Trade Minister Todd McClay will make the first official visit to Thailand by a New Zealand Minister since 2013 to engage with key ministers and business leaders on trade.

“Thailand is now our eighth largest trading partner. Since the Thailand New Zealand Closer Economic Partnership came into force, total goods trade has increased almost 150 per cent to more than $3 billion in 2016,” Mr McClay says.

“Many New Zealand companies have benefited from better access, but there is opportunity to further increase goods and services exports.”

During the two day visit, Mr McClay will sign an agreement increasing the volume of New Zealand dairy products that can enter Thailand under a preferential tariff rate.

Mr McClay will also sign the official book of condolence on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand, for the late King, His Majesty Bhumibol Adulyadej.

“New Zealand has a 60 year diplomatic relationship with Thailand, but our economic relationship has been growing rapidly. We look forward to deepening our economic relationship with this important member of the ASEAN region,” Mr McClay says.

| A Beehive release  || July 23, 2017   |||

Defence Minister Mark Mitchell has held talks today with Japanese State Minister of Defence Kenji Wakamiya, who is conducting an official visit to New Zealand.

“Japan is an increasingly important defence partner for New Zealand,” Mr Mitchell says. “We have a defence relationship underpinned by our common democratic values, and the fact we are both maritime nations vulnerable to natural disasters.

“The New Zealand Government was immensely grateful for the support the Japan Self-Defense Forces provided us after the Kaikoura earthquake last year,” Mr Mitchell says.

New Zealand and Japan are also strongly committed to maintaining regional peace and security.

“In addition to exploring new ways for our defence forces to work together, Minister Wakamiya and I exchanged views on security issues facing the Asia-Pacific region,” Mr Mitchell says.

Minister Wakamiya’s visit to New Zealand follows Mr Mitchell’s meeting with Japanese Defence Minister Tomomi Inada at the Shangri-La Dialogue in June, and Prime Minister Bill English’s counterpart visit to Japan in May. The frigate HMNZS Te Kaha also recently undertook a port visit to Tokyo.

| A Beehive release  || July 21,  2017   |||

The Government will co-invest up to $600 million alongside local councils and private investors in network infrastructure for big new housing developments through a re-purposed ultra-fast broadband company, Finance Minister Steven Joyce and Local Government Minister Anne Tolley say.

“Crown Fibre Holdings will be re-named Crown Infrastructure Partners, and bring the investment skills and experience gained through the Government’s world-leading ultra-fast broadband rollout to the job of attracting private investment in roading and water infrastructure that open up big new tracts of land for more housing development,” Mr Joyce says.

"Crown Infrastructure Partners will set up special purpose companies to build and own new trunk infrastructure for housing developments in return for dedicated long term revenue streams from councils through targeted rates and volumetric charging for use of the infrastructure by new residents.”

“This innovative new funding method will be made available to cash-strapped councils who are struggling to fund new long-term infrastructure from their own balance sheets,” Mrs Tolley says.

“Councils will have the option of buying back the infrastructure at some point in the future, but won’t have to commit to doing so. This is all about introducing outside capital to build this infrastructure, so current ratepayers don’t get burdened with all the costs of growth.”

Two of the earliest projects to be assessed by Crown Infrastructure Partners for investment will be the Auckland North and Auckland South projects previously submitted by Auckland Council as requiring investment outside the Council’s own balance sheet.

“These two large projects can provide an additional 5,500 homes in Wainui to the north of Auckland, and 17,800 homes across Pukekohe, Paerata and Drury to the south of the city,” Mrs Tolley says.

Mr Joyce says the Government is prepared to be an investor alongside the private sector and take up some of the early uptake risk.

“We learnt from the ultra-fast broadband programme that if we de-risk some of the early stages of the investment, we can bring in private sector investors to take on much of the heavy lifting as the investments mature,” Mr Joyce says. “We would expect the Crown’s investment in each project to be matched with at least one to one with private sector investment over time.”

“This new model is another way in which we are helping Councils in our fastest growing cities to open up more land supply so more Kiwis can achieve the goal of home ownership,”

Mr Joyce says it forms part of our comprehensive programme for lifting housing supply to meet the needs of a confident growing country.

“Crown Infrastructure Partners is the logical next step in infrastructure funding following the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund which will deliver 60,000 houses across our fastest growing population centres over the next ten years.

Crown Infrastructure Partners (CIP)Questions and Answers

What is Crown Infrastructure Partners?

CIP is a Crown company (formerly Crown Fibre Holdings) that is being tasked with designing and implementing new commercial models to attract co-investment from the private or other sectors and achieve the Government’s objectives for the efficient deployment of water and roading infrastructure to support the timely increase of housing supply.

The aim is to increase the total investment in local arterial roading and network water projects needed to make more housing development possible by tapping private sources of capital.

Why repurpose CFH as CIP?

A number of corporate structures were identified during the review phase. Establishing a . . .  

Continue to read full article here . . . A Beehive release  || July 23, 2017   |||

Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced diplomat Jonathan Schwass as High Commissioner to Vanuatu.

“New Zealand and Vanuatu have close and long-standing ties,” Mr Brownlee says.

