Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed the prompt and unanimous United Nations Security Council Resolution imposing additional sanctions on North Korea.

Resolution 2375 was adopted by the Security Council earlier today, following North Korea’s sixth nuclear test on 3 September.

It is the ninth Security Council resolution to impose sanctions on North Korea, whose nuclear and ballistic missile tests violate previous Security Council directives. It follows Resolution 2371, which was agreed in early August.

“North Korea has shown, time and again, that it poses a real and immediate threat to both regional and international security,” Mr Brownlee says.

New Zealand continues to condemn its provocative actions in the strongest possible terms.”

The resolution adopted today will significantly reduce North Korea’s oil imports, bans North Korea from importing natural gas and exporting textiles, and restricts the number of labourers from North Korea that will be able to work overseas and generate income for the regime. It also allows states to inspect vessels on the high seas suspected of carrying items prohibited by the sanctions regime.

The measures contained in the resolution are estimated to diminish North Korea’s export earnings by as much as USD $1.3 billion.

“This is money that North Korea will not be able to put towards its illegal nuclear and missile programmes,” Mr Brownlee says.

“These new sanctions send a loud and clear message to North Korea that its behaviour will not be tolerated by the international community and will be met with significant consequences.”

“New Zealand has identified the support that we can provide on sanctions implementation in the Pacific. We will also be undertaking prompt steps to implement the new resolution and the measures it contains.”

“New Zealand, once again, joins the international community in calling on North Korea to abide by its international obligations and turn away from its current course,” Mr Brownlee says.

| A Beehive release  ||  September 12,  2017   |||

Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced New Zealand will provide $11.5 million for aviation security in the Pacific, to support trade, tourism and the safety of the travelling public, most of which are New Zealand citizens.

"Pacific island countries must meet global aviation safety and security standards, and this funding will provide passenger and baggage screening equipment that will help them to meet those standards," Mr Brownlee says.

"The aviation package of equipment and training will benefit nine countries over the next five years, and builds on our existing $2.5 million programme to help Pacific island countries to meet their international aviation regulatory obligations.

"As aviation security requirements are regularly increased, upgrades to security processes and screening equipment are necessary.

"The new security package will be provided to signatories of the Pacific Island Civil Aviation Safety and Security Treaty, which include Niue, the Cook Islands, Vanuatu, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Samoa and Nauru," Mr Brownlee says.

New Zealand's aviation support to the Pacific is implemented by the Civil Aviation Authority New Zealand in cooperation with the Pacific Aviation Safety Office.

| A Beehive release   ||  September 8,  2017   |||

Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee will today travel to Samoa to join Pacific Leaders at the 48th annual Pacific Islands Forum, on behalf of Prime Minister Bill English.

“The Forum is an opportunity for Pacific Leaders to make decisions on the most important issues that we face as a region,” Mr Brownlee says.

“As a Pacific nation, New Zealand is committed to working with our closest neighbours where development assistance remains a priority.

“The Pacific is facing a range of regional challenges that no one country can tackle alone.

“The Forum is our opportunity, as a region, to find solutions to those challenges.

“I am looking forward to meeting with Pacific Leaders to discuss important issues from security to trade and from climate change to fisheries management.

“New Zealand and Samoa have a unique relationship based on our Treaty of Friendship, and I am looking forward to attending the Forum under Prime Minister Tuilaepa’s chairmanship,” Mr Brownlee says.

| A Beehive release  ||  September 7,  2017   ||

Trade Minister Todd McClay says the Government has agreed a negotiating mandate to upgrade the China Free Trade Agreement that will deliver thousands of jobs and be worth billions to our economy.

“China is a significant trading partner. Our FTA with China has helped New Zealand companies stay in business during the GFC and keeps Kiwis in jobs,” Mr McClay says.

“We currently have $24 billion of two-way trade with this large economy and impressive growth in education, tourism and goods exports.”

“Trade means jobs - we know 8500 jobs are created in New Zealand from every billion dollars of exports.”

“Upgrading the China FTA will increase trade and deliver more jobs in every region and every city of the country."

Mr McClay says the upgrade priorities for the Bill English-led Government include a better deal for dairy, forestry and wood processing exporters, new rules to enhance online and digital trade and better measures to deal with non-tariff barriers.

"We want to free up access and continue to level the playing field for kiwi exporters," Mr McClay says.

“We have set a joint target of $30b of two-way trade with China by 2020.”

“The upgrade will make it easier for us to hit this significant target. We are committed to delivering for New Zealanders.”

The adoption of this mandate follows MFAT-led consultation and engagement with the public and business. MFAT continues to welcome feedback on the China FTA upgrade via its website.

|  A Beehive release  ||  September 7,  2017   |||

A business initiative that safely disposes of hazardous unwanted refrigerants has had its accreditation as a ‘product stewardship scheme’ extended by the Government, Associate Environment Minister Scott Simpson announced today.

