Latest Parliament Headlines [Page 3]
Govt creates McMansions not affordable homes
Wednesday, 9 October 2013, 12:52 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
The Government’s planning announcement offers little hope for first home buyers but developers will be laughing all the way to the bank, said Labour’s Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford. More >>
6,000 homes in first batch of Special Housing Areas
Wednesday, 9 October 2013, 12:06 pm | New Zealand Government
Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith and Auckland Mayor Len Brown today announced the first batch of Special Housing Areas that will progressively bring to market 6,000 new homes across the city under the Auckland Housing Accord. More >>
Time for National to get head out of the sand
Wednesday, 9 October 2013, 11:58 am | New Zealand Labour Party
National must get its head out of the sand and make the changes needed to ensure universal superannuation is sustainable, says Labour Finance spokesperson David Parker. More >>
Time for National to get head out of the sand
Wednesday, 9 October 2013, 11:38 am | New Zealand Labour Party
National must get its head out of the sand and make the changes needed to ensure universal superannuation is sustainable, says Labour Finance spokesperson David Parker. More >>
New study reveals cruelty of chicken farming
Wednesday, 9 October 2013, 11:20 am | Green Party
The Green Party is calling for changes to the Animal Welfare Act to end cruel farming practices, including factory farming chickens for meat. More >>
Collins to meet counterparts across the Tasman
Wednesday, 9 October 2013, 10:56 am | New Zealand Government
Justice Minister Judith Collins will attend a meeting of the Standing Council of Law and Justice (SCLJ) with her Australian counterparts in Sydney this week. More >>
District Court Judge appointed
Wednesday, 9 October 2013, 10:05 am | New Zealand Government
Auckland lawyer Denese Henare ONZM has been appointed as a District Court Judge to serve in Auckland, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today. More >>
Todd McClay Speech: Medicines Transform Lives” Conference
Wednesday, 9 October 2013, 9:53 am | New Zealand Government
Thank you for inviting me to speak at Medicines New Zealand’s “Medicines Transform Lives” Conference. I would especially like to thank and acknowledge the Hon Heather Roy, the Chair, Kevin Sheehy, the General Manager, and the directors and members ... More >>
Electoral Commission to blame for no increase in Maori Seats
Wednesday, 9 October 2013, 9:22 am | The Maori Party
The Maori Party is disappointed at this week’s announcement from the Representation Commission, that no new Maori electorate will be created following the census and the Maori Option. More >>
Retirement Commissioner’s Review “Disappointing"
Wednesday, 9 October 2013, 9:18 am | United Future NZ Party
UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne says the Retirement Commissioner’s review of retirement income policies is a “disappointing, same-old, same-old” response that will not take the retirement income debate any further forward. More >>
Harawira joins ‘Clean Up the House’ campaign
Wednesday, 9 October 2013, 9:14 am | Mana Party
“I’m in” said Hone Harawira, MANA leader and MP for Te Tai Tokerau, in response to the challenge from MP Denise Roche to support the call for a living wage for parliamentary cleaners by doing a night shift with them. More >>
Police Minister to attend UN meeting on Timor Leste
Tuesday, 8 October 2013, 5:00 pm | New Zealand Government
Police Minister Anne Tolley is travelling to New York from 8 -14 October to represent the Government at a two-day meeting focusing on the lessons learned from the UN Integrated Mission in Timor Leste (UNMIT) transition process. More >>
Bizarre report won’t help struggling regions
Tuesday, 8 October 2013, 4:31 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
National has finally realised it is being hit in the regions and has released a bizarre report in a desperate attempt to cover up the damage it has caused, says Labour Leader David Cunliffe. More >>
Waiariki Digipoll shows independent Maori voice needed
Tuesday, 8 October 2013, 4:17 pm | The Maori Party
Maori Party Co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell, says he is humbled by the strong support for the Maori Party in Waiariki, as reflected in Te Karere’s Digipoll results, and is vowing to continue to protect Maori interests and uphold Maori aspirations ... More >>
Police under-Resourced And Undervalued Due to Budget Cuts
Tuesday, 8 October 2013, 3:11 pm | New Zealand First Party
New Zealand First is concerned that the Police are hugely under-resourced and frontline officers are being put at risk due to budget cuts. More >>
Government’s Regional Spending Is Not Investment
Tuesday, 8 October 2013, 2:52 pm | New Zealand First Party
The Government is being deliberately misleading when it states that it is ‘investing right across the regions’ says Rt Hon Winston Peters. This follows the release of the Regional Government Expenditure Report today. More >>