“In the last year, more than 4,000 Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) workers from Vanuatu were in New Zealand – representing about 40 per cent of the total workers in the scheme.

“The RSE scheme has been an enormous success over the last decade and, at an estimated $20 million a year for those 4,000 workers, the earnings have a significant effect on livelihoods in Vanuatu.

“Mr Schwass will lead the delivery of New Zealand’s Official Development Programme in Vanuatu, helping to oversee $82 million of investment over three years with a focus on tourism, agriculture, renewable energy and education,” Mr Brownlee says.

Mr Schwass is currently Unit Manager of the South East Asia Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was previously Ambassador to Timor-Leste.

| A Beehive release  ||  July 18,  2017   |||

Corrections Minister Louise Upston says an initiative between Corrections and Horticulture New Zealand is proving beneficial to the department’s goal of turning offenders’ lives around.

Following the successful first year of a pilot programme in Hawke’s Bay that was established to help ex-prisoners and community-based offenders find sustainable employment in the horticulture industry, Corrections and Horticulture New Zealand are now looking to expand the initiative into the Bay of Plenty.

The agreement supports training packages that help prisoners become work-ready for employers and offer permanent career opportunities in horticulture to prisoners once released.

“This initiative has been a win-win and Corrections is appreciative of the support and leadership provided by the horticulture sector, which is helping change the lives of offenders and providing renewed hope for their families,” Ms Upston says.

“The pilot provides practical training for eligible prisoners who want a career in horticulture and will stay within the Hawke’s Bay area upon release. It allows prisoners to leave prison with meaningful skills and qualifications, it provides the industry with trained and qualified employees that will help fill continued labour shortages which will in turn benefit the community.

“Three ex-offenders have found employment through this partnership in the horticulture industry to date. While the number of placements appears small, new individual employer partnership agreements have been signed with four other large horticulture employers who want to support this initiative,” Ms Upston says.

Horticulture is New Zealand’s fourth largest export industry with a turnover of $5 billion. The industry has set itself a target of achieving an industry value of $10 billion by the year 2020. To achieve this target, the industry will need to attract a significant number of trained and qualified horticultural staff to fill a recognised shortage in permanent roles across the country, but especially around the East Coast, Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Northland, Manawatu, Nelson/ Marlborough, and Central Otago.

| A Beehive release  ||  July 19,  2017   |||

Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee has confirmed that United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson will visit New Zealand from 23-25 July.

“New Zealand and the United Kingdom enjoy a close and enduring friendship,” Mr Brownlee says.

“We share extensive defence and security links as well as significant business and investment ties.

“We also have a common interest in a range of international peace and security matters.

“We welcome Secretary Johnson’s visit as an opportunity to strengthen our close relationship at a time when the United Kingdom is seeking to reshape its relationships around the world following its decision to leave the European Union,” Mr Brownlee says.

While in New Zealand, Secretary Johnson will meet with Prime Minister Bill English and senior ministers, the Leader of the Opposition and participate in a ceremony to dedicate the United Kingdom memorial at the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park.

| A release from the Beehive  ||  July 14, 2017   |||

New regulations gazetted today will help revolutionise the way New Zealand’s commercial fisheries are managed and monitored, says Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy.

The regulations require the use of geospatial position reporting (GPR), e-logbooks, and cameras across the commercial fishing industry and are being rolled out from 1 October this year.

“Digital monitoring is going to revolutionise the way we make fisheries management decisions, and help ensure that we are protecting the sustainability of New Zealand’s fisheries. It will give us arguably the most transparent and accountable commercial fishery anywhere in the world,” says Mr Guy.

“This new technology will provide more accurate and up-to-date information allowing us to make quicker and better-informed management decisions.”

Digital monitoring replaces the paper-based catch and effort reporting system for commercial fishing, which was too inefficient. Fishers will be required to provide more detailed information in their reporting and all data will be integrated by MPI so that what is reported can be compared to the GPR data and camera footage.

“The reality of the industry has too often meant that what happens at sea has been out of sight. We expect this new system will act as a significant deterrent to illegal activity, as the information it captures can and will be used by MPI for prosecutions when the rules are broken.”

The first two stages of digital monitoring – GPR and catch reporting via new e-logbooks – will be brought in from 1 October this year, with cameras phased in to each fishery from 1 October 2018.

Trawl vessels 28 metres and over will be using the GPR and e-logbooks from 1 October, representing over 70 percent of the commercial catch volume. All other operators will have a 6 month period to install the new systems.

“This is the biggest change to the commercial fishing industry since the introduction of the Quota Management System, and I have instructed MPI to support the industry to achieve full implementation and compliance over a six-month period.

“By 1 April 2018 all fishing permit holders will be required to be fully compliant with the GPR and e-logbook systems.”

Digital monitoring is part of the Future of our Fisheries programme, which is strengthening the fisheries management system and making it fit-for-the future. The programme also includes ongoing policy work to help ensure sustainable fisheries.

This year’s Budget included a boost of $30.5 million in funding over the next four years to support these improvements.

