Beehive Bulletin Week Ending Friday 18 July
Beehive Bulletin – Friday 18 July
Also available online http://www.labour.org.nz
Government position on seabed unchanged
Despite desperate National Party scare mongering and some mistaken media reports, there has been no back down by the government on the seabed and foreshore. Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen says the essential elements of the government position remain; it will act to uphold rights of public access to, and use of, the foreshore and seabed, and to protect Maori customary rights. Senior ministers are discussing with the Maori caucus how to reconcile these two interests. There will be wide consultation, not just with hapu and iwi but parties including environmental and recreational groups and local government ahead of legislation, says Michael Cullen.
Strong job growth in regions
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Unemployment is running at
historically low levels and there's strong job growth. That
finding by the latest Regional Labour Market Reports from
the Department of Labour has been welcomed by Employment
Minister Steve Maharey. There were 44,600 more people in
jobs in the year to March and 156,500 more jobs in New
Zealand than four years ago. Across the regions, the
numbers of unemployment beneficiaries have dropped. The
outlook for the New Zealand economy over the next year is
for a lower, but still positive rate of growth. The
Department of Labour's regional labour market reports are
available at
http://www.dol.govt.nz/labour-market-reports.asp
Police,
defence personnel and aid for Solomons
==============================================
New
Zealand will contribute police, military personnel and
enhanced aid to assist the Solomon Islands government. In a
joint statement, Ministers said 35 Police officers,
including the 10 officers currently in the Solomons, would
be deployed for two years. A contingent of 105 Defence Force
personnel will include four helicopters and associated
personnel; headquarters support staff, logistics,
communications, an engineering element and a small medical
group.An infantry company will also be placed on standby to
assist if required. New Zealand will increase assistance to
the Solomons by $6 million this year to $14 million as part
of the package of measures to help restore the rule of law
and get the country back on its feet.
Agricultural
emissions research levy
====================================
Government
funding of agricultural greenhouse gases research since 1999
has increased more than five-fold and farmers have to
contribute, says Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton. He told
the Federated Farmers conference this week that pastoral
farmers have been exempted from emissions charges until at
least 2012. If applied, this could cost farmers around $6000
each. Instead they were being levied for research into
emissions at proposed levels of 9 cents a sheep, 54 cents a
beef cattle beast, and 72 cents a dairy cow. Jim Sutton says
that is not too much to ask when the future of pastoral
agriculture in New Zealand is at stake from climate
change.
Industry being held back
========================
New Zealanders need to wake
up to workplace training, Steve Maharey, Minister
responsible for the Tertiary Education Commission told the
Industry Training Federation's conference this week. He says
many industries are being held back by a view that workplace
training only meant traditional 'trades'. Too many young
people were defaulting to study in universities when a
diverse and exciting career begun with a modern
apprenticeship might well be more fulfilling and rewarding.
Steve Maharey says this 'perception lag' is doing harm to
industry and to New Zealand as a whole and needs work to be
turned around.
Support for biodiversity projects
=================================
The Conservation
Department and Environment Ministry are giving 58 groups
more than $3.2 million to promote and care for plant and
animal life on private land. Environment Minister Marian
Hobbs says bush, streams, birds and plants were important
for communities and the public funding would be spent on
initiatives to save kiwi, restore streams, plant trees,
eradicate pests and provide advice to landowners. The money
comes from the Biodiversity Advice and Condition Funds and
supports such projects as the restoration of the Pauatahanui
Inlet near Wellington and protection of the yellow eyed
penguin in Otago. See
http://www.biodiversity.govt.nz/land/nzbs/land/condition.html