Prime Minister John Key today announced that New Zealand will open a new High Commission in Bridgetown, Barbados to increase our diplomatic presence in the Caribbean.
Mr Key made the announcement after a meeting with Foreign Ministers of the 15 member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) at the UN General Assembly in New York today.
“Like our Pacific region, [...]

Climate Change Minister Tim Groser welcomes the release of the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) Climate Change 2013 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
The report on climate science, released in Stockholm on Friday, is the first of three volumes making up the AR5.
“The IPCC’s assessment reports are comprehensive and authoritative. They are written and [...]

Education Minister Hekia Parata has invited a delegation of education sector leaders to travel to Hong Kong and Singapore in mid-October to look at jurisdictions in the Asia Pacific region which are rated highly in Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) rankings.
“In anticipation of hosting the 4th International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) in [...]

New Zealand businesses could learn from the diversity of the New Zealand-China relationship, Ethnic Affairs Minister Judith Collins told an assembly at Chinese National Day celebrations last night.
“Diversity gives the New Zealand-China relationship real strength, and it gives me great confidence that our partnership will continue to expand and thrive,” Ms Collins says.
“Chinese people bring [...]

Japan and New Zealand today exchanged diplomatic notes, for a new double tax agreement which will make it much easier to do business between the two countries, Revenue Minister Todd McClay announced today.
“The New Zealand Government is extremely supportive of opportunities to increase trade with Japan and this agreement will further assist by reducing tax [...]

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has announced $800,000 in funding for two new Global Research Alliance projects in Latin America.
Mr Guy made the announcement during his speech at the Inter American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture conference in Buenos Aires, involving Agriculture Ministers from across the region.
“This funding will support two regional livestock greenhouse gas [...]

The Industry Training and Apprenticeships Amendment Bill, introduced to Parliament today, is a vital part of the Government’s investment in industry training, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce says.
“In the 10 years to 2010 Government funding for Industry Training Organisations (ITOs) almost trebled. Unfortunately funding increases were not matched with sufficient accountability for [...]

Broadcasting Minister Craig Foss says Lower North Island residents have a few days left to ensure they can keep watching television.
“While nine out of ten households are already watching digital TV, I urge everyone to make sure they’re ready before Sunday 29 September,” says Mr Foss.
Television in the Hawke’s Bay and the West Coast went [...]

Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today that the Government is partnering with the Universities of Auckland, Waikato and Otago to provide new postgraduate level initial teacher education (ITE) qualifications from next year.
“The Government is focused on strengthening the teaching profession as a central part of a larger strategy to lift overall education system performance. Improving [...]

Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith today announced a $4.5 million extension to the Department of Conservation partnership with Air New Zealand with a new focus on marine protection.
“Air New Zealand’s commitment to support DOC with an additional $4.5 million is a huge boost and comes on top of the $2.9 million committed in 2012. In [...]