NATHAN GUY MP for Otaki - Speech

Urgent Debates - Rugby World Cup—Extension to Queens Wharf Fanzone

nospam@example.com (admin) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:17:00 +1200

Hon NATHAN GUY (Minister of Internal Affairs) : Labour is desperate to get back in the game—absolutely desperate. What we have heard this afternoon is more desperation from Labour members, with their rock-bottom polling results. They are worried about their marginal seats, like that of the previous speaker, Mr Twyford, in Te Atatū. So what are they doing? They are raking over a few of the issues that happened during the opening of the Rugby World Cup, and they are forgetting about all the positive aspects of the Rugby World Cup. They are raking in the mire, trying to score political points and shore up a few votes in the marginal seats of Auckland, in the last dying days of this sitting of Parliament before we move into the true campaign. But I have some news for Labour members: no one is listening to them. Not one person in Auckland is listening to them.

Let us move to some of the positive things. I was there at the opening. It was fantastic. I tell members that we showed what a fantastic culture we have. We showed our Māori and Pacific heritage; we showed the pride we have in sport and also in winning. The fantastic thing is that this was broadcast to over 200 countries around the world. Was it not fantastic when the Prime Minister got up to speak? Practically the whole of Eden Park roared with joy. I thought that was fantastic.

What we are hearing this afternoon from Labour is just what we heard when we had the debate over The Hobbit. They hate The Hobbit; now they are rugby haters. They hate The Hobbit and they hate the Rugby World Cup. What they should think about, in relation to just the first couple of days after the opening ceremony in Auckland, is the fact that it has generated, for retailers up and down the country, $2.8 million of foreign transactions over 3 days—in just 3 days. We all know that we are going to have a huge stimulus from the Rugby World Cup. Yet in the last 2½ to 3 years all we have heard from the other side of the House was: “Where are the jobs? Where’s the stimulation? Where is the regional economic development?”. Now they want to tear down the Rugby World Cup and stamp all over it. They should be ashamed.

Let us think about some of the positives that came out of that opening. April Ieremia wrote in the New Zealand Herald: “better than Olympics … a phenomenal opening ceremony, … I have been to a number of Olympic and Commonwealth Games … and it surpassed them all.” Even the Daily Telegraph had a headline, which read: “Kiwis light up night on and off the pitch”. There is already a sense of carnival taking place.

Yes, there were some issues, and I will talk about those now. I think it is appropriate that the Rugby World Cup Authority steps in and works closely with the council, and with Auckland Transport as well. Yes, there were some issues. Yes, we need to open up more capacity at the waterfront. Yes, there were some issues in transport that have now been addressed. Moving forward, they will be tested this weekend. There will be an extra hundred buses, 400 extra security staff—moving that to a hundred at Britomart—which will be really important, and extra security on those trains. Yes, there is a message that has come out of this: we need to look at getting tourists and New Zealanders to Eden Park in a multi-model system. They cannot expect just to get on trains, because when the trains stop it means that the network stops. So we have to think about getting on the buses also, utilising the trains, and using private vehicles. In some cases tourists and New Zealanders will choose to walk to the ground.

There are a couple of other things that I will conclude with. It is not often that I agree with Trevor Mallard, but this afternoon when I heard him speaking I did agree with one thing. He said that the cultural festival was a damn fine job, and well done to them. I presume what Trevor Mallard was mentioning was the REAL New Zealand Festival. The Lotteries Commission gave $9.5 million to get that off the ground, which is fantastic. It was oversubscribed: there were $74 million worth of applications, and 170 applications were chosen. Up and down the country now we see New Zealanders engaging with the Rugby World Cup, and Rugby World Cup tourists getting off the highway and engaging with provincial New Zealand, and getting involved in some of the activities that are happening from the Far North down to the bottom of the South. They are things like A Taste of Southland, the Whitianga Scallop Festival, and the celebrations in the giant rugby ball that is up in Auckland—these fantastic activities.

Labour wants to tear down the Rugby World Cup and trample all over it. On this side of the House we want to embrace it. We want to celebrate that a hundred thousand tourists are in New Zealand. We will ensure that these issues are sorted out for New Zealanders, and for our visitors. We should be celebrating the biggest event in this country, not dragging it down into a cesspit as Labour wants to do.

NZ Lotteries $3 billion milestone event

nospam@example.com (admin) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:12:00 +1200

Welcome to an event where I promise I will only mention the Rugby World Cup a few times.

We are here today to celebrate another very important national game – and that is Lotto.

Many of you might remember watching that first Lotto draw on 1 August 1987. I certainly do. I brought a ticket and I was pretty excited when I thought I’d won the jackpot.

Instead it turned out I’d won division 5 and got $26, which wasn’t a bad sum of money back in those days.

Of course that first Lotto draw was just a few months after the All Blacks last won the Rugby World Cup, so hopefully tonight’s celebration is a good omen.

Rugby World Cup

Funnily enough, the Rugby World Cup has given us a good example of what an impact lottery funding can have.

Last year we allocated $9.5 million from the profits of New Zealand Lotteries to help fund the REAL New Zealand Festival. This is a fantastic idea that was originated by Martin Snedden, and involves a nation-wide series of community and cultural events to coincide with the Rugby World Cup.

Just about every corner of New Zealand is involved in some way, and you can’t walk very far around most towns and cities without seeing the exhibitions, performances and displays.

Over 170 events received lottery funding. These include:

•The giant rugby ball on Auckland’s waterfront
•performers and stalls around Eden Park
•music and film displays
•concerts and plays
•a range of festivals including ‘A Taste of Southland’ and the Whitianga Scallop festival.

I think these events have really helped ignite the World Cup at a grassroots level, and make it an event for all New Zealanders.

Things have certainly changed from 1987 when the World Cup was a much smaller event by comparison.

Role of NZ Lotteries

NZ Lotteries was established by the Government in that year to raise money for the community and give New Zealanders the chance to gamble safely and responsibly.

As Judy said, NZ Lotteries has the job of raising the funds, which are then transferred to the Lottery Grants Board for distribution to various committees and statutory bodies.

Lottery grants provide vital backing for a range of social, community, arts, heritage, sports, recreation, and health research activities, all of which have a positive impact on our communities.

A large amount of funding also goes to the three statutory bodies.

This money helps the Film Commission support films that are made here in New Zealand by New Zealanders – including recent successes such as Billy T: Te Movie and My Wedding and Other Secrets.

Creative New Zealand helps thousands of artists, arts events, art works, literature and performances every year. One of those artists, a talented musician, Daniel Hayes, kindly performed for us on the piano tonight.

Sport and Recreation New Zealand use their allocation to help more New Zealanders take part, support and win in sport and physical recreation.

In total, last year more than 3,000 community groups and individuals received funding to help us achieve the vision of building strong, sustainable communities in New Zealand.

Helping Christchurch

In addition, $8.2 million was raised for the Christchurch earthquake appeal through a special purpose Lotto draw in March this year, and a further $6 million was also allocated to the appeal fund from profits distributed by the Lottery Grants Board.

This money will be hugely important as the Christchurch community begins rebuilding.

The biggest-ever profit transfer was a staggering $189.3 million in 2008/09, thanks to some major jackpot luck that year.

Since that very first Lotto draw in 1987, a staggering $3 billion has been raised for the community. This is a major achievement and one that deserves celebrating tonight.

