Anderton's Enews

Covering 21 March to 8 April 2005

Dear readers

Budget Day 2005 is fast approaching and soon I'll be in a position to outline the Progressive Party's budget initiatives to promote safer, drug-free communities as well as our latest programmes to further strengthen the productive capacity of our economy.

On March 29, I released the first of my Budget 2005 initiatives for funding to promote excellence in wood design. It was warmly received within the forestry and wider wood-related industry, which is our third largest merchandise export earning sector.

Last week, I had a very productive meeting with a very impressive line-up of leaders in the forest industry and we got down to work on how to work together to accelerate the strategic development of this absolutely vital export industry.

I believe that this process, called the Forest Industry Development Agenda, is a very significant breakthrough for the industry. The Labour-Progressive government has expressed its confidence in the future through my April 5 budget announcement that we're investing $18 million to propel the agenda, matched not with words, but with further millions from industry itself.

As a progressive socialist, these two budget announcements in forestry are the types of programmes and policies that are really exciting because they are about adding value to our economy.

It is about getting us up the value-chain so that we can become a richer economy able to afford the sort of First World social policies other richer countries take for granted, and to which all New Zealanders aspire.

We want first class social services for everyone and we need a first class economy so that we can deliver them.

Warmest regards

Jim Anderton

MP for Wigram and Progressive Leader

Minister for Economic, Industry & Regional Development

Minister of Forestry

Associate Minister of Health

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

New Zealand medical research receives boost

08 April 2005

Industry and Regional Development Minister Jim Anderton today announced that Wellington firm, P3 Research Ltd, will receive a grant to assist it in its efforts to win international contracts in the field of medical research.

" target="_blank">http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1692

Jim Anderton address at 2005 Champions of Cheese Awards

07 April 2005

One of the most urgent jobs to lock-in a stronger economy is to build partnerships in the industries, with the highest potential for growth, at the top of the list.

" target="_blank">http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1687

Anderton opens Sister Cities New Zealand Convention 2005

07 April 2005

Today I urge you to visit Moerewa, just down the road from this resort. A community with fierce dignity and a passion for its future, their reconstruction of their township is an inspiration to the whole of New Zealand.

" target="_blank">http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1685

BUDGET '05: $18 M investment in Forest Industry Development Agenda

05 April 2005

The Forest Industry Development Agenda had its inaugural meeting today, with Jim Anderton announcing the Labour-Progressive government will invest $18.1 million (GST excl) to develop the industry, matched with a further $3.8 million (GST excl) contribution expected from industry.

" target="_blank">http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1679

Aquaculture Forum: We need to export far more high-value products

05 April 2005

If we want to offer young New Zealanders a future here, and I certainly do, we need urgent improvement in our national incomes and overall wealth. We are only going to lift our incomes substantially over the long term by selling far more high value products to the world.

" target="_blank">http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1676

Extra early childhood education funding kicks in today

April 1 2005

Early childhood education services will receive significant funding boosts, effective from today, as part of the $307 million four-year package aimed at getting more children into affordable and top quality early childhood education.

" target="_blank">http://www.beehive.govt.nz/ViewDocument.aspx?DocumentID=22588

Tax discount for new small businesses

31 March 2005

Starting a small business will become less taxing from April this year when a 6.7 per cent tax discount becomes available.

" target="_blank">http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1664

NZ and Malaysia launch fair trade talks

31 March 2005

Malaysia and New Zealand have agreed to begin negotiations on a free trade agreement as soon as possible.

" target="_blank">http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1665

Greens' hostility to fair trade with China makes no sense

30 March 2005

The Green Party's hostility to a fair trade deal between New Zealand and China doesn't make intellectual or moral sense, Progressive MP Matt Robson said the General Debate in Parliament this evening.

" target="_blank">http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1662

BUDGET 2005: $2.26 million to promote wood design

29 March 2005

Forestry Minister Jim Anderton today announced an investment of $2.26 million (GST excl. $2.009 million) over the next five financial years to help promote excellence in wood design in the construction sector.

" target="_blank">http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1652

Jim Anderton address to open Better By Design conference

29 March 2005

The Labour-Progressive government’s efforts to increase the value of our productive sectors continue to attract critics like pollen attracts bees. When they call events like this Design Conference "corporate welfare," and accuse us of picking winners, they are really saying we don’t need to worry about incorporating better design in our industrial development.

http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1651

260,000 Kiwi families better off from Friday

29 March 2005

Thousands of families with children will be entitled to extra assistance when the next phase of Working for Families kicks in on 1 April, Social Development and Employment Minister Steve Maharey said today.

" target="_blank">http://www.beehive.govt.nz/ViewDocument.aspx?DocumentID=22556

Getting better access to overseas' markets vital to NZ's future

26 March 2005

If we want our own workers to enjoy the standard of living to which they quite rightly aspire, and which they have enjoyed in the past, then we have no option but to grow our trade as the basis of a sustainable economy through exports of high value added product to as many markets as we can.

" target="_blank">http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1648

Promoting public health and safer communities

Anderton comments on falling suicide rate

06 April 2005

Data for 2002 released today are a reminder that New Zealand as a society continues to face a very serious challenge from suicide, says Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton.

" target="_blank">http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1681

Review of suicide and the media

06 April 2005

The government and media organizations need to work more closely together on the issue of youth suicide, an independent review has found.

" target="_blank">http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1682

Work-Life balance resource launched

5 April 2005

State Services Minister Trevor Mallard today launched a new Work-Life Balance resource that will enable the government, as a large employer, to lead by example in the wider workplace.

" target="_blank">http://www.beehive.govt.nz/ViewDocument.aspx?DocumentID=22627

Christchurch's $3 million Kyoto initiative

1 April 2005

A Christchurch City Council plan to collect methane gas from the Burwood landfill site to fire the boilers at the QE2 swimming pool has been awarded 200,000 emissions units under the government's Projects to reduce Emissions programme.

" target="_blank">http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1690

UK Labour's woolly-headed approach to cannabis to be reviewed

21 March 2005

Progressive MP Matt Robson said today that he isn't at all surprised that the British Labour government is now starting to back-track on its ill-advised decision to soften its anti-cannabis laws one year ago.

" target="_blank">http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1631

Democracy and human rights

New Zealand, Cambodia cooperate to promote labour standards

8 April 2005

New Zealand and Cambodia's growing trade relationship is about to complemented with closer cooperation to promote improving labour standards, Progressive MP Matt Robson said today.

" target="_blank">http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1696

Goff welcomes UN decision on Sudan

April 6 2005

Foreign Minister Phil Goff has welcomed the UN Security Council's decision to establish a peacekeeping mission in Sudan, impose sanctions, and refer the situation in Darfur to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

" target="_blank">http://www.beehive.govt.nz/ViewDocument.aspx?DocumentID=22649

Notice of Motion on the death of Pope John Paul II

5 April 2005

As a Roman Catholic, the values of the universal church have guided me in my life from a young Catholic youth worker in the 1960s to being a Cabinet Minister today, Jim Anderton said in Parliament today.

" target="_blank">http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1678

MMP comes of age - first coalition government to run full term

30 March 2005

The record 965 days in office marked by the Labour-Progressive government today, and confirmation the coalition will be the first since the advent of MMP to run its full term, means our proportional representation voting system has "come of age," says Progressive MP Matt Robson.

" target="_blank">http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1660

Robson outlines to Canadians why MMP is so much more democratic

29 March 2005

Matt Robson outlines the tremendous benefits to law-making and democratic process the MMP system has delivered for all New Zealanders.

" target="_blank">http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1653

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