Latest Parliament Headlines [Page 2]
WoF frequency changes from January 2014
Friday, 9 August 2013, 10:18 am | New Zealand Government
Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee says changes to the Warrant of Fitness inspection system which will save New Zealanders $1.8 billion over 30 years, agreed by Cabinet in January this year, will be introduced in two stages. More >>
Bill English didn’t ask Rio for a jobs guarantee
Friday, 9 August 2013, 10:10 am | New Zealand Labour Party
Bill English never even bothered to ask Rio Tinto for a jobs guarantee and as the ink was drying on the $30 million cheque Rio was proposing to cut 30 jobs, showing this Government has been walked over yet again, says Labour’s SOEs spokesperson ... More >>
McCully to lead 2013 Pacific Mission
Friday, 9 August 2013, 9:06 am | New Zealand Government
Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will lead a delegation to Papua New Guinea, the Papua New Guinea Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu next week for the 2013 Pacific Mission. More >>
Questions and Answers - August 8
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 5:53 pm | Office of the Clerk
Education, Skills and Employment : Does he stand by his statement that the Household Labour Force Survey is “the standard internationally recognised measure of employment and unemployment”? More >>
Cunliffe wrong on snapper proposals
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 5:29 pm | New Zealand Government
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy says Labour MP David Cunliffe is completely wrong in his claims that changes to the commercial quota for Snapper 1 are off the table. More >>
Turia: Turama Health and Disability Conference 2013
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 5:19 pm | New Zealand Government
I want to acknowledge the unique status of your organisation – the only Cook Islands Health Network – a vital network established from the foundation laid by the Cook Islands Nurses Association over two decades ago in 1991. More >>
No relief from house price rises under National
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 5:15 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
Labour will not sit by and watch the relentless rise in house prices push home ownership ever further out of the reach of young New Zealanders, Labour Leader David Shearer says. More >>
Infant formula update 5
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 5:06 pm | New Zealand Government
Health Minister Tony Ryall and Food Safety Minister Nikki Kaye confirm there have been no reported cases of infant botulism in New Zealand to date. More >>
Minister must shoulder the blame for MPI’s mistakes
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 4:35 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy must take responsibility for a series of mistakes involving his ministry which have damaged our export reputation, Labour’s Primary Industries Spokesperson Damien O’Connor says. More >>
Teapot Tape Revelations Outrageous Says Peters
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 3:49 pm | New Zealand First Party
The partial revelation of the teapot tape investigations by Police today show an outrageous disregard of procedure and legal process, says Rt Hon Winston Peters. More >>
UFB and RBI programmes exceed year two targets
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 3:42 pm | New Zealand Government
Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams has today released the year two report on the Government’s ultra-fast broadband and rural broadband programmes, which shows the target for both initiatives has been exceeded. More >>
Otago unemployed number hits 22 year high
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 3:38 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
Otago now has the largest number of unemployed people since 1991 yet Steven Joyce is living in a dreamland by claiming he’s ‘very positive’ about Dunedin’s future, Labour’s Economic Development spokesperson David Clark says. More >>
Nathan Guy facing the wrath of Kiwi fishers
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 3:15 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
Nathan Guy is facing the wrath of thousands of Kiwis after bungling his Snapper quota consultation, Labour’s Fisheries spokesperson David Cunliffe said today. “By proposing drastic cuts to the recreational snapper bag limit from nine fish to three ... More >>
Why not wholly independent reporting, Minister?
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 2:39 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
Amy Adams’ announcement of the government’s intention to establish an ‘in-house’ environmental reporting system is a back-down by National on its promise to have truly independent reports, says Labour’s Environment spokesperson, Maryan Street. More >>
Stepping Things Up For Tāmaki Makaurau
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 2:36 pm | The Maori Party
The Māori Party MP for Tāmaki Makaurau is showing no sign of slowing down, with the official opening of a new office in Manurewa to be held this Sunday. Dr Pita Sharples has sent out a pānui to the people of Tāmaki Makaurau extending a hand ... More >>
State house insulation programme wrapping up
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 1:46 pm | New Zealand Government
Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith today visited one of the last state houses in Auckland to be insulated under Housing New Zealand’s nationwide insulation programme. More >>
NZ Govt must send message to Russia over discriminatory laws
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 1:03 pm | Green Party
The Government needs to support gay New Zealand Olympian Blake Skjellerup and call for the repeal of homophobic laws ahead of the Winter Olympics in Russia, said Green Party rainbow spokesperson Jan Logie. More >>
Govt breaks promise on independent environment reporting
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 12:29 pm | Green Party
The Green Party is worried about politicisation of the state of the environment reporting announced today because the reporting will be done by the Ministry for the Environment rather than independently by Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE), ... More >>
Denniston decision an environmental and climate disaster
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 11:48 am | Green Party
The Government is allowing one of the most unique native ecosystems in the world to be destroyed by Australian coal miners Bathurst Resources Ltd, the Green Party said today. More >>
Questions for Oral Answer - August 8
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 11:48 am | Office of the Clerk
1. GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment: Does he stand by his statement that the Household Labour Force Survey is “the standard internationally recognised measure of employment and unemployment”? More >>
