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Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse is praising a Joint Period of Action carried out by New Zealand and seven other countries to deter people smuggling and trafficking in persons.

Law enforcement and immigration agencies from the eight countries conducted separate but co-ordinated activities as part of a Working Group co-chaired by New Zealand and Sri Lanka under the Bali Process. The Bali

Transport Ministers today released a consultation paper that looks at options for new rules for passenger services such as taxis, private hires, shuttles, and ridesharing.

Earlier this year the Government initiated the small passenger services review to ensure regulations for the sector were both fit for purpose and flexible enough to accommodate new technologies.

Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says that the Nitbusters programme, which provides free head lice treatment to families in low decile schools, is to continue in 2016.

Funding of $1.1 million is being provided to KidsCan to deliver the programme to 111 schools and 24,000 children.

“As a mother and grandmother I know all families will be aware that nits can quickly infest a household and can be an expensive nuisance to eradicate,” says Mrs Tolley.

The Government will invest $12.3 million to redevelop two more Wellington schools, Newtown School and Ngaio School, Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced today.

This follows last week’s announcement of an $8.5 million redevelopment of Kelburn Normal School in the capital.

“These two latest redevelopments will help address roll growth and a range of building and site issues, including weathertightness and structural strengthening, and will create exciting new innovative learning environments for students,” says Ms Kaye.

A new veterinary exchange programme with China will help build closer relations in the equine industries, says Primary Industries and Racing Minister Nathan Guy.

“China is a growing and important market for New Zealand-bred horses. This programme will train Chinese vets to learn from New Zealand and increase their skills and experience in animal health and welfare,” says Mr Guy. 

A New Zealand inspired Ministerial Declaration on carbon markets was launched by countries at the historic climate change conference in Paris today.

The declaration signals countries' support for carbon markets as a tool in the ambitious global response to climate change.  Already 18 countries have aligned with the declaration.

"New Zealand wants to ensure development of a strong and robust global carbon market that has environmental integrity," says Mr Groser.

Minister for Climate Change Issues Tim Groser welcomes the conclusion of a new global agreement at the Paris conference on climate change.

“The agreement is a huge and historic step forward,” says Mr Groser.

“This is the first truly global agreement on climate change. All countries are committing to take ambitious action.

The Government intends to build and maintain six new schools around New Zealand using a public private partnership (PPP), Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced today.

“A public private procurement model is an innovative and proven way to spend taxpayer money efficiently,” says Ms Parata.

“It offers the significant advantage of having professional facilities managers take care of school property, freeing up schools to focus on teaching and learning.

Conservation Minister Maggie Barry has welcomed a new partnership which will help inform Chinese New Zealanders and Chinese tourists about the threat of kauri dieback disease.

Ms Barry joined with the Chinese Conservation Education Trust and the Kauri Dieback Programme to announce the $20,000 partnership at Arataki Visitor’s Centre in Auckland’s Waitakere Ranges today.

The Crown has signed an agreement in principle with Ngaati Hinerangi to settle its historical Treaty of Waitangi claims, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Ngaati Hinerangi is an iwi from the Tainui waka confederation whose area of interest extends from Matamata to the Western Bay of Plenty and encompasses the Kaimai Range.

Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Steven Joyce and Minister for Social Development Anne Tolley have welcomed the launch of the Canterbury Farm Capability Society Group Employment and Training Scheme for farm workers.

“The scheme is a collaboration between Government and industry to address the skills shortages in dairy farming and increase employment opportunities for New Zealanders,” says Mr Joyce. 

New Zealand’s biosecurity frontline will be further strengthened with the graduation of 57 staff today, says Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy.

“These Ministry for Primary Industries staff include 24 detector dog teams who will be in action this summer, protecting our borders from pests and diseases,” says Mr Guy.

“This is going to be a very busy summer with record numbers of visitors expected, both air travellers and on cruise ships.

Sport and Recreation Minister Jonathan Coleman will tonight mark the success of New Zealand rugby at the 2015 NZ Rugby Union Awards.

“I’d like to congratulate all the nominees. It’s been a fantastic year for rugby with so many great team and individual performances,” says Dr Coleman.