At the end of the day, it is all about the community. That is why lotteries were introduced in New Zealand and it is the reason the Lotteries Commission exists.

I would like to thank the Lottery Grants Board and their team of committees, who have worked hard over the past twenty four years to distribute lottery funds to an incredible range of projects that have a real impact in the community.

I’d also like to thank all New Zealanders who have had the fun of playing a lotteries game in the last twenty four years and who make a donation every time they purchase a ticket.

Lastly I would like to thank the staff and Board of NZ Lotteries on achieving the $3 billion funds milestone.

Now can I ask Todd McLeay, chief executive of NZ Lotteries, to conclude the formalities with a few words.

Road User Charges Bill — Second Reading

nospam@example.com (admin) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 13:21:00 +1200

Hansard Link

Hon NATHAN GUY (Associate Minister of Transport) on behalf of the Minister of Transport: I move, That the Road User Charges Bill be now read a second time. I thank members of the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee for their hard work on this bill. I acknowledge the chair, David Bennett, and his team.

Road-user charges are paid by users of diesel vehicles as their contribution to the development and maintenance of New Zealand’s road network. This bill brings about the most significant reform of the road-user charges system since it was introduced in 1978. The bill aims to simplify and modernise the system, provide the opportunity for lower compliance costs, and reduce the level of road-user charge evasion.

The bill was referred to the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee in February. The committee considered 41 submissions and heard 20 submitters, and has recommended a number of technical changes to the bill. I believe that the bill is better for these changes. A focus for submitters was the provisions of the bill that move the road-user charges system from one based on a vehicle’s actual gross weight, as nominated by a vehicle’s operator, to one based on a vehicle’s maximum permissible on-road weight. Operators will now be charged according to the capacity of their vehicle rather than an estimate of its total weight. The costs being recovered will effectively be averaged across similarly sized vehicles. I do appreciate that some submitters are concerned about what this means for the road-user charge that they pay. Overall the change will be revenue-neutral, but invariably there will be some winners and losers.

Road-user charge rates will be set in regulations issued under the new legislation, and the Ministry of Transport will consult with those affected on the content of these regulations.

Assigning each vehicle a fixed road-user charge weight will make purchasing road-user charge licences easier and reduce operating compliance costs. It will also eliminate weight-based error and fraud in the purchase of road-user charge licences. The committee has recommended a change to clause 12 of the bill, to provide greater flexibility for individuals operating vehicles at weights above their normal maximum limit to pay their additional road-user charge. A redrafted clause 12 provides two options for purchasing a road-user charge for vehicles operating overweight. This flexibility reflects the variation in circumstances under which vehicles may operate with overweight or high-productivity permits.

The committee also recommended changes to the record-keeping requirements in the bill, to ensure a balance is struck between retaining records that are needed to make an assessment of a person’s road-user charge obligations and the cost of holding those records. The committee has limited the scope of records to be kept and the duration for which they must be retained, ensuring that the bill creates no unreasonable compliance costs.

A number of submitters interpreted provisions in the bill as making electronic distance recorders mandatory for heavy vehicles. This is not the case. The bill provides an improved regulatory framework that will enable—not mandate—the use of technology. Operators will continue to have the choice of using an electronic system or continuing with the paper road-user charge licences and hubodometers.

The reformed road-user charge system will be supported by new regulations made under the bill. As I mentioned previously, the Ministry of Transport intends to consult with those affected on the content of the regulations.

Finally, I would like to ask the House to consider at the appropriate time a Supplementary Order Paper that will make minor improvements and correct a number of minor errors and omissions.

In conclusion, I say this bill will simplify and modernise the road-user charge system. It will reduce compliance costs for operators, eliminate the scope for error and fraud in the purchase of road-user charge licences, and simplify enforcement and administration requirements. I commend this bill to the House.

The Future of Government ICT

nospam@example.com (admin) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 10:28:00 +1200

Good morning. It's great to be here with so many ICT professionals from both the public and private sector.

I have apologies from the Minister of Finance Bill English, who is very interested in this subject and wanted to be here, but unfortunately has commitments in Auckland this morning.

It’s not often that we have the opportunity to get so many Chief Executives, Chief Information Officers, and ICT industry thought leaders in one room together.

If we could harness all the brain power and innovation sitting here today, we could transform government and work wonders for New Zealand.

And that is exactly why we’re here today.

This morning I’m very proud to launch the new Government ICT Roadmap. Before I get to that though, it’s worth reflecting on how we’ve got here, and some of the success we’ve had along the way.

Minister’s thoughts on ICT

In 2008, when this Government came into office, we recognised that ICT offers huge potential to deliver government services more efficiently and effectively. Doing a better job with less has been one of our key goals.

We also knew we needed to have better oversight of the $2 billion dollars the Government spends every year on ICT.

We formed a committee of Ministers, chaired by the Minister of Finance, to set the direction and oversee our investment into ICT.

We’ve had some very interesting discussions and come up with some important principles that I’d like to share with you.

As Ministers, we want visibility. We want to see and understand big projects early on in the process. We’re also interested in having independent oversight of larger projects.

Clear goals and quick progress are also important.

In the past, a number of large projects have taken years to progress from business case to delivery. By the time they’ve finished, the problem has evolved or the solution has become outdated.

Ministers have talked about what we like to see in business cases. In my opinion, there are several key features a business case should have:

•A strategic context
•Value for money
•Strong timelines for delivery
•An exit strategy if the project isn’t delivering.
We’ve discussed different ideas around funding, such as partial government funding for shared service-type models. We’ve also discussed the idea of making smaller payments more frequently for projects, once key milestones have been met.

Directions and Priorities for ICT

These discussions helped us produce “Directions and Priorities for Government ICT,” a major new framework which was adopted by Cabinet in October 2010.

This has five clear objectives:

•to provide clear leadership and direction,
•to support open and transparent government,
•to improve integrated service delivery,
•to strengthen cross-government business capability, and
•to improve operational ICT management.
It requires agencies and officials to work together:

•to better manage their ICT investment,
•to improve services to the public and businesses of New Zealand,
•and to recognise the critical place of online service delivery.
We also recognised that leadership was crucial. We redefined the role of the Government Chief Information Officer, and asked officials to work on proper oversight for this project.

To this end, a group of senior Chief Information Officers was selected to form the Government ICT Council. We have been lucky to have Sam Knowles as the independent Chair, bringing his skills and experience to the table.

The Directions and Priorities for ICT require that government has a roadmap for its intentions.

ICT Roadmap

This roadmap, which we are launching today, has been developed by government agencies, for government agencies.

This is not a fixed plan, but something that will be constantly reviewed and will evolve over time.

As we know, ICT is an area that moves and changes very quickly. We can’t pretend to know it all, and we have to be flexible.

In the past, government engagement with the ICT industry happened through a rigid procurement process, where all the requirements were predefined and locked in.

Now we are asking government officials to engage with the ICT industry early – ideally, as soon as possible after identifying a need.

This engagement with industry must be inclusive, and open to all who have innovation and value to add.

The Government ICT Roadmap provides a vehicle for agencies and industry to collaborate and innovate. It makes clear our intentions, but allows room for us to be guided and shaped by industry.

Partnership

The initial focus is on common ICT capability. These are ICT services that are made available to the whole of the state sector.