Mr Simpson met with representatives of the Trust for the Destruction of Synthetic Refrigerants to congratulate them on the success their initiative, Refrigerant Recovery, has achieved in safely disposing of hazardous unwanted refrigerants.

Refrigerant Recovery collects unwanted man-made refrigerants from New Zealand’s refrigeration and air conditioning industries. Refrigerants from around the country are shipped to Australia where they are safely destroyed at high temperatures through a process of plasma conversion. The process is highly efficient and produces virtually no emissions.

“Refrigerant Recovery helps to reduce the risk of hazardous compounds such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) entering the environment. If these chemicals get into the environment they damage the earth’s protective ozone layer and contribute to global warming. HFCs are potent greenhouse gases that may be tens of thousands of times more harmful than carbon dioxide,” Mr Simpson says.

“By safely and sustainably disposing of hazardous chemicals, Refrigerant Recovery is helping to mitigate climate change and restore the ozone layer.”

Refrigerant Recovery is also helping New Zealand to meet its international obligations under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. Under the Climate Change Response Act 1996, New Zealand has been phasing out the import of CFCs and HCFCs into the country. HFCs will be next on the agenda, and the Ministry for the Environment recently closed a consultation round on how to phase down HFCs in a response to the recently agreed Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.

In 2010, the Government accredited Refrigerant Recovery for seven years as a product stewardship scheme under the Waste Minimisation Act 2008. Refrigerant Recovery’s reaccreditation for the next seven years means that the Minister has recognised the scheme’s important contribution to reducing the environmental harms associated with disposing of man-made refrigerants.

Product stewardship describes the process by which producers and suppliers take responsibility for their products throughout their entire lifecycle, such as by reusing and recycling products.

| A Beehive release  ||  September 6,  2017   |||

Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee today named diplomat Pam Dunn as New Zealand’s Ambassador to the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"The ASEAN region is a key political and security partner for New Zealand," Mr Brownlee says.

"Ms Dunn will be based in Jakarta alongside our Ambassador to Indonesia, and will work to deepen the trading and political relationship.

"She will also be able to offer New Zealand’s support and expertise in areas such as agricultural development, education, disaster relief, collective security and combating transnational crime.

"Our exports to the 10 ASEAN countries totalled more than NZ$6 billion in the previous financial year, predominantly from goods in the agriculture and forestry sectors but also from services.

"This trade is underpinned by the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA)."

"We hope to grow this significant trade and economic relationship, particularly in education and tourism," Mr Brownlee says.

Ms Dunn was most recently Private Secretary, Foreign Affairs in the office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and has previously worked in Beijing and Shanghai.

| A Beehive release  ||  September 4,  2017   |||

Trade Minister Todd McClay says he is deeply disappointed Queensland is pushing ahead with discriminatory government procurement rules which will unfairly disadvantage and potentially harm New Zealand companies.

Mr McClay has today initiated formal consultations with the Australian Federal Government to fight for the fair and balanced trade access that New Zealand companies have a right to expect across the Tasman.

“Initiating consultations sends a strong message that the Bill English-led Government will not stand by whilst an Australian state government undermines our mutually beneficial relationship,” Mr McClay says.

“The NZ Consulate-General has been engaging with Queensland over the last 2 weeks, however this has not led to a satisfactory outcome. Queensland has confirmed that New Zealand companies will be impacted by its policy from tomorrow.”

“The Queensland Government's policy means everyone comes second. Queensland companies have been welcome to bid for government contracts in New Zealand and under Closer Economic Relations we expect New Zealand companies to be treated exactly the same in Queensland.”

The initiation of CER consultations follows an urgent visit to Canberra by Mr McClay to register his grave concerns with ministerial counterpart Steve Ciobo.

"I am grateful to Minister Ciobo and the Federal Government for taking this issue seriously. We have agreed to a constructive process that protects our important trading relationship."

“Queensland companies continue to provide millions of dollars worth of goods and services to our Government. New Zealand businesses must be shown the same courtesy in Australia,” Mr McClay says.

“Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges has raised his concerns with the Queensland Government under the Australia-New Zealand Government Procurement Agreement.”

| A Beehive release  ||  August 31,  2017   |||

Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges has joined Taranaki councils and the business community to launch an economic development strategy for the region.

The Minister is in New Plymouth today to join the local community at the launch of Tapuae Roa - Make Way for Taranaki, which provides direction for the region’s economy.

“Taranaki’s economy is mostly based on the oil, gas, dairy, manufacturing and other sectors. This strategy will build on this through boosting skills and enterprise to grow Taranaki into a modern, high-value economy," Mr Bridges says.

“While the region has a noteworthy technology profile, the strategy also highlights the lifestyle and culture of the region. The region can be proud of its achievements with the award-winning Len Lye Centre, the coastal walkway, WOMAD and many others.”

The strategy was commissioned by Taranaki’s four councils and was developed by business and iwi leaders, the region’s councils and central government.

It identifies a number of action areas including boosting tourism and visitor services, growing the Maori economy and focusing on improving skills and innovation.

