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A growing number of offenders are taking part in a programme which aims to curb their repeat drink driving behaviour, says Corrections Minister Judith Collins.

Corrections is running a pilot programme to fund alcohol interlock devices for eligible offenders on community sentences. The devices are connected to the start-up mechanism of a car and immobilise it. It is not possible to start the car until the driver has successfully passed a breath alcohol test.

“This makes our roads safer for both the community and for the driver.”

The decision by P&O Cruises to base a ship out of New Zealand is an endorsement of our growing cruise industry, Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett says.

The Pacific Pearl will spend five months based out of Auckland, the longest deployment of a P&O ship in New Zealand.

Mrs Bennett today attended a celebration on board the Pacific Pearl to mark the beginning of the Downer National Rugby League Auckland Nines.

Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss is urging all motorists to consider the road toll and its impact before getting behind the wheel this long weekend.

“The road toll is so much more than a number, it represents the lives of parents, wives, husbands, children, brothers, sisters and friends,” Mr Foss says.

“The 2016 road toll stands at 33. We’ve needlessly lost almost as many people as we’ve had days in the year — that’s unacceptable to me and, I’m sure, every other New Zealander.

The redevelopment of the Lyttelton Port in Canterbury will play a significant role in the future economic growth and prosperity of the South Island by boosting jobs and trade, Deputy Prime Minister Bill English and Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee say.

On the same day trade ministers from around the world signed the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement, Mr English formally opened the Cashin Quay 2 Wharf, an $85 million expansion that will increase the Port’s ability to grow trade in the coming decades.

A new initiative to boost the mānuka honey industry in Northland and provide educational and employment opportunities has been launched today at Northland College by Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell,  Education Minister Hekia Parata and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy.

The Mānuka Planting Initiative at Northland College is part of the Tai Tokerau Northland Economic Action Plan which was launched this morning.

Trade Minister Todd McClay today signed the Trans-Pacific Partnership on behalf of New Zealand, at a ceremony in Auckland.

“Today 12 Asia-Pacific countries have come together to set a new standard for trade and investment in the region.

“TPP was signed by Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Viet Nam.

Prime Minister John Key welcomed today’s signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement in Auckland, confirming it will be overwhelmingly positive for New Zealand in supporting more trade and investment, jobs and incomes.

“Today is a significant day, not only for New Zealand but for the other 11 countries in the Trans-Pacific Partnership,” Mr Key says. “I’m proud of the role the New Zealand Government and officials have played in getting to this point.

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.

Pacific Peoples Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga has welcomed new figures which show the unemployment rate for Pacific people has fallen to its lowest point since 2008 and employment at its highest level.

The figures for the December 2015 quarter, released by Statistics New Zealand today, show the unemployment rate for Pacific people dropped over 2015 to 9.7 per cent, from 11.4 per cent a year earlier.

This is the lowest rate since December 2008, when the figure was 7.7 per cent.

The next round of applications for the Racing Safety Development Fund has now opened, says Racing Minister Nathan Guy.

A total of $381,179 is available in this second round of funding after $618,821 was allocated in the first round.

“The fund supports projects around the country for improving racecourse health and safety standards,” says Mr Guy.

“In the past this has included improvements for safety running rails, irrigation and drainage, swabbing boxes, and grandstand repairs.

Your Excellency Minister Hoang, Excellencies, distinguished guests, members of the Vietnamese business community, ladies and gentlemen.

It is an honour to be here today. I’ve recently commenced in this role as New Zealand’s Minister of Trade and it is great to have the opportunity to celebrate trade success so early in my tenure.

There are of course two successes to celebrate this morning. Firstly, there is cause to celebrate what has brought us all together in Auckland - the signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, set to take place tomorrow.

Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye today announced that all state and state-integrated schools have received upgrades to core on-site IT infrastructure, such as cabling and wiring, to enable them to access high-quality, high-speed internet for learning.

“This is great news for schools and students as the 2016 school year gets underway,” says Ms Kaye.

“The School Network Upgrade Project (SNUP) spanned 11 years and represents a $280 million investment in around 2,400 schools.