This includes network and infrastructure services, but will increasingly include services that improve the inter-operability of governments systems.

The end result of this will be better services for the public, at a lower cost.

Another area of focus is the sharing of business systems.

Rather than purchasing systems independently, the government would prefer that agencies work together to buy systems that can be more widely used. I’m pleased to see this is increasingly happening.

Within the Department of Internal Affairs, the CIO has established a team that is working alongside the Ministry of Economic Development’s procurement reform programme.

We also want to see greater partnership between government and the ICT industry to question, develop and evolve our plans, and to build capability.

As part of this increasing engagement, today I am also pleased to announce a new programme called, “Open Door to Innovation.”

This programme, which we will be piloting for one year, includes a standing invitation to the industry for product and service concept proposals that align with the Roadmap, and demonstrate real value.

We will ensure that these proposals are carefully considered and that feedback is provided for each. We believe this will be useful to industry, giving them more of an insight into the needs of the public sector.

You can read more about this at www.ict.govt.nz.

This will complement other procurement work being done, including that by the Ministry of Economic Development. They are doing excellent work streamlining and standardising processes and contracts.

Successful programmes

I want to acknowledge some of the early successes in this area involving cooperation between industry and the public sector.

For example, all-of-government contracts for desktop and laptop computers, as well as multi-functional print devices are estimated to save taxpayers around $60 million dollars over the next five years.

126 agencies have already signed on to the desktop and laptop contracts, and 86 are getting their printer hardware through this syndicate. These agencies are all receiving better service, for less money, than ever before.

We’ve seen good success with “one.govt”, the common government data network, which has achieved 134% growth in the last year and is reducing costs to the 25 agencies involved. We expect to see a wide range of new services on this network soon.

As part of Budget 2011, the Government announced further funding for the igovt programme.

igovt provides a common identity service, which will makes it easier for New Zealanders to access government services and also reduces costs for agencies. We now have 30 services integrated, and this number is increasing rapidly.

We’ve also announced our intention for a partnership with New Zealand Post, who will then make a version of igovt available to the private sector.

Once again, this has involved extensive engagement with private industry.

Last but not least, we have “Infrastructure as a Service”. This is a major initiative that will provide the foundation for a range of new services – the beginning of a “Government Cloud”.

We are on track to announce the successful partners next month, and by early 2012, “Infrastructure as a Service” will be a reality for 10 agencies that represent the majority of government processing and storage demand.

Again, we’ve used a highly collaborative process to ensure that our approach was right and that it could be delivered effectively and efficiently.

Finally, one of the ICT Directions is “supporting open and transparent government”. This means ensuring that taxpayers’ investment in data is able to be reused for the benefit of the economy, and society, as a whole.

Over the last year we have delivered data.govt.nz, a portal for reusable government data and NZGOAL – a licensing framework for government information.

I’m very pleased to tell you that on Monday, the Minister of Finance Bill English and I announced the Declaration for Open & Transparent Government.

This sends a strong signal that this government is serious about making the government’s public data more widely available than ever before, and unleashing its potential for the benefit of all New Zealanders.

Conclusion

When the Government set out Directions and Priorities for Government ICT in 2010, we knew it was a big ask.

We knew it would challenge both agencies and industry alike. But as you can see, we’ve made real and tangible progress.

Already we are seeing better services for the public, and better value for money.

While this Roadmap outlines the future of Government ICT, we’re here today because but it also requires your input to shape and realise this goal.

The future depends on all of you, and your willingness to innovate, collaborate, and take part.

Congratulations to all of you on this achievement. I look forward to sharing many more moments like this with you in the very near future.

Thank you.

Announcement of Poet Laureate 2011 - 2013

nospam@example.com (admin) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 16:30:44 +1200

Ladies and Gentlemen - welcome to Parliament today.

It's my pleasure to be your host today as the Minister Responsible for the National Library.

It was just two years ago that many of us were here to announce the outgoing Poet Laureate, Cilla McQueen, whose poetry we've just shared.

That was my first official event as the Minister Responsible, so it's an event I remember well.

I want to thank and congratulate Cilla for the work you have done over the last two years. An important part of the role of Poet Laureate is to raise awareness of poetry, and to encourage the enjoyment and appreciation of this art. You have certainly done that.

I enjoyed hearing you speak and recite at the official opening of the National Library's new Auckland centre last year.

This Award also allows us to record the way in which the Poet Laureate creates their poetry, as well and preserve the works themselves in written, verbal and now digital form.

For a small country, New Zealand has produced some great poets who have become well-known and well-loved both here and overseas. Their work has become a part of our history, our culture and identity.

I can remember when I was at High School in Levin, hearing Sam Hunt perform at our school. He turned up in his V8 with his dog by his side, and he blew us away with his raw energy and the power of words.

As the father of three young children, I know how much they enjoy stories and poems and the fun you can have with words. That sense of adventure and exploration with language is something we should never lose as we grow up.

Of course the position of Poet Laureate is a very prestigious role. Some of our previous laureates include Bill Manhire, Hone Tuwhare, Elizabeth Smither, Brian Turner, Jenny Bornholdt and Michelle Leggott.

For the next two years the new Laureate will have a range of important duties. They will produce a collection of poems, be a voice at cultural events, raise awareness and appreciation of poetry, and archive their work with the National Library.

Our next Poet Laureate is an accomplished and highly regarded poet, and who has made an outstanding contribution to New Zealand poetry.

Today I'm very proud to announce the New Zealand Poet Laureate for 2011 - 2013 is Ian Wedde.

Ian was born in Blenheim and brought up in East Pakistan and England. He graduated MA with first class honours from Auckland University and is a prolific author.

He has published fourteen collections of poetry, six novels, two collections of essays, a monograph on the artist Bill Culbert, several art catalogues, and numerous chapters in edited books.

Other awards he has received include:

•National Book Awards for fiction and poetry
•an Arts Foundation Laureate award
•a Distinguished Alumni Award at the University of Auckland
•an ONZM in the Queen's Birthday Honours
•and the Landfall Essay Prize.
Congratulations Ian for this new and exciting role. We look forward to you taking on the prestigious mantle of Poet Laureate, and continuing the strong tradition of all those that have been before you.

Tena koutou katoa. Thank you.

Forest and Rural Fires Association (FRFA) Annual Conference

nospam@example.com (admin) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 16:27:00 +1200

Thank you for inviting me to speak at your Conference. It’s a pleasure to be here in Dunedin.

Before I start, can I congratulate Dave Adamson, the Southland District Council Chief Executive, who has recently received a Queen's Service Medal for services to the New Zealand Fire Service.

Dave has been the local government representative on the National Rural Fire Advisory Committee for 11 years and led the establishment of the Southern Rural Fire Authority.

On top of that, Dave also has served as chairman of the Fire and Rescue Services Industry Training Organisation (now known as EMQUAL) and helped develop the National Rural Fire Authority's strategic plan.

Today I’d like to give you an update on some issues facing rural fire services, over the last year and into the future.

Enlarged Rural Fire District Strategy

One of the priorities for me since becoming a Minister two years ago has been the Enlarged Rural Fire District Strategy, and I’m pleased to report it’s progressing well.

The first new, enlarged district came into being on the 1stof July this year. This is a merger of the Far North District Council, Department of Conservation and forest company assets, with the Fire Service involved as well.