Continued efforts to deal with whey contamination
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 11:15 am | New Zealand Government
Trade Minister Tim Groser and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy have underlined the continued efforts of the New Zealand Government to deal with the market effects of the possible contamination of some Fonterra dairy exports. More >>
NZ Convention Coalition Monitoring Group: Tariana Turia
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 11:04 am | New Zealand Government
This evening is an important occasion to acknowledge the work undertaken to produce the New Zealand Convention Monitoring Group Report on how those who live with disability are portrayed in the media. More >>
More funding for a safe Canterbury rebuild
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 10:41 am | New Zealand Government
The Government will fund nearly $11 million over four years for a dedicated health and safety programme for the Canterbury rebuild. “This programme will actively support safety in the construction sector and focus on harm reduction across the ... More >>
National adds another $30 million to asset sales bill
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 10:38 am | Green Party
National has forked over $30 million of public money to Rio Tinto to clear the way for its plan to sell down more public electricity assets, Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman said today. More >>
Michael Woodhouse Address to Immigration Law Conference
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 10:35 am | New Zealand Government
It’s an honour for me to be invited here today to open your 11th annual conference. I’m sure you will have some fruitful and robust discussions over the next couple of days. More >>
Vitamin D project helps prevent falls and saves health costs
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 10:30 am | New Zealand Government
Associate Minister of Health Jo Goodhew says MidCentral DHB’s vitamin D project is a good example of how a simple intervention can improve lives and save health dollars. More >>
Giving babies the best start in life
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 10:17 am | New Zealand Labour Party
Labour will expand the role of Plunket and other child health providers so that for the first time they can get alongside vulnerable mums before their baby is even born, Labour Leader David Shearer has announced. More >>
Amy Adams speech -Environmental Defence Society conference
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 10:10 am | New Zealand Government
This morning I am going to talk to you about some of my environmental policy reforms, with a particular focus on New Zealand’s environmental reporting framework. More >>
Govt to mandate three-yearly State of the Environment report
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 10:07 am | New Zealand Government
Environment Minister Amy Adams has today announced that the Government will legislate for independent environmental reporting that will enhance New Zealanders’ understanding about the state of our environment. More >>
Deal keeps smelter for less than four years
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 10:04 am | New Zealand Labour Party
National has cut a short term deal with Rio Tinto that gifts the multinational $30 million of taxpayers’ money so the Government can get the Meridian asset sale monkey off its back, says Labour’s SOEs spokesperson Clayton Cosgrove. More >>
Progress for Pike River victims’ families
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 9:41 am | New Zealand Labour Party
All indications are that a plan to re-enter the Pike River mine to recover the bodies of the 29 men killed there should get the go-ahead, Labour MP for West Coast-Tasman Damien O’Connor says. More >>
Opening Address to Fundraising Institute of New Zealand
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 9:27 am | New Zealand Government
A key way that Government has always supported the sector through the tax system is of course, financially, with: Income tax exemptions, FBT exemptions, And, of course tax incentives for charitable giving More >>
Government welcomes Meridian agreement
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 9:23 am | New Zealand Government
Meridian Energy’s agreement with New Zealand Aluminium Smelters (NZAS) will provide greater certainty for Tiwai Point smelter workers, the wider Southland region and the New Zealand electricity industry, Finance Minister Bill English and SOE Minister ... More >>
Gambling Amendment Bill Committee of the Whole House
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 9:14 am | The Maori Party
Knowing that time is running out I thought I would take the opportunity, having put our case at the start of this debate, to respond to some of the issues that have been put in front of the Committee tonight. More >>
Gambling Amendment Bill - In Committee - Te Ururoa Flavell
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 9:09 am | The Maori Party
The committee stage of the Gambling (Gambling Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill was completed and the bill reported without amendment. More >>
MPI failing to monitor labelling of GE food
Thursday, 8 August 2013, 9:07 am | Green Party
The Ministry of Primary Industries is failing to monitor food labelling requirements relating to genetic engineering and irradiation, the Green Party said today. More >>
Questions and Answers - August 7
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 6:04 pm | Office of the Clerk
1. JAMI-LEE ROSS (National—Botany) to the Minister of Finance : What recent reports has he received about international market reaction to the potential whey protein contamination issue? More >>
Wage growth plunges to lowest in 13 years
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 5:10 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
Kiwis are suffering the lowest average annual wage growth in 13 years, in a sign of the two-speed economy National has created, Labour’s Employment Spokesperson Grant Robertson says. More >>
Earthquake-prone buildings policy must be balanced
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 5:06 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
The Government’s policy to deal with earthquake-prone buildings must balance public safety, costs, heritage issues and the wider interests of communities, says Labour’s Building and Construction spokesperson Raymond Huo. More >>
Infant formula update 4
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 5:04 pm | New Zealand Government
Health Minister Tony Ryall and Food Safety Minister Nikki Kaye say Plunket nurses are today contacting as many Plunket mothers as they can who are using infant formula to ensure they are aware of the recall. More >>
NZ and PNG push for closer economic ties