“The opportunities highlighted in the strategy will go a long way to Taranaki continuing its reign as the second best region in the world as voted by Lonely Planet, building on its visitor sector and taking the economy to the next level,” Mr Bridges says.

An action plan currently being developed will be released later this year and will identify priority actions to deliver the regional strategy.

Through the Regional Growth Programme, central government agencies will work in partnership with Taranaki stakeholders to develop and implement the Action Plan.

For more information on the strategy, go to www.makeway.co.nz.

| A Beehive release  ||  August 31,  2017   |||

The Reserve Bank’s monetary policy has been an important driver in the last five years behind above-trend growth in the economy and employment, Reserve Bank Governor Graeme Wheeler said today in a speech.

Speaking to the Northern Club in Auckland, Mr Wheeler said that the New Zealand economy has generally performed well in the last five years.

“It’s been a remarkable five years, especially with the challenges thrown up by the global economy and an over-heated domestic housing market. On the international front we’ve seen increasing use of unconventional monetary policies, sluggish international trade, sharp swings in commodity prices, a continued rapid build-up in global debt, and unexpected political developments in Europe, the UK and the US.

“Back home we’ve experienced the strongest migration surge since the 1800s, probably the longest period of negative tradables inflation since the Great Depression, a 75 percent decline in dairy prices before recovering, a major shift in resources to the non-tradables sector to support the Canterbury rebuild, and annual national house price inflation reached 21 percent.”

Despite these challenges, Mr Wheeler said, GDP growth has averaged 2.8 percent and employment growth 2.5 percent. Both exceed the trend rate of growth for the period of flexible inflation targeting up until 2012. Headline CPI inflation averaged 1 percent due to 4½ years of negative tradables inflation, while core inflation averaged 1.4 percent.

“Over the past five years, the Bank’s monetary policy has been an important driver behind the rate of output and employment growth, and the path of non-tradable inflation and inflation expectations. Long-term inflation expectations remain well anchored at the target mid-point of 2 percent.”

Mr Wheeler said that New Zealand has also had a stable financial system. “LVR restrictions have reduced financial stability risks as house prices became increasingly stretched. Requiring new borrowers to have a greater equity contribution in their house purchases reduced the overall riskiness of banks’ mortgage portfolios.

“Nationwide annual house price inflation has declined to 1 percent due to LVR restrictions, the tightening in bank lending, the rise in mortgage rates and increasing concerns about housing affordability.

“LVRs are not expected to be a permanent measure, but their removal would require a degree of confidence that financial stability risks won’t deteriorate again. However, debt-to-income ratios have risen in recent years, and with the underlying drivers of housing demand (population growth, low interest rates) remaining strong and demand outstripping supply, there’s a risk of a housing market resurgence (and a sharp lift in high LVR lending) if LVRs were removed at this time.”

Mr Wheeler said that, in the absence of major unanticipated shocks, prospects look promising for continued robust economic growth in New Zealand over the next two years.

“The greatest risk we face at this stage relates to the inflated global asset prices and the continuing build up in global debt.

“If growth in the global economy slows, we have some scope to buffer our economy. We’ve greater room for monetary policy manoeuvre than central banks in many advanced economies. Our official cash rate is 1.75 percent – above the zero and negative interest rates of several advanced country central banks – and the Bank has not grossed up its balance sheet by buying domestic assets. With a budget surplus and low net debt relative to GDP, there’s also flexibility on the fiscal policy side.”

Read the speech: Reflections on the stewardship of the Reserve Bank

| A RBNZ release  ||  August 30,  2017   |||

A new $400,000 scholarship programme to build global expertise on climate change, agriculture and food security will boost New Zealand’s contribution to agricultural greenhouse gas research say Climate Change Minister Paula Bennett and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy.

The scholarship, announced today at the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA) Council meeting in Tsukuba, Japan, is a joint initiative of the GRA and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research.

“Finding new ways to reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions is crucial to meeting our ambitious 2030 Paris Agreement targets. This scholarship builds on the $20 million a year we already invest in agricultural emissions,” says Mrs Bennett.

“Our farmers care deeply about our environment and we have some of the best environmental farming practices in the world,” says Mr Guy.

“Given a growing global population, it’s in everybody’s interest that we are successful in producing food more efficiently and sustainably. We need all major food producers and the international scientific community to be fully involved.

“Using science and research is a far more sensible approach for tackling agricultural emissions than that of Labour and Greens who would punish farmers and growers by including them in the ETS. This would add a cost that no other country imposes, and ironically mean that consumers buy more products from overseas farmers who are not as environmentally efficient as us.”

New Zealand funding support will enable up to 40 recipients to be hosted in research centres of GRA partners and member countries over the next three years. New Zealand has been a long standing donor of the CGIAR, most recently committing a further $11 million over two years to its network of research institutes around the world.

For more information see www.globalresearchalliance.org.

| A Beehive release  ||  August 30  2017   |||