Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has welcomed the latest valuation of the welfare system showing a significant reduction in the liability.
The June 2013 valuation shows the current lifetime liability[i] is $76.5 billion.
“Of the $10.3 billion reduction in liability[ii], $4.4 billion is due to Work and Income actively exceeding expectations by getting more people off benefit [...]

New Research & Development Growth Grants worth more than $140 million over three years have been awarded to 31 high tech New Zealand businesses by Callaghan Innovation, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce announced today.
R&D Growth Grants were introduced last year as part of changes to R&D funding designed to encourage more research and development [...]

Finance Minister Bill English will attend the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland next week.
It is the first time Mr English has attended the Forum annual meeting, which attracts around 3,000 political, business and economic leaders from around the world.
“The Forum will provide me with an opportunity to better understand the global risks [...]

2014 will start with a much simpler vocational training system that is easy to navigate for employers, trainees and educators, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce says.
“Four years ago we had a highly complicated vocational training system in New Zealand with a total of 39 separate industry training organisations and more than 4500 [...]

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett today announced the latest injection of funding to build muscle in the social sector.
The Capability Investment Resource (CIR) provides $31.65 million over four years to strengthen Ministry of Social Development-funded organisations.
“We’ve provided funding so they can work independently or with specialist mentors, to build a plan that will develop and [...]

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce today released the 2014 Occupation Outlook report, a comprehensive overview of job demand, likely incomes, and training requirements for 50 different career options across New Zealand.
“The Occupation Outlook is designed to be one of the first places for young people and their families to look when making [...]

Significant increases in the abundance and size of marine species in Tasman Bay marine reserves confirm their conservation benefits, Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith said today while publicly releasing a new research report at the Horoirangi Marine Reserve north of Nelson.
“It is so encouraging to see the irrefutable evidence of the success of these marine [...]

Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith today announced at Karamea on the West Coast the permanent approval of mountain biking on the Heaphy Track from 1 May to 30 September each year.
“The Heaphy Track is New Zealand’s ultimate multi-day mountain biking experience. It traverses dramatic and diverse landscapes from mountain forests, to expansive grasslands and wild [...]

The New Zealand Legislation website at legislation.govt.nz is now an official source of legislation, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson said today.
“This important development puts official up-to-date legislation in the hands of New Zealanders at no cost”, he said. “They can be confident that they are accessing the authoritative source.”
Previously, only printed legislation from the Parliamentary Counsel Office [...]

The provisional road toll for 2013 of 254 is the lowest in the last 60 years, Associate Transport Minister Michael Woodhouse announced today. This compares with 308 in 2012, 284 in 2011, and 375 in 2010.
“The 2013 road toll was 34 per cent lower than four years ago and it’s particularly pleasing that 15-24 year [...]