• Minister welcomes construction industry report
• New Bills will improve corrections system
• Appointment made to Architects Board
• Appointments to Chartered Professional Engineers Council
• Raising quality in early childhood education
• Richard Wood to lead Family Violence Taskforce
• Changes to speed up urban planning in ChCh
• Economic recovery continues in Canterbury
• Nearly 5500 more properties zoned green
• Turia welcomes legislation for fulltime Disability Rights Commissioner
• WOW Waka officially open
• Trade Minister welcomes passage of US trade deals

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Minister welcomes construction industry report

Posted: 13 Oct 2011 09:01 PM PDT

Maurice Williamson | Building and Construction

Building and Construction Minister Williamson has today welcomed a PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report into the construction industry. The report: Valuing the role of Construction in the New Zealand economy, was commissioned by the Construction Strategy Group (CSG) and launched by Mr Williamson at a CSG meeting in Auckland today. The report highlights the key role the construction sector has played in the economic growth of the country and focuses on how Government and industry can achieve more economic growth by removing red tape and lifting the industry’s skills. ..

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New Bills will improve corrections system

Posted: 13 Oct 2011 05:17 PM PDT

Judith Collins | Corrections

Two new Bills introduced into Parliament today will enhance prison security and improve the management of both prisoners and offenders on community sentences, Corrections Minister Judith Collins said. The Corrections Amendment Bill and the Administration of Community Sentences and Orders Bill make a number of changes to the legislation that governs the corrections system. ..

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Appointment made to Architects Board

Posted: 13 Oct 2011 05:16 PM PDT

Maurice Williamson | Building and Construction

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson today announced the appointment of The Hon Sir Hugh Williams to the New Zealand Registered Architects Board. Sir Hugh, a retired high court judge, was an outstanding candidate who will bring value to the Board. “Sir Hugh retains a strong desire to contribute his legal skills to the public and has a long standing interest in architecture. He also has an excellent understanding of the Board’s role and relationship with the New Zealand Institute of Architects,” Mr Williamson says. ..

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Appointments to Chartered Professional Engineers Council

Posted: 13 Oct 2011 05:14 PM PDT

Maurice Williamson | Building and Construction

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson today announced the appointment of Jane Nees to the Chartered Professional Engineers Council. Ms Nees takes up her appointment today for a three year term as the new consumer representative. Current chairman Graham Shaw has also been reappointed for a five year term and the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ) nomination, Roly Frost, has been reappointed for two years. Ms Nees is a Bay of Plenty Regional councillor and is on the Bay of Plenty Regional Transport Committee. ..

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Raising quality in early childhood education

Posted: 13 Oct 2011 03:55 PM PDT

Anne Tolley | Education

Education Minister Anne Tolley says the Government is moving to end the variability of quality in early childhood education (ECE) services and give better information to parents. It comes as the Minister announces the first steps in the Government’s response to the ECE Taskforce report, which received more than 4000 submissions during a two-month consultation period. “The ECE Taskforce emphasised the benefits of high-quality early childhood education for young children’s learning and development,” says Mrs Tolley. ..

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Richard Wood to lead Family Violence Taskforce

Posted: 13 Oct 2011 03:47 PM PDT

Tariana Turia | Social Development and Employment

Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment, Hon Tariana Turia, has welcomed Mr Richard Wood as the new Chair of the Taskforce for Action on Violence within Families. Mr Wood replaces outgoing Chair Peter Hughes, the former Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development. Mrs Turia said Mr Wood has been a very active member of the Taskforce since its establishment in 2005. “He has an excellent knowledge of the Taskforce’s aims, past achievements and the challenges ahead”. ..

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Changes to speed up urban planning in ChCh

Posted: 13 Oct 2011 03:02 PM PDT

Gerry Brownlee | Earthquake Recovery

The Government has made changes to the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement to provide certainty to enable local authorities and developers to make land available for post earthquake residential development, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee announced today. "The region’s planning framework has to accommodate the extraordinary set of circumstances we face in Canterbury following the series of earthquakes over the last 13 months," Mr Brownlee said. ..

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Economic recovery continues in Canterbury

Posted: 13 Oct 2011 02:58 PM PDT

Gerry Brownlee | Earthquake Recovery

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed the latest release of official data showing Canterbury’s economy is making steady positive progress. Today’s release is the fifth since the data sets were first released by the Ministry for Economic Development in June, and shows a number of clear trends. Mr Brownlee said Canterbury had been amazingly resilient over recent months, with businesspeople and employees making small but significant changes in their daily lives. ..

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Nearly 5500 more properties zoned green

Posted: 13 Oct 2011 02:55 PM PDT

Gerry Brownlee | Earthquake Recovery

All Banks Peninsula, except for 20 properties in the Church Bay and eastern Diamond Harbour area, have been rezoned from white to green, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee announced today. "This means these homeowners can now get on with the process of repairing or rebuilding their homes if they were damaged by the earthquakes," Mr Brownlee said. ..

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Turia welcomes legislation for fulltime Disability Rights Commissioner

Posted: 13 Oct 2011 02:19 PM PDT

Tariana Turia | Disability Issues

Tariana Turia, Minister of Disability Issues, is delighted that her original intention to appoint a full time Disability Rights Commissioner to protect and promote the rights of disabled peoples has been upheld with a new bill introduced to Parliament. "In late 2009 I began advocating for a dedicated Disability Commissioner in the Human Rights Commission to promote and protect the rights of disabled people." ..

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WOW Waka officially open

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 10:27 PM PDT

Pita Sharples | Maori Affairs

"Wow factor, that’s what Māori culture promised to deliver to support the nation’s hosting of Rugby World Cup 2011" said Māori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples when the official opening of Waka Māori took place earlier this evening. “Waka Māori will take the Maori cultural contribution to RWC 2011 to another exciting level. "The Opening Ceremony for Rugby World Cup was an incredible statement to the world of who Maori are, as peoples, and as a nation. ..

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Trade Minister welcomes passage of US trade deals

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 10:24 PM PDT

Tim Groser | Trade

Trade Minister Tim Groser welcomed the passage in the United States Congress of the US's Free Trade Agreements with Panama, Colombia, and Korea. The deals were ratified overnight, with (strong) bipartisan support in the United States House of Representatives and the Senate. ..

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