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 4:46 pm | New Zealand Government
Prime Minister John Key today met with Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill at Parliament for talks focused on encouraging closer economic cooperation between New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. More >>
Key Notes: Special video briefing on seniors
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 4:17 pm | New Zealand Government
Older New Zealanders have worked hard, and deserve to enjoy retirement. As Prime Minister, I'm proud that my government has taken a firm stand when it comes to giving older New Zealanders the financial security they deserve. More >>
Contractors the real winners in welfare reforms
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 3:52 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
The government is paying private contractors more to get sole parents off its books than it would cost to boost their long-term career prospects by reinstating support to study, Labour’s Social Development spokesperson Jacinda Ardern says. More >>
Stats - Invermay July 2013
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 3:45 pm | Clare Curran
The major increase in unemployment in the Otago region is a stark demonstration of the effect of this Government’s policy of shafting the regions,” say Dunedin MPs Clare Curran and David Clark. More >>
Focus on Public Hospital Targets Out Of Control
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 3:22 pm | New Zealand First Party
The Government’s obsession on Public Hospitals getting patients through emergency departments as quickly as possible is getting out of control, says New Zealand First’s associate spokesperson for health Barbara Stewart. More >>
Winston Peters’ Phone Records in Teacup Tape Probe
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 3:21 pm | New Zealand First Party
Rt Hon Winston Peters says he is outraged to learn that police wanted to use his personal telephone records to prosecute a cameraman whose tape recorder captured the teacup conversation between John Key and John Banks in the 2011 election campaign. More >>
Further progress in Treaty settlement legislation
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 3:19 pm | New Zealand Government
The Raukawa Claims Settlement Bill, which will settle the historical Treaty of Waitangi claims of the central North Island iwi, Raukawa, passed its first reading today in extended sitting hours today, and will now be considered by the Māori Affairs Committee. ... More >>
Wanted: Locals to help run health organisations
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 3:14 pm | New Zealand Government
Health Minister Tony Ryall is encouraging local people to put their names forward for this year’s district health board (DHB) elections and help run organisations bigger than Sky TV and Auckland International Airport. More >>
From the dire to the disastrous
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 3:04 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
The Government is looking to bring in expensive overseas hires to fill gaps in the local labour inspectorate following its botched change process, Labour’s Health and Safety spokesperson Darien Fenton says. More >>
National’s legacy for Pasifika looks bleak
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 2:49 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
The National Government’s legacy will be one of increased hardship for Pasifika people, says Labour’s Pacific Island Affairs spokesperson Su’a William Sio. There are currently 18,100 Pacific people unemployed in New Zealand an increase of 600 ... More >>
Marking 25 years of NZ Community Trusts work
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 2:44 pm | New Zealand Government
Associate Minister of Finance Jonathan Coleman says New Zealand’s Community Trusts have made a significant contribution across New Zealand during the last 25 years. More >>
Joyce’s Jobs Plan - a $23m MoBIE Contractor Blowout
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 1:26 pm | New Zealand First Party
New Zealand First leader Rt Hon Winston Peters says that information released under the Official Information Act shows a massive blowout on contractors to keep Steven Joyce’s Leviathan above water. More >>
Earthquake-prone buildings policy announced
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 1:23 pm | New Zealand Government
Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson today announced the Government’s policy to deal with earthquake-prone buildings. “Under a nationally consistent system, an estimated 15,000 to 25,000 earthquake-prone buildings will be identified ... More >>
Record numbers immunised against the flu
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 1:15 pm | New Zealand Government
Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew has announced that more Kiwis than ever before protected themselves against the flu this year. The 2013 Influenza Programme ended on 31 July with a total of 1,253,830 flu vaccines distributed. More >>
Devil in the detail of health and safety reforms
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 12:52 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
Workplace health and safety reforms announced today are on the right track, but the devil will be in the detail of the new regime, says Labour’s Health and Safety spokesperson, Darien Fenton. More >>
Raukawa Claims Settlement Bill – First Reading
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 12:48 pm | The Maori Party
I move, that the Raukawa Claims Settlement Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Maori Affairs Committee to consider the bill. More >>
Employment growth continuing
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 12:46 pm | New Zealand Government
Labour market data out today continues a trend of growing employment as the economy recovers, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce says. More >>
New education strategy for prisoners
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 12:25 pm | New Zealand Government
Corrections Minister Anne Tolley says there will be fewer victims of crime, and further reductions in reoffending rates, as a result of a new education strategy for prisoners. More >>
5000 more Kiwis join the dole queue
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 12:16 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
A further 5000 Kiwis are out of work in the past three months, showing the Government has no plan to create jobs, Labour’s Employment Spokesman Grant Robertson says. More >>
Lucrative high-tech contracts vetoed
Wednesday, 7 August 2013, 12:15 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
The future of a world-renowned high-tech company hangs in the balance after Steven Joyce’s Callaghan Innovation stopped it securing multi-million contracts, Labour MPs Megan Woods and Trevor Mallard say. More >>