I understand that Marlborough/Kaikoura will be the next area to see a merger.

In other areas, Rural Fire Steering Committees have been set up to lead discussions. I’m hopeful we’ll see a lot more progress in the future.

I receive regular updates from Murray Dudfield and I’m impressed with the effort that people are putting in.

Conference Theme

This strategy fits in well with your conference theme - “Firefighters – Recruitment, Training and Retention.”

We all know that resources are stretched in some Fire Authorities. By combining resources we can improve how we manage our people, and how we tackle challenges in the future.

The most important resource Fire Authorities have is their staff. They are the repository of local knowledge; they know about fire behaviour, and they know their local communities.

This willingness to serve has to be supported. Not just by the communities and employers, but by a structure that can develop and retain the staff we need.

The Enlarged Rural Fire District Strategy provides a framework for Fire Authorities to look at their current resources and what, if any, changes need to be made.

Consideration of how to attract and retain staff should be an important part of this process.

Volunteers

When it comes to fighting fires, volunteers are crucial in both urban and rural areas.

We are lucky in New Zealand to have people willing to serve their communities as firefighters, and in roles that support the firefighters.

The Fire Service Commission is undertaking a study of volunteer involvement and Rachel De Haas will be talking to you this afternoon about it.

This is an important study because volunteers make up 75% of firefighters.

This will provide some in-depth analysis of the current situation of volunteers, and give us a firm basis for decision-making around volunteers.

This study should provide an important resource for the ERFD Steering Committees when considering the role of volunteers.

Earthquakes

This time last year, I spoke to your conference about some of the major rural fires such as the Mt Allan fire near Dunedin and in Northland.

Back then, none of us could have guessed the challenges that lay ahead. None of us could have seen how emergency services would be dominated by one place - Christchurch and one word - earthquake.

Rural Fire services played a valuable role in the response to the earthquakes and I want to thank you and your members for that.

An NRFA National Incident Management Team was deployed, and volunteer rural fire forces were deployed by the Fire Service, or in some cases deployed themselves.

4 wheel drives were given to USAR teams, and fuelling trailers and water tankers were also put into use.

I see there are speakers today and tomorrow talking about the role of Rural Fire in the Christchurch earthquakes.

We saw that times of crisis bring out the best in people. Christchurch certainly was a time of crisis and we saw the best of New Zealanders to the fore.

Once again, we saw just how much people depend on emergency services in times of need.

All firefighters and rural fire managers can be proud of their role in responding to the needs of the people of Christchurch during those days of need.

Pike River tragedy

Rural fire also had a role in the other major tragedy of the last twelve months.

Many people might not realise that the Pike River Coal Mine is in a Rural Fire District.

The 28 November blast set fire to the vegetation surrounding the ventilation shaft, and a National Incident Management Team was deployed to help contain this fire.

Of course, this tragedy had a much bigger impact on the Fire Service than just the fire.

The Ngahere Brigade lost its Deputy Chief Fire Officer Milton Osborne in this tragedy.

Firefighters also lost loved ones - Kane Nieper was the son of Brian Nieper, the Deputy Chief Fire Officer in Reefton, and David Hoggart was the son of Tony and Christine Hoggart from Foxton.

Vegetation Fires

Of course, in addition to these disasters we’ve also had the usual workload of rural fires to deal with.

Surprisingly, even though we’re in the middle of winter months, two extended wildfires have occurred close to Christchurch.

The bigger event was on Banks Peninsula in early July where over 400 hectares of planted natural forest was lost. In addition, last week just west of Christchurch 130 hectares of young plantation was destroyed.

There were other major fires over the summer including mosquito gully in Kaipara, Waiuku in the Auckland Conservancy, Ashworth in Canterbury and the Papatotara Complex in the Southern Rural Fire District.

New Commission Chair and Member

We’ve also seen some major changes in leadership over the last 12 months.

Just a few days ago, on 31 July, Dame Margaret Bazley retired as Chair of the Fire Service Commission and I have appointed Wyatt Creech to replace her.

David McFarlane is the new Deputy Chair, and Angela Hauk Willis is the new member of the Commission.

Dame Margaret has achieved a great deal in her 12 years. Under her leadership the Commission has recognised the importance of its role as the National Rural Fire Authority, and improved the grants system to assist Fire Authorities.

Fire History

Finally, I want to mention that the NRFA, with input from FRFANZ members, has commissioned a book on the history of rural firefighting in New Zealand.

This will be a great tribute to the efforts of firefighters over the generations, and a way of honouring those who have come before. I’m looking forward to seeing a copy.

All the best for the rest of your conference.

Aviation Industry Association Conference

nospam@example.com (admin) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 16:23:00 +1200

Good afternoon and thank you for the opportunity to say a few words today.

This morning you’ve already heard from the Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson, and I’m sure you would have welcomed her decision on landings at Milford Sound aerodrome.

As we know, the weather already provides a natural limit on the number of flights.

I think it is a sensible, balanced and common sense decision. It shows faith in the aviation industry to come up with solutions.

On that note, I would encourage operators to enrol in the AIA Aircare programme, and to work collaboratively with DOC on mitigating noise levels in National Parks.

Today I’d like to cover some important areas of government work that impact directly on your industry.

The theme of your conference this year is “Innovation and Growth”, and it’s a very fitting one.

The aviation sector has proven itself to be very resilient over the last few years, as we’ve come through the worst recession since the 1930s.

This year we’ve also had devastating earthquakes in Christchurch and Japan, and the recent ash clouds which have caused a lot of disruption and frustration.

But despite all these challenges, the aviation industry in New Zealand remains in good shape.

Our international visitor numbers have held up well. For the year ended May 2011 there were 2.5 million international visitor arrivals, up 1 percent or 25,258 on the previous year.

When you consider that aviation contributes nearly $10 billion to our GDP, we can’t overstate just how important this sector this is.

Aviation connects us with the world, bringing in tourists and business people, and moving imports and exports.

Regulatory reform programme

One of the best things the government can do to support innovation and growth is to reduce red tape wherever possible, while making sure the regulation we have is the best it can be.

Since coming into office we’ve carried out a number of regulation reviews across a range of portfolios.

As part of this, in December last year the Ministry of Transport kicked off a major reform programme.

The aim is to improve the way transport performs this role, and acknowledge that poor regulation can place a real burden on business.

Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of Rule development is a big part of this work. I understand officials from the Ministry will brief you more about this tomorrow.

In any event, I can assure you that John and Irene keep me well informed of regulation issues facing your industry.

The Ministry is currently working on an assessment of the key issues identified by the AIA and I expect to receive recommendations shortly on a way forward.

International air transport policy

The Ministry is also carrying out a review of New Zealand's international air transport policy.

It’s been 13 years since this policy was last examined, and a lot has happened in that time.

We’ve negotiated some of the most liberal and flexible air services arrangements possible with other countries, and many open skies agreements have been put in place.

It has certainly maximised our trade and tourism benefits. Many more tourists have enjoyed our country, more Kiwis have travelled and more people throughout the world have been able to purchase our goods.

At the same time though, we’ve also seen the global challenges of terrorism, pandemics, volatile fuel prices and the worst recession in generations.

Given all of this, we think the time is right now for a review to make sure we are maximising economic development, while being responsive to change.