More information on this new system and the Future of our Fisheries programme is available at www.mpi.govt.nz/futureofourfisheries.

| A Beehive release  ||  July 13,  2017   |||

Science and Innovation Minister Paul Goldsmith today announced a new Regional Research Institute based in Greymouth that will use innovative research and manufacturing techniques to unlock the potential of New Zealand’s minerals resources.

The New Zealand Institute for Minerals to Materials Research led by industry organisation Minerals West Coast Trust, is the third successful proposal under the Government’s initiative to establish new Regional Research Institutes.

“Mining is and will continue to be an important part of the West Coast’s economy, its history, and its DNA,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“The new institute’s strategic vision is to reposition this traditional sector using innovation to convert minerals into higher-value products which will begin a new chapter in the history of the West Coast.”

The Government will provide funding of $11 million over four years for the new institute. With additional funding from industry, it will operate as a private, independently governed organisation.

The institute will explore three research areas initially, including purifying rare earth elements for use in magnets and lasers, extracting tungsten from gold mining waste and developing a carbon foam pilot plant.

“This research has the potential for significant commercial outcomes and economic benefits for the West Coast region including jobs, new infrastructure and export revenue,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“The institute will bring together players from the minerals and materials sectors, an economic development agency, Ngāi Tahu, and research organisations. All of which demonstrates a strong, cohesive collaboration with significant support from the wider community and iwi.

“I look forward to seeing the institute get started and what innovations it can produce for the benefit of the Coast,” Mr Goldsmith says.

The announcement of the new institute through the Regional Research Institute initiative comes as the West Coast launches its Tai Poutini West Coast Economic Development Action Plan. The West Coast was included in the Government’s Regional Growth Programme in November 2015. The programme aims to increase jobs, income and investment in regional New Zealand. More information can be found on the MBIE website, HERE.

| A Beehive release  ||  July 13,  2017   |||

Today The Fletcher School at Tufts University in Boston released their latest Digital Evolution Index which, again, puts New Zealand as a standout nation. The report identifies New Zealand as among the digital elites characterised by high levels of digital development and a fast rate of digital evolution.

"I am delighted to see that New Zealand is, for the second time, at the top of the world when it comes to the outstanding progress we have achieved in providing government services to our citizens via digital platforms.

“The Digital Evolution Index reflects the hard work we’ve been doing over the past few years on government’s digital transformation, and in creating an enabling environment that fosters innovation and active collaboration between agencies and the private sector to provide better public and private services for New Zealanders.

“Our appetite for innovation has resulted in digital solutions that benefit people from all walks of life. It raises the bar for providing New Zealanders with services – both from government and the private sector – that are available digitally and on demand," says Minister for Internal Affairs Peter Dunne.

The report also reinforces New Zealand’s position as a digital leader. Along with other D5 nations the United Kingdom, Estonia and Israel, New Zealand has been named in the report’s “digital entrepôt” standout group.

This group is described as ‘among the best positioned to compete by establishing a self-reinforcing ecosystem, fostering smart societies of the future, attracting global investments and talent, creating a demonstration effect for the rest of the world as to what the future might look like, and exporting their digital innovations around the world’.

“It’s great to know that our efforts to deliver better public services through digital transformation are being acknowledged as among the best in the world by esteemed international bodies and researchers.

“We’ve made great progress in our digital journey by making it easier for New Zealanders to access services when and where they need it, but we must not rest on our laurels.

“We must continue to innovate and harness the power of digital solutions to build on our gains and deliver even better services to New Zealanders," Mr Dunne said.

The Fletcher School at Tufts University latest Digital Evolution Index report can be found here: https://sites.tufts.edu/digitalplanet/files/2017/05/Digital_Planet_2017_FINAL.pdf

Peter Dunne -Internal Affairs

| A Beehive release  ||  July 13,  2017   |||

New changes to update kiwifruit regulations and help future-proof the industry will come into force on 1 August 2017, Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy has announced today.

“These changes were announced last year and will help ensure the industry is best structured for future growth,” says Mr Guy.

New amendments to the Kiwifruit Export Regulations will:

• allow Zespri shareholders to consider setting rules around maximum shareholding and eligibility for dividend payments;
• clarify the activities Zespri can undertake as a matter of core business; and
• enhance the independence and transparency of the independent industry regulator, Kiwifruit New Zealand.

“These changes will give Zespri more options for promoting the ownership of its shares by active kiwifruit growers.

“They will give Zespri greater certainty for investing in activities such as research and development and in the marketing of New Zealand-grown kiwifruit, and ensuring that Kiwifruit New Zealand has the skill sets it needs to robustly consider collaborative marketing applications.

“These amendments won’t change the industry’s ‘single desk’ export framework, but will provide more certainty for Zespri’s shareholders and growers.

“These regulatory updates are the Government’s response to the industry’s self-review of its performance through the Kiwifruit Industry Strategy Project.”

Kiwifruit sales from New Zealand have reached record levels with 137.7 million trays sold in the year to March 2017, worth over $2 billion in export revenue. Global sales revenues are forecast to reach $4.5 billion by 2025.

| A Beehive release  || July 11,  2017   |||