Christchurch’s hugely popular new Margaret Mahy Family Playground will have even more exciting features added in the coming months, says Associate Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Nicky Wagner.

“Since the playground opened just before Christmas, we estimate that well over 100,000 people have visited, and the feedback has on the whole been extremely positive,” Ms Wagner says.

The latest Household Labour Force Survey (HLFS) shows unemployment has fallen to 5.3 per cent, the lowest since March 2009.

There were an additional 21,000 jobs in the December quarter, and 175,000 additional jobs over the past three years.

“It’s positive to see strong falls in unemployment in many regions, including Northland, Gisborne/Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu/Whanganui, Nelson/Tasman/Marlborough/West Coast, Taranaki and the Waikato,” says Mr Joyce.

Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says a privately-owned beach will become part of the Abel Tasman National Park if an online crowdfunding campaign to buy it succeeds.

The Givealittle campaign has so far raised more than $750,000 to buy seven hectares of private land for sale at Awaroa Inlet, with the intention of offering it to be incorporated into the surrounding National Park.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has named diplomat Daniel Mellsop as New Zealand’s next High Commissioner to Canada.

“Canada is one of New Zealand’s strongest international partners, with over 75 years of established diplomatic relations,” Mr McCully says.

“Our world views are underpinned by our shared parliamentary, legal, social and defence traditions.  As Commonwealth countries, we work closely together across a range of foreign policy issues.

Good evening.

Thank you for the invitation and opportunity to share some thoughts about New Zealand’s experience in transforming the way we provide government services to our citizens in the digital age.

New Zealand’s digital journey is a story about better public services.

It is about how our government is reshaping our relationships and interactions with our citizens to meet their changing expectations.

The word “journey” implies a known destination.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has today announced an extension of a lease on Crown-owned land to enable the iconic Re:START Mall more time operating at its current site.

The innovative container mall, which opened in 2011, is situated on a mix of Crown and privately owned land.

“The Government and Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust have backed the Re:START Mall from the beginning due to its important role in bringing locals and visitors into the central city after the earthquakes,” Mr Brownlee says.

World Wetlands Day is a chance for New Zealanders to find out more about some of the country’s most important natural treasures, Conservation Minister Maggie Barry and Associate Conservation Minister Nicky Wagner say.

To mark the day the Department of Conservation has released a new online resource, Our Estuaries, to help people explore and look after the wetland environment.

“New Zealand has more than 300 estuaries, and they are home to a wide range of native plants, fish and birds,” Ms Barry says.

Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism John Key has announced further funding to maintain and improve the premier rides of the New Zealand Cycle Trail.

Applications are now open for the fourth round of funding through the Maintaining the Quality of Great Rides Fund, a Government initiative to maintain and enhance the quality of the New Zealand Cycle Trail.

“This funding is part of the Government’s $8 million investment over four years to ensure the Great Rides are maintained to their current world-class standards,” Mr Key says.

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says the World Health Organization’s declaration of Zika virus as a public health emergency is appropriate.

“Although cases of the Zika virus have been reported for over a decade in New Zealand, it’s generally been regarded as a mild illness,” says Dr Coleman.

“Recent developments overseas mean this declaration is the right step.

Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says that with students returning to school, the six millionth Kickstart breakfast will be served this week since the Government expanded the programme.

“More than 27,000 school-age children sit down to a bowl of breakfast at more than 800 schools across the country every school week,” Mrs Tolley says.

“Feedback from schools is overwhelmingly positive, with 99.5 per cent of schools satisfied or very satisfied with the Kickstart Breakfast programme.

Fifteen new cell towers added to existing networks have expanded mobile coverage to more than 1700 square kilometres of rural areas previously without coverage.

The new towers are a result of the auction of the 700 MHz band of radio spectrum, won by Spark and Vodafone in 2014. Under the auction agreement Spark and Vodafone were required to build new towers in new rural areas in the first five years after the purchase.

Fifteen of these new towers are now complete and servicing remote communities, and 60 more are still to come.