Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams today announced that the initial allocation round of the 700 MHz spectrum auction has resulted in 2degrees, Telecom, and Vodafone each acquiring management rights to spectrum in the 700 MHz band.
Telecom and Vodafone have each successfully bid $66 million (plus GST) for 2×15 MHz (three lots), while 2degrees [...]

New repayable Government grants of up to $450,000 per company will be invested into start-up technology companies to help get them underway, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce announced today.
The repayable grants will be distributed by a new type of private-sector led technology incubator, which will add its own funding to provide at least 25 [...]

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce today launched a new NZTE-led initiative to help New Zealand digital technology firms compete and grow globally, and lift exports further.
The Government will invest more than $3 million over the next three years to take advantage of the opportunity created by the global boom in demand for the digital technologies [...]

New Zealand’s top researchers have been awarded a record $59m in project funding from the Marsden fund over the next three years, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce announced today.
The 109 successful Marsden Fund projects were selected from a pool of 1157 proposals submitted for consideration by the Marsden Fund Council.
The Marsden Fund, administered by [...]

Economic Development and Small Business Minister Steven Joyce today welcomed a new international report that puts New Zealand third in the world for ease of doing business.
The World Bank’s Doing Business report, released today, is an annual study measuring government regulations and their effect on business across 189 economies.
“This is excellent news. Only Singapore and [...]

Police Minister Anne Tolley is to travel to Brisbane and Melbourne from 28 – 31 October for meetings with Australian Police.
The Minister will visit the Queensland and Victoria Police training academies, and meet with State Police Ministers.
“I’ll have discussions on child protection and tackling gangs,” says Mrs Tolley.
“The main reason for the trip is to [...]

At the invitation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon Murray McCully, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, HE Didier Burkhalter, visited Auckland, New Zealand, on 25 October 2013. This was Mr Burkhalter’s first visit to New Zealand, and the first by a Foreign Minister from Switzerland.
Noting that this year marks the fiftieth anniversary [...]

An Inland Revenue report released today by Revenue Minister Todd McClay strongly endorses measures outlined in an OECD action plan dealing with the taxation of multinational companies in relation to base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) concerns among OECD member countries.
“The OECD action plan is a far-reaching document outlining the 15 points of focus over [...]

Minister Responsible for Novopay Steven Joyce today released the reports on complaints and notifications in regards to Pay Periods 13, 14 and 15 of the schools’ payroll.
Pay Period 13, which was paid on the morning of 18 September, paid 90,390 people a total of $177.35 million.
The report shows that complaints and notifications were received regarding [...]

Associate Tourism Minister Chris Tremain today announced a funding package to support the ongoing recovery of the tourism sector in Christchurch and the wider Canterbury region.
$764,000 will be provided to the Canterbury Tourism Partnership by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). The Christchurch City Council and Christchurch International Airport will also be contributing [...]