First earthquake strengthened homes re-opened
Tuesday, 8 October 2013, 2:24 pm | New Zealand Government
Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith today officially re-opened a block of units in Lower Hutt which have had significant earthquake strengthening work done as part of Housing New Zealand’s nationwide programme around earthquake-prone buildings. More >>
IRD transformation project needs to be open to NZ firms
Tuesday, 8 October 2013, 1:49 pm | Green Party
The Inland Revenue Department is needlessly shutting out New Zealand contractors from a slice of the biggest ICT contract in New Zealand’s history, Green Party ICT spokesperson Gareth Hughes said today. More >>
Report shows Govt investing right across the regions
Tuesday, 8 October 2013, 1:48 pm | New Zealand Government
The first ever snapshot of central government spending by region shows that taxpayers’ dollars are being evenly distributed across New Zealand. Finance Minister Bill English and Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce today released the Regional Government ... More >>
Sky TV gets slapped with a wet bus ticket
Tuesday, 8 October 2013, 1:30 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
Sky TV has got off extremely lightly after the Commerce Commission found its previous contracts may have breached the Commerce Act, said Labour Broadcasting spokesperson Kris Faafoi and associate ICT spokesperson Clare Curran. More >>
Improving staff safety in prisons
Tuesday, 8 October 2013, 1:01 pm | New Zealand Government
Corrections Minister Anne Tolley says that the safety of prison staff is being enhanced, following recommendations from an expert advisory panel. More >>
Minister welcomes New Zealand Initiative Report
Tuesday, 8 October 2013, 10:01 am | New Zealand Government
Education Minister Hekia Parata welcomes the New Zealand Initiative's Report 'World Class Education? - Why NZ must strengthen its teaching profession' as a further contribution to the Quality Teaching Agenda she has established. More >>
Green Party - Living wage campaign for parliament cleaners
Tuesday, 8 October 2013, 9:30 am | Green Party
The Green Party is launching a campaign, Clean Up the House , with the goal of ensuring all parliamentary cleaners are paid a living wage of $18.40 an hour and is challenging MPs from other parties to spend an evening with the cleaners. More >>
Defibrilators Should Be Available In Rest Homes
Tuesday, 8 October 2013, 9:08 am | United Future NZ Party
UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne says he is “very surprised” defibrillator equipment is not required to be available in rest homes “as a matter of course.” More >>
Dunne Concerned Local Firms Shut Out of IRD Transformation
Tuesday, 8 October 2013, 9:05 am | United Future NZ Party
UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne is expressing concern at reports that local IT firms are being shut out of a lead role in Inland Revenue’s business transformation programme. More >>
Labour disregards judicial independence
Monday, 7 October 2013, 5:30 pm | New Zealand Government
Ill-informed commentary about the numbers of District Court judges shows that the Labour Party at best does not understand the workings of the country’s judicial system and at worst has a disregard for judicial independence, Attorney-General Christopher ... More >>
Key’s 5th deficit widens two speed economy
Monday, 7 October 2013, 4:52 pm | New Zealand Government
The National Government has marked yet another dubious economic milestone – a fifth deficit in a row – while widening the two-speed economy it created, says Labour Finance spokesperson David Parker. More >>
Crown accounts show surplus within reach
Monday, 7 October 2013, 4:04 pm | New Zealand Government
Higher tax revenue and lower than forecast core Crown expenses helped to more than halve the Government’s operating deficit before gains and losses to $4.4 billion in the year to 30 June 2013, compared with a $9.2 billion deficit the previous year. More >>
Cubs and Brownies in charge of biosecurity
Monday, 7 October 2013, 3:27 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
Catching white butterflies might be great school holiday fun for the kids but should not be part of our frontline biosecurity response, Labour’s Biosecurity spokesperson Damien O’Connor says. More >>
Mental Wellbeing for Young People is Essential
Monday, 7 October 2013, 3:14 pm | New Zealand First Party
New Zealand First is urging the Government to provide substantial support for young people and their mental wellbeing. More >>
New Zealand study tour on offer for international farmers
Monday, 7 October 2013, 1:44 pm | New Zealand Government
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has today announced a new programme for overseas farmers to spend time in New Zealand on an agri-tech study tour. “Four places a year will be available for farmers to spend up to three weeks here, looking at improved ... More >>