“The All Blacks can not only be incredibly proud of their history making achievement in winning back-to-back Rugby World Cups, but also for the values they display on and off the field.

Todd McClay will next week attend the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference in Nairobi, Kenya. 

This will be Mr McClay’s first duty as Trade Minister, a portfolio change which takes effect on Monday.

“Key issues for trade and development will be in the spotlight at Nairobi, including in the important area of agriculture,” says Mr McClay. 

“WTO Members will be trying to agree a package of measures from the Doha Round agenda, which has been stalled since 2008.

Two acting District Court Judges have been appointed, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson QC announced today.

Richard McIlraith, barrister and solicitor of Auckland, has been appointed an acting District Court Judge with a jury warrant to be based in Manukau. Mr McIlraith was admitted to the Bar in 1988. He has practised at Russell McVeagh since 1993 and has been a partner at the firm since 1995. He is currently chair of the partnership.

Youth Minister Nikki Kaye today announced $25,000 of funding for the OMG Tech Youth Leadership Training Programme.

“This investment will help foster 20 young leaders from decile 1 and 2 schools to empower other young people in their communities to learn about and become familiar with using future technologies,” says Ms Kaye.

Participants in the programme will have the opportunity to learn about coding (how you instruct a computer to create software, apps and websites) as well as 3D printing and robotics, ie building and programming robots.

Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism John Key has announced the Government is investing almost $530,000 in 10 new projects that will contribute to enhancing and maintaining the quality of the New Zealand Cycle Trail.

The funding comes through the latest round of the Maintaining the Quality of the Great Rides fund and Mr Key said priority has been given to proposals that aim to improve the safety and quality of the Great Rides - the premier rides of the New Zealand Cycle Trail.

Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss welcomes a new civil aviation rule, enabling New Zealand aircraft maintenance training organisations to more easily train overseas aircraft engineers.

“This Rule will ensure New Zealand aligns with international best practice in certification and operation of aviation maintenance training organisations,” says Mr Foss.

”It will allow international business opportunities for New Zealand aircraft maintenance training organisations.”

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith today released a consultation document seeking comment on whether businesses fundraising for charities should divulge certain information to the donating public.

“There is currently nothing in legislation that requires third party fundraisers to disclose information about their fundraising activity when asking for donations from New Zealanders,” Mr Goldsmith says.

Conservation Minister Maggie Barry has welcomed the launch of Project Taranaki Mounga, a major new partnership which has the potential to change the face of conservation in New Zealand.

“This is an exciting project with ambitious goals which will have a significant impact not only on Taranaki and its wildlife, but also for regional tourism, environmental education and the local economy,” Ms Barry says.

Deputy Prime Minister Bill English says the preliminary results of the first referendum to decide on the future of the New Zealand flag show strong public interest.

The first of the two postal referendums closed today and the Electoral Commission has indicated the Silver Fern (Black, White and Blue) flag by designer Kyle Lockwood as the preliminary winner.

The Commission says a total of 1,527,042 votes were cast, with voter turnout of 48 per cent.

Sport and Recreation Minister Jonathan Coleman paid tribute last night to New Zealand’s top sports journalists and photographers at the annual Sir Terry McLean Sports Journalism Awards in Auckland.

“Sport is a key part of our identity as New Zealanders. Our sports media play an important role in bringing to life the great sporting stories,” says Dr Coleman.

The Government will invest $8.5 million redeveloping Kelburn Normal School in Wellington, Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced today.

“This project will help address a range of building and site issues at the school, and create an exciting new learning environment for students,” says Ms Kaye.

“The school’s main teaching block, which is past its use-by date, will be demolished and replaced with a new two-storeyed building. The new block will be repositioned on the school site to free up space for hard courts and fields.

Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne has welcomed the Ministry of Health’s update of key New Zealand Health Survey results, released today.

The data shows an increase to 84% of children (aged 1-14 years) visiting a dental health care worker in the preceding 12 months, up from 76% in 2006/07 and 79% in 2011/12.

The number of children who have had teeth extracted has also come down, from 3.9% in 2011/12 to 3.4% in 2014/15.