commitment to a $700 million building works programme for the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) together with a 300-room hotel, 1300 carparks and the accompanying laneway is a huge boost for the Auckland and New Zealand visitor economy, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says.

“Today’s announcement is the culmination of years of planning and collaboration between the Crown and SkyCity,” Mr Joyce says.