International Air Passenger Duty

On the subject of international aviation, the New Zealand Government has made a submission to the United Kingdom on changes to its International Air Passenger Duty.

This has placed extracosts on passengers travelling to New Zealand from the UK, and if traveller numbers fall there will be flow-on effects for many parts of the industry.

We’ve worked alongside a number of industry stakeholders in preparing this submission, in a good example of collaboration.

Prime Minister John Key also raised the issue with British Prime Minister David Cameron a few months ago, and we are hopeful of a good outcome.

CAA reviews and change programme

This is also a period of change for the Civil Aviation Authority.

As I’m sure you’re aware, they are tackling a number of challenges – changes to their regulatory approach, modernising their funding, and improving their governance and performance.

The CAA Board’s value-for-money Review has confirmed that New Zealand has some of the safest and most secure skies in the world, but at the same time it has recognised the need for improvements.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce and myself have sent clear signals of our expectations in this area, and we have met regularly with the CAA Board to discuss progress. In addition, we’ve strengthened the Board with four new appointments in the past 12 months.

Ultimately, it is up to the Board to lead and manage the change process along with CAA management, and I’ve sensed a real determination to build momentum and make these changes work.

Further reduced passenger security charges

I’d like to end with two pieces of good news.

From 1 July this year passenger security charges will decrease from $10.22 to $8.00 [GST inclusive] per departing international passenger, and from $4.45 to $3.70 [GST inclusive] for each departing domestic passenger.

Over the last two years, international charges have dropped by a total of $7.00 and domestic charges by just under $1.00.

Of course this won’t reduce the level of security provided at airports, but it will ensure value for money.

The reductions will eliminate a forecast $27 million of accumulated surpluses by July 2013, while leaving the agreed $7.5 million contingency reserve in place to meet any unexpected costs.

While charges will need to be gradually increased again from 2013/14 once the surpluses have been eliminated, there will be an incentive for the Aviation Security Service to keep costs low so that any future increases can be minimised.

Rugby World Cup 2011

Finally, of course, we have just two months to go until the Rugby World Cup kicks off.

It goes without saying that this event is a huge opportunity for New Zealand. We're expecting around 85,000 international visitors, many of them from Australia and the UK - our two biggest existing overseas tourist markets.

These travellers will be moving widely around the country to support their teams. Your industry will have a lot of involvement, whether that’s getting them from game to game, or taking them out for a scenic flight.

Every aspect of what we do as hosts will contribute to the impression visitors have of their time here.

We need to make sure all our visitors receive a warm welcome and have a great time here. This will be a unique opportunity to promote New Zealand around the world.

Conclusion

So you can see that the last 12 months have been a busy period for the aviation industry, and for the government’s role as enabler and regulator.

It’s very important we get all of these things right. A good framework for governance will mean better regulation and only where it’s needed.

It will mean international air policy that supports economic development, a CAA change programme that is well underway, and better value for money for services.

It’s an ambitious list, but we are up for the challenge and I look forward to continuing to work with the industry in achieving this.

Thank you for the chance to speak today and I wish you all the best for the rest of your conference.

Ceremony to recognise Canterbury firefighters

nospam@example.com (admin) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 16:19:00 +1200

Good evening and welcome. Can I acknowledge all the dignitaries, local MPs and Mayors, and Fire Service senior staff with us tonight.

It was just over six months ago that many of us gathered in Ferrymead for a similar function, presenting certificates for your efforts after the 4th September last year.

None of us could have imagined that a far greater challenge was ahead.

The events of 22 February were something that you train and prepare for, but at the same time hope you never have to deal with – least of all in your home town.

It’s been a long and tough few months since then, but tonight it’s important we reflect on the outstanding efforts of every firefighter.

We saw that times of crisis often bring out the best in people.

Many firefighters suffered serious damage to their own homes, but didn’t hesitate to rush off and help others.

I know that many off-duty staff went straight to their local stations to help out however they could.

I read some remarkable stories of heroism and I know there were many more unreported.

This is a tribute to the spirit of the Fire Service, and to you all as individuals.

What impressed me was the sense of community, and how quickly everyone came together for the common good.

There were 70 live rescues performed by the Fire Service, and thousands of callouts for the Fire Service dealing with a huge range of tasks. This included everything from demolishing chimneys and checking buildings, to simply reassuring people who had been through a terrible experience.

Reassurance

Often, just the sight of uniformed personnel on their vehicles gave comfort to people.

I also want to pay tribute to all the preventive work done by the Fire Service. As power began to be restored, the risk of fire was recognised and communicated to the public.

The public’s appreciation for your efforts was clear to everyone during the official memorial service held in Hagley Park in March. I don’t think anyone who was there will forget the standing ovation given to USAR and other rescue workers.

This public’s gratitude has been shown in a number of ways, from the smoked fish delivered by the Marlin Bay Fishing Club, to the free use of motor vehicles and offers of accommodation from around the country.

And, of course, the ever present home baking and cooking that was dropped off to stations by so many people.

I myself was sent down here with two boxes of homemade fruitcakes, made by some caring Waikanae ladies in my electorate who wanted to help.

I’d like to pay tribute to firefighters from around the country who helped out, allowing many of you to take well-deserved breaks and look after your own families.

There was also great support from the United Fire Brigades’ Association, who worked with the Fire Service on creating a welfare programme. I’m told that 244 grants were paid to firefighters to help them through.

This was an international event and at one stage we had 600 USAR workers from around the world based in Latimer Square.

The praise from foreign teams shows that we can hold our own on the international stage.

The request from Japan for the USAR team to deploy there following the Tsunami reflects that.

Tonight is an evening to recognise those of you on the frontline who did such an outstanding job, but can I briefly mention two people who have played important parts and who will be standing down from their respective roles later this year.

Dame Margaret Bazley has Chaired the New Zealand Fire Service Commission since 1999. One of the key decisions the Commission made was the appointment of a Chief Executive and National Commander of the New Zealand Fire Service - Mike Hall.

For the last ten years Dame Margaret and Mike Hall have had a vision of a New Zealand Fire and Rescue Service. They strived to put in place the tools – the training and equipment – to achieve that vision. The introduction of the new Hazmat vehicles was a good example of that.

The response to 22 February is a measure of how well that vision has become a reality.

Presentation

It gives me great pleasure to now present the Certificates of Commendation to the representatives of each Fire Brigade.

Bravery Awards to members of NZ Fire Service

nospam@example.com (admin) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:16:00 +1200

Good afternoon and welcome to the Beehive.

It’s a real pleasure to host this event here in Parliament today, where we celebrate the achievements of two firefighters who have been recognised with New Zealand Bravery Awards – Mervyn Neil and Peter Hanne.

These awards are announced in April of every year and recognise people who place their own safety or life at risk to help others.

It’s no great surprise that firefighters are often recognised, along with police and other emergency workers. These are demanding and sometimes dangerous jobs, based around helping people in need.

Most of us in our day to day life aren’t called on to display bravery, but for firefighters it is regularly tested. Certain people are drawn to the role because they have the courage to face danger, and the character to do it well.

Merv Neil

Merv, today you’ve been awarded the New Zealand Bravery Decoration for your courageous actions during the fire at the Icepak Coolstores in Tamahere.

Most of us know the details of what happened on that fateful and tragic day for the Fire Service.