Māori Party disunity denies Māori extra seat
Monday, 7 October 2013, 1:40 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
The dysfunction and disunity of the Māori Party has turned off voters and denied Māori an eighth Māori electorate seat, says Labour Associate Māori Affairs spokesperson Rino Tirikatene. More >>
Inaugural Fijian Language Week launches today
Monday, 7 October 2013, 1:05 pm | New Zealand Government
Pacific Island Affairs Minister, Hekia Parata, says the first-ever Fijian Language Week provides a chance for all New Zealanders to celebrate Fijian culture and help to ensure the survival of the Fijian language. More >>
Govt must tread carefully on data sharing
Monday, 7 October 2013, 11:56 am | New Zealand Labour Party
There must be tight rules around increasing information sharing between Crown agencies given that almost 100,000 Kiwis have had their personal details accidently released under this Government, Labour Leader and ICT spokesperson David Cunliffe says. More >>
Highway proposal sees community united against it
Monday, 7 October 2013, 11:20 am | New Zealand Labour Party
Labour MP for Māngere Su’a William Sio says the people of Mangere will fight tooth and nail to oppose a government roading proposal which looks set to carve up the community. More >>
New Zealand Should Strengthen Ties with Taiwan
Monday, 7 October 2013, 11:17 am | United Future NZ Party
UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne has renewed his call for New Zealand to strengthen its ties with the Republic of China (Taiwan). Speaking ahead of celebrations this week to mark the 102nd Anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China, Mr Dunne ... More >>
APEC an opportunity for Key to raise plight of Arctic 30
Monday, 7 October 2013, 11:14 am | Green Party
The APEC meeting in Bali provides a great chance for New Zealand Prime Minister John Key to raise the plight of the Arctic 30 directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Green Party MP Gareth Hughes said today. More >>
Tairawhiti DHB benefits from the savings power of 20 DHBs
Monday, 7 October 2013, 10:27 am | New Zealand Government
District health boards around New Zealand are saving millions of dollars by working together to reduce back office costs, with all the savings reinvested back into frontline health services for their communities. More >>
Minister's OECD Visits Productive
Monday, 7 October 2013, 9:34 am | New Zealand Government
Education Minister Hekia Parata says that attendance at the two day OECD Ministers Meeting in Istanbul was an excellent opportunity to hear what other education systems are doing to foster relevant skills and improve employability through education. ... More >>
Referendum Kiwis’ chance to say ‘no’ to wasteful asset sales
Monday, 7 October 2013, 8:57 am | Green Party
The Green Party is calling on Kiwis to vote ‘no’ to asset sales in the coming referendum as new figures show the sale of Meridian will cost $1.6 million ever week in lost net dividends, Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said today. More >>
NZ needs to ensure West Papuan APEC protestors are safe
Monday, 7 October 2013, 8:53 am | Green Party
The Green Party is calling on Prime Minister John Key to show leadership while he is at the APEC summit over the West Papua issue. More >>
McCully to visit Antarctica
Monday, 7 October 2013, 8:50 am | New Zealand Government
Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will travel to Antarctica for the first time on Monday. “As the minister responsible for New Zealand’s Antarctic affairs, I look forward to seeing our operations in Scott Base first hand,” Mr McCully says. More >>
Ngārimu legacy inspires fresh paths to Māori success
Sunday, 6 October 2013, 12:05 pm | New Zealand Government
The Ngārimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarship Fund Board has announced two new education initiatives as part of this year’s 70th anniversary celebrations of one of New Zealand’s greatest war heroes. More >>
Government focussed on keeping wages low, Labour says
Sunday, 6 October 2013, 11:53 am | TVNZ
The Labour Party has laid the blame for low wages on the National-led Government, saying that rather lift wages to get them closer to Australian rates, National has held them down. More >>
Green Party launches clean energy proposals
Sunday, 6 October 2013, 11:22 am | Green Party
The Green Party has launched a set of proposals that will make it easier for families to reap the benefits of solar panels and other small scale renewable distributed generation. More >>
National Kaupapa Whanau Recovery Hui
Sunday, 6 October 2013, 10:20 am | New Zealand Government
I was so pleased to be invited to be part of this hui - Ngā Kaupapa Whānau Pou o te Motu. And I want to thank one of my personal heroes – Kim Whaanga Kipa – for extending to me, the invitation to be here. More >>
Will Smith take responsibility for interest rates going up?