Merv was seriously injured in the major explosion, but he insisted on taking charge of the situation and helping other injured firefighters. When he finally left the scene, 40 minutes after the explosion, he was taken to hospital where he spent 10 weeks in a coma.

I know that your colleagues deeply appreciated your actions on that day.

I also know that your recovery has taken a long time, but it has been astounding. I’m told you have made a real impact on others in Waikato hospital with your support and inspiration.

No doubt your brigade can’t wait to have you back on board.

Peter Hanne

We also have Peter Hanne here today who received the New Zealand Bravery Medal for rescuing a truck driver when his vehicle slid down a bank.

Peter risked his life to get the driver out of the cab while truck was threatening to fall into the river.

He crawled under and through the wreckage to reach the cab, and smashed the window with a wheel brace. He then helped the driver out of the truck and up the riverbank to safety.

It would have been easy to have waited for emergency services to arrive, given the truck was in a precarious situation and could have slipped at any time.

The driver was so grateful that he wrote to the New Zealand Herald asking for Peter to receive an award for his bravery.

All of this occurred before Peter joined the Fire Service as a volunteer Fire fighter, but of course we are still very proud of you Peter.

You told me today at Government House that your experience during that rescue inspired you to join the Fire Service, which is great to hear.

These days a firefighter is just as likely to attend a car accident or medical emergency as a fire, so your experience Peter will stand you in good stead.

Peter is exactly the kind of person the Fire Service needs, and I’m sure he has a long and distinguished career as a firefighter ahead of him.

Recent emergency events

As we all know, the last 12 months have been pretty tough for New Zealand and firefighters in particular.

Tragically, the Fire Service lost one of its own in the Pike River tragedy.

The major earthquakes in Canterbury have also had a serious impact on firefighters, along with the rest of the region. I know some lost friends and family, and a number have lost their homes.

Despite their own losses, firefighters showed a tremendous spirit of service and turned out for duty without hesitation.

They displayed their courage time and time again, in so many different ways. The February earthquake was the biggest event ever dealt with by the Fire Service and they did us proud.

Next week I’ll be in Christchurch with Dame Margaret and Mike Hall to present certificates to recognise this extraordinary effort.

Community respect

As Minister – and a local MP – I’m well aware of how much respect the community has for its firefighters. This was really brought home to me last year at a function to thank the people of Tamahere for their role during the coolstore fire.

On that day, members of the public didn’t hesitate to run towards the danger when they realised that firefighters were injured and needed help.

I know they were proud to have been able to help the people who do so much to help them.

Support of fellow firefighters

Another thing that has always impressed me about the Fire Service is the support that firefighters give each other. I’ve been told many times that the best part of the role is the camaraderie, the feeling of being part of a team, with people you can rely on.

Within a brigade, firefighters need to trust each other every time they attend a callout.

Merv, I know that you’ll enjoy being back with your mates again.

And Peter, I’m sure you’ll enjoy being a part of the team.

Congratulations again to both on you on your awards – New Zealand is very proud of you.

Speech to the launch of three new National Diplomas in Aviation

nospam@example.com (admin) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 15:07:00 +1200

Good evening and thank you for asking me to say a few words tonight.

It’s great to be here to celebrate an important milestone for New Zealand aviation training.

Importance of the aviation industry

I’m sure most people in the room tonight know just how important the aviation industry is to New Zealand.

A report by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise showed this sector contributed $9.7 billion to GDP in 2009. We rely on aviation to connect us with the world, to bring in tourists and business people, and for imports and exports, so that we can earn a living in the world.

All of this means that it’s essential our airline industry is safe, well-governed and prepared to cope with uncertainty and risk.

About the qualifications

The new qualifications we are launching tonight will reinforce the world-class standards we have in these areas.

I understand that Elizabeth Valentine will talk a bit more about the diplomas in a moment, but I just want to acknowledge the real collaborative effort made in bringing them to life.

Aerosafe’s involvement, as international experts in aviation risk and safety management, has ensured these qualifications reflect the latest best practice and international standards.

The ATTTO has coordinated the development and registration of these qualifications, and made sure they are up to the standard required for national qualifications.

The diplomas have the support of the Aviation Industry Association, and are endorsed by the CAA.

What’s more, these are the first safety management qualifications designed especially for aviation to be quality assured and registered by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA).

It’s great to see an industry working together, and investing in its own success by building the skills of its people.

This shows a real maturity in New Zealand’s aviation industry.

Benefits of qualifications

This is also a world first for aviation to bring together a formal national qualification in regulatory governance, oversight and safety management systems.

These three qualifications set the bar internationally and position us as a global innovator and leader. This is something to be very proud of.

From a business perspective, they will bring many benefits.

Risk management is not just about complying with the minimum standards. It’s also about building better, stronger businesses that are prepared for the unexpected. These qualifications will help in that.

Designing the diplomas for those at senior levels will help build a stronger and safer aviation sector from the top-down.

It’s estimated there will be a minimum of 100 to 200 trainees per year signing up for one of these diplomas.

It also complements a lot of the work CAA is doing on developing Safety Management Systems, or SMS Rules, which will come into effect over the next two years. These will help businesses focus even more on better risk management.

Conclusion

Can I finish by congratulating you on developing the world’s first formal national qualifications in these areas.

This really is a milestone for New Zealand aviation. It’s great to see us leading the way in safety and risk management.

Thank you.

Speech to the New Zealand Airports Association

nospam@example.com (admin) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 15:03:00 +1200

Good evening and welcome to Parliament tonight.

Tonight I’d like to say a quick few words about the importance of airports to New Zealand, and update you on a few important issues.

Volcanic ash

Obviously it’s been a disruptive week for air travel in New Zealand with the volcanic ash from Chile affecting flights.

The Civil Aviation Authority is keeping close eye on conditions and doing a good job of monitoring the situation.

Based upon information provided by CAA and MetService, airlines are making their own decisions on how they adjust their flight routes and schedules to avoid the ash clouds.

Safety of course is the primary goal.

Unfortunately, a new ash plume is approaching from the south-east and may affect us more over the next few days. We expect the ash particles to remain in the sky for at least the next six days.

It’s a frustrating time for many travellers and operators. Sadly, as we know, Mother Nature has been making life difficult for many New Zealanders this week.

Tourist numbers

As a nation, we know that New Zealand relies on air travel to connect with the world and to make a living.

We rely on tourism and trade, and our 31 airports around the country play a crucial role in that.

It’s been a tough few years for the aviation sector around the world but New Zealand has come through reasonably well.

Our visitor numbers have held up well. For the year ended April 2011 there were 2.5 million international visitor arrivals, up 1% or 25,273 on the previous year.

Given the circumstances, with the stuttering world economy and major earthquakes in Christchurch and Japan, this is a pretty good result. It shows just how resilient aviation and tourism has become.

As the economy improves over the next few years, I think your industry has exciting prospects.

RugbyWorld Cup 2011

Of course, this year New Zealand is hosting our biggest sporting event ever with the Rugby World Cup.

This is a huge opportunity. We're expecting around 85,000 international visitors, many of them from Australia and the UK which are our two biggest existing overseas tourist markets.

Many tourists will be passing through our smaller regional airports, as well as the major international terminals, as they follow their teams in 13 different venues.

Convention centre

Another exciting development is the planned international convention centre in Auckland. The government is negotiating with SkyCity, and we expect this will be a major economic boost for the entire country.

Of great interest to your industry will be the increased visitor numbers, and in particular the high value business travellers coming here for conventions and conferences. This is a lucrative international market that so far we haven’t been able to fully tap into.

We expect it will attract around 33,000 new delegates a year into New Zealand, with a boost to the economy of around $90 million a year.

I know Auckland Airport are excited about this and it will have real benefits for the rest of the country too.

Trans-Tasman travel

As some of you may know, the government has been working to improve Trans-Tasman passenger processing.

Already,SmartGate kiosks are being used by Australian and New Zealand biometric passport holders arriving at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch airports.

SmartGate has been introduced for departures at Auckland Airport, and we hope to see it in use for departures at Wellington by the end of this month and at Christchurch by the end of next month.

Risk-managed, direct exit biosecurity lanes are also in use at these airports.

Of course there is still more we can do. Australian and New Zealand officials are working together to find improvements that would mean trans-Tasman passengers enjoy an airport experience similar to domestic travellers.

A final report on potential improvements is due by the end of June 2011 and subject to Border Sector Ministers’ approval, further work could then be carried out.

I understand the Airports Association and other key stakeholders have helped officials with this concept of a “domestic-like” experience for trans-Tasman passengers, and no doubt your expertise will be called on again in the near future.

Air Services Review

At the bigger picture level, there are two important reviews happening that I’m sure you are aware of.

The Ministry of Transport has begun work on a review of New Zealand's international air transport policy.

We want to make sure it’s supporting economic development, and that we are responsive and flexible to change.

The last time this policy was restated was in 1998, with the goal being to being to maximise economic benefits to New Zealand, including trade and tourism.

Through this policy we’ve sought to negotiate the most liberal and flexible air services arrangements possible with other countries. A whole range of new agreements, including many open skies agreements, have been put in place over the last 15 years.

It has meant increased opportunities for airlines, more tourists into the country and has helped many New Zealanders see the world.

It’s been a dramatic few decades for the aviation industry. We've seen rapid growth, but we've also had global challenges such as terrorism, pandemics, volatile fuel prices and the worst recession in generations.

We've also seen continuing expansion of global airline alliances, and a trend towards regional, rather than bilateral, air services agreements between governments.

Given all this, we think the time is right for a review of the current policy.

CAA funding review

The Civil Aviation Authority is also carrying out an important funding review. It’s looking at how the Authority has been funded for the past 15 years, and developing a set of options for the future.

The CAA needs to keep up to date on developments in aviation technology and become a more risk-focused regulator.

Submissions closed in November last year, and these will be considered in detail by the CAA before a final recommendation is made to the Minister of Transport.

Conclusion

Finally, thank you for the good work done by the Airports Association. Your industry is very important to New Zealand and it’s important we have your involvement in developing policy and strategies.

Thank you for coming and enjoy the rest of the evening.

Christchurch citizenship ceremony speech

nospam@example.com (admin) — Wed, 25 May 2011 15:02:00 +1200

Tēnā koutou katoa, good evening.

Citizenship ceremonies are held regularly around New Zealand, but I think everyone realises that tonight’s event here in Christchurch is something special.

After what has been a hugely difficult and traumatic few months for Christchurch, I hope that tonight will show the commitment and spirit of this great city, and of our newest New Zealanders.

Can I thank you all for waiting for this ceremony to be held. As I’m sure you understand, over recent months the city council and the Government have been focussed on the response and recovery efforts.

Applications for citizenship have been transferred and processed at other offices, but unfortunately these public ceremonies have been delayed. Your patience has been appreciated.

Receiving your certificate tonight is the final, symbolic step in becoming a New Zealand citizen. Congratulations to you all. I am proud you have chosen to make our home, your home.

Citizenship is the final step in the journey to becoming a New Zealander and brings with it many benefits. You can now receive a New Zealand passport and enjoy visa-free travel to many countries on it.

Citizens have full economic rights, full access to education, can stand for public office and can represent New Zealand in sport.

It means additional rights and responsibilities, and you will be more aware of this than many of those born here.

For many of you, becoming a New Zealand citizen was not a straightforward decision.

Migrating to a new country is never easy. Many of you will have had to learn a new language, new customs, and a new way of life.

I know some of you here will have to give up the citizenship of the country of your birth. That cannot be an easy decision to make.

On top of this, many - if not most - of you have chosen to make Christchurch your home.

This is a powerful gesture, and an important vote of confidence in Christchurch. It is a sign of the resilience, determination and courage that this city has shown the world in recent times.

On behalf of the New Zealand government, thank you for committing to Christchurch.

You are joining the New Zealand family now, after having lived through some of the darkest moments in our recent history. Your personal experiences of the earthquakes are now part of our collective experiences as a nation.

I encourage you to take an active part in the community and the rebuilding efforts, and I’m sure that many of you already are.

Of course, this doesn’t undermine the importance of your homeland, your heritage, your culture and traditions. Our society is made up of immigrants and we welcome the diversity you bring.

Congratulations and thank you again for committing to our country, and to Christchurch.

We are proud to welcome you as fellow New Zealanders.

Speech to the launch of the Aircare Accreditation Programme

nospam@example.com (admin) — Tue, 10 May 2011 14:56:00 +1200

Good evening and thank you for inviting me to launch the AIRCARE Accreditation programme. I’m delighted to be launching such a positive and significant programme.

The AIRCARE risk management programme and compliance regime are an excellent example of the aviation industry collaborating with its stakeholders, including the Department of Conservation, to integrate quality safety and environmental practices.

Important outcomes will be to protect the future of New Zealand’s environment, increase positive safety outcomes and provide sustainability for our valuable aviation sector.

A new initiative of the AIRCARE programme is the noise abatement programme. A significant beneficiary of this code of practice is our important tourist industry.

One year ago the Aviation Industry Association’s Helicopter Association identified noise as the biggest threat to aviation sustainability.

Because of their initiative and hard work, in close cooperation with the Department of Conservation, we now have a noise abatement code that will help us live up to New Zealand’s successful 100% Pure brand.

When walkers are experiencing the views, forest and birdlife of Fiordland’s magnificent walks, or the serenity of Milford Sound, silence really is golden.

Yet sightseeing flights over spectacular and beautiful national parks are also highly important to the tourist experience.

The AIRCARE Noise Abatement Code of Practice, based on the international Fly Neighbourly Program, brings together the need for a quiet airspace over noise sensitive areas with operators’ business needs for security of access.

Of equal importance to noise abatement is agricultural aviation which is a key contributor to New Zealand’s vital farming and forestry sectors.

The three agricultural aviation industry’s codes of practice have been in operation since 1997 but have struggled to gain traction. The AIRCARE brand has been a perfect vehicle to rebrand and refresh these important codes.

Another significant event taking place tonight is the signing of a contract for Sustainable Farming Fund finance to write guidance notes for regional council planners based on the codes of practice that make up the AIRCARE Environmental Management System.

The guidance notes will sit on the Ministry for the Environment’s Quality Planning website and provide an excellent reference for local government planners writing rules for aviators under the Resource Management Act.

For the industry this should mean that more consistent rules are written that can be readily complied with.

The new AIRCARE SMS Manual for the first time brings together Flight Safety Management and Environmental Safety Management under a single Safety Management System.