Sunday, 6 October 2013, 9:52 am | New Zealand Labour Party
Housing Minister Nick Smith's concession that interest rates are about to rise is yet more proof the Government's housing policy is in tatters, says Labour's Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford. More >>
Maori Party calls for more accountability
Saturday, 5 October 2013, 11:36 am | The Maori Party
The Maori Party calls for more accountability over the recent environmental disaster on Maunga Ruapehu this week. The Maori Party says the spillage from a diesel storage tank at Turoa that leaked more than 1500 litres into the Makotuku stream has been ... More >>
Easier access to services for Deaf people
Saturday, 5 October 2013, 11:35 am | New Zealand Government
Hon Tariana Turia Minister for Disability Issues Friday 4 October 2013 Easier access to services for Deaf people Minister for Disability Issues, Tariana Turia announced the introduction of a brand new service today to help make government services more ... More >>
Key Notes: Towards a safer New Zealand
Friday, 4 October 2013, 3:36 pm | New Zealand National Party
Safe at home and in our communities UN General Assembly speech Meeting PM Tony Abbott The APEC Leaders' meeting The East Asia Summit. More >>
PM: APEC Business Advisory Council appointment
Friday, 4 October 2013, 3:00 pm | New Zealand Government
Prime Minister John Key has today announced Maxine Simmons’ term on the APEC Business Advisory Council has been extended through to March 2014. Ms Simmons is the Managing Director of BioCatalyst Ltd and been an APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) member ... More >>
Time for answers over Solid Energy mess
Friday, 4 October 2013, 2:41 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
Solid Energy’s $335 million loss in the last year shows the time has come for real answers on how the company got into this mess which can only come from the Auditor General, says Labour’s SOEs spokesperson Clayton Cosgrove. More >>
Minister welcomes Natural Environment Recovery Programme
Friday, 4 October 2013, 2:10 pm | New Zealand Government
Environment Minister and Associate Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Amy Adams has today congratulated Environment Canterbury commissioners for adopting a programme that will help ensure the recovery of Canterbury’s natural environment. More >>
Consultation underway on guidelines
Friday, 4 October 2013, 1:55 pm | New Zealand Government
Environment Minister Amy Adams says targeted technical consultation on draft guidelines for managing the environmental effects of oil and gas development activities, including hydraulic fracturing, is now underway. More >>
Incomes lag as house prices rocket under National
Friday, 4 October 2013, 12:51 pm | Green Party
John Key has broken his promise of a brighter future for New Zealanders with incomes lagging as rocketing house prices put homeownership further and further out of reach for families, Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said today. More >>
Last week to vote in local elections
Friday, 4 October 2013, 12:49 pm | New Zealand Government
With eight days until postal voting closes Local Government Minister Chris Tremain is urging people to have a say in the future of their communities. More >>
New Acting Head of Mission to Fiji announced
Friday, 4 October 2013, 11:37 am | New Zealand Government
Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today named Mark Ramsden as New Zealand’s new Acting Head of Mission in Fiji. More >>
$470m for first three National Science Challenges
Friday, 4 October 2013, 11:10 am | New Zealand Government
Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce has announced that up to $470.3 million over 10 years in funding will be available for the first tranche of New Zealand’s 10 National Science Challenges. More >>
Council should drop dam media complaint
Friday, 4 October 2013, 10:58 am | Green Party
The Hawkes Bay Regional Council should drop their complaint about Radio New Zealand’s coverage of the environmental impacts of the proposed Ruataniwha dam project, says the Green Party. More >>
Maori Party welcomes affordable housing development
Friday, 4 October 2013, 10:56 am | The Maori Party
The Maori Party congratulates the Tamaki Collective Consortium led by Nga Mana Whenua o Tamaki Makaurau and others who have successfully negotiated a Heads of Agreement to build 282 homes on 16 hectares of surplus Government land at Weymouth in South ... More >>
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