I know that this initiative has meant huge investment in time and hard work from AIA members.

There’s been a lot of consultation with government agencies such as DoC and other stakeholders.

I congratulate the AIA and the aviation industry for their farsighted approach and for seeking win-win outcomes in partnership with national and local government.

The AIRCARE programme demonstrates aviation’s commitment to:

•respecting the environment, in a business friendly way
•taking a long term sustainable view of its industry
•and increasing safety outcomes for both flight safety and the environment through a robust risk management process.
Along the way we should get productive outcomes for both central and local government and the aviation industry.

And on that very positive note, I’d like to launch the new AIRCARE accreditation programme.

Speech to the Whareroa Farm Official Opening

nospam@example.com (admin) — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 10:56:00 +1200

Thank you for inviting me here today to the official opening of Whareroa Farm. First can I offer apologies on behalf of Hon Kate Wilkinson, Minister for Conservation, who is unable to attend today due to a prior engagement in the South Island.

This day has been a long time coming and I know that the Kapiti community in particular has been looking forward to this, but it has been worth the wait.

Thanks to Kapiti Coast District Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council and NZTA. And thanks to contractors who have put in place tracks, the car park, information shelter and other infrastructure.

This partnership has also provided the Emerald Glen road extension to McKays crossing, allowing a safe crossing for the residents of Kaitawa in Paraparaumu onto SH1.

Thanks are due to the Whareroa Guardians Community Trust for working in partnership with the Kapiti Wellington Area of the Department of Conservation since 2009 to make the Farm ready for today’s opening.

More than 200 volunteers gave their time and energy to this project, including planting 30,000 native. Without the Guardians, coordinated by Ann Evans, we wouldn’t be here today.

Native forest remnants, extensive water courses and wetland areas are being restored here at Whareroa Farm. The Guardians and DOC are planning education projects to highlight cultural, historic and biodiversity value of the area.

Locals will tell you how precious this place is to them. It will continue to be a place to walk, picnic and explore, and to see farming and conservation working side-by-side. It’s great for kids to know where their food comes from.

It has new walking, mountain biking and horse-riding tracks, providing a link between the Akatarawa Forest to the east and Queen Elizabeth Park to the west.

Before Alexander Mackay began farming the land in the 1850s, Whareroa was important to Maori for cultivation and pa sites. During WWII the Farm was used as a training and recuperation camp for US marines.

There are many people who came before us who have lived and worked on this land, making it what it is today. Today we also pay tribute to them.

Today we’re here to celebrate Whareroa as public land - an asset on the Kapiti Coast that the community can be really proud of - especially as it is the community that have worked so hard to get it to this stage.

The Kapiti Coast is one of the fastest growing regions in New Zealand and things seem to be happening in this part of the world.

Late in 2008 I turned the first sod on the rail extension to Waikanae, which is now up and running.

Of course we also have Air New Zealand flights from Paraparaumu beginning later this year, Transmission Gully and a new Expressway. This is an exciting time for our region.

I was watching the Royal Wedding last night and thinking about Prince William’s visit to Kapiti Island last year, when he released a kiwi into the wild. Next time he might bring Kate to Whareroa farm!

On behalf of the Government, congratulations to all those involved in organising this event and working over the years to prepare Whareroa Farm for future generations to enjoy.

Financial Review Debate

nospam@example.com (admin) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 12:16:00 +1300

In Committee

Hansard Link

Hon NATHAN GUY (Minister of Internal Affairs) : I start off by remembering the people of Christchurch. We are a month on from the terrible earthquake of 22 February. I think the whole Committee offers its support for Canterbury to get back on its feet, particularly those residents of Christchurch and those businesses.

The reason I raise this is that over the last week we had the memorial service in Hagley Park. The Department of Internal Affairs was directly involved through the Visits and Ceremonial Office in organising that event. I think it did a fantastic job. If we went out to the private sector and asked it to organise an event in a park for in the vicinity of 90,000 to 100,000 people and said it had a bit over a couple of weeks to do it, it would go into panic mode. In my opinion, the Visits and Ceremonial Office did a fantastic job.

Thinking about the terrible loss that occurred just over the hill from Christchurch at Pike River, the Visits and Ceremonial Office stepped up and organised that memorial service for that community. It was difficult to organise that memorial service because of the logistics and the location, but once again it stepped up and did a fantastic job.

The Department of Internal Affairs operates across eight votes and six Ministers, and had close to $230 million expenditure over the 2009-10 period. It encompasses citizens, the Government, and the community. A lot goes on within the Department of Internal Affairs that a lot of people do not necessarily realise happens. We have rolled out the new passport, which enables people to get into 50 countries visa-free and has 50 security features. We have the very high performing Births, Deaths and Marriages, which is trusted by New Zealanders. We are also talking about New Zealand citizenship, with 20,000 to 30,000 citizens heading through that process. The department is trusted by a whole lot of New Zealanders.

I was interested in listening to the address from the Labour member. I would have thought he would talk about the integration of the National Library and Archives New Zealand into the Department of Internal Affairs, because that was a huge issue to Labour last year, but we did not hear anything about that. That integration has gone fantastically well. It was interesting to read in the report from the Government Administration Committee, which is before the Committee today, that: “The powers of both the Chief Archivist and the National Librarian are enshrined in statute”. That was a huge concern of the Opposition. I believe that the integration has gone fantastically well.

I look forward to welcoming the new National Librarian, who will start in early May. William McNaught—

Hon Christopher Finlayson: Puke Ariki.

Hon NATHAN GUY: That is right. He comes to this new role highly respected. He is the former manager of the Puke Ariki library visitor information centre in New Plymouth. In fact, I visited there over the summer holidays and I was really impressed. I look forward to establishing a great working relationship with Mr McNaught. I also look forward to carrying on the ongoing strong working relationship I have with the Chief Archivist, who was in an acting role and who has now been appointed to a permanent role. That, of course, is Greg Goulding.

As I say, there has been nothing tonight from Opposition members about the integration, which was a big issue last year. Opposition members ran around and said that it would not work. We have a real focus on front-line services and combining back-office functions, and this integration is a very important part of that. I note that when we announced the merger the New Zealand Public Service Association (PSA) welcomed the protection of these statutory roles and the efforts of this Government to reduce fragmentation in the public sector.

Hon John Carter: The PSA accepted it.

Hon NATHAN GUY: Mr Carter is right. The PSA welcomed it.

Hon John Carter: What about the Opposition?

Hon NATHAN GUY: Opposition members have their heads in the clouds. We have just heard the rant from the member for Rimutaka. He should be particularly worried about the new National Party candidate who has been selected for that electorate, Jonathan Fletcher. Mr Hipkins should get used to the sound of knocking, because Mr Fletcher has been out today knocking on doors and getting a fantastic response in that electorate. It is probably only a matter of time—a few months—before Mr Hipkins says goodbye to this place.

The other important thing I wish to raise is the focus of the Department of Internal Affairs on digital information. We have a real focus on ensuring that all of the department’s information is more accessible to the New Zealand public. That suits the Government’s focus on rolling out ultra-fast broadband, ultimately to every home in New Zealand. Many, many fantastic areas of digitisation and technology are happening in the Department of Internal Affairs. Recently in the igovt logon service the 1,000,000th log-on occurred.

The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Rick Barker): I am sorry to interrupt the member but the time for this debate has expired.