Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams has welcomed an announcement by telecommunications company Ericsson that it will build a fibre ducting manufacturing facility in Wellington.
Ericsson is investing about $15 million in a new facility in Porirua which will be built and in production later this year, creating about 30 jobs.
The plant will produce optical [...]

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced Cabinet approval for $4 million of funding for the design and construction of passing opportunities on State Highway 2 between Napier and Gisborne.
“I acknowledge concerns about getting freight in and out of the Gisborne region in the most cost effective way since the Napier to Gisborne rail line closed [...]

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will depart New York today to visit Jamaica and Cuba for bilateral talks.
“The Caribbean region has many similarities to the Pacific. This visit is an opportunity to bolster existing bilateral and trade relationships with two of our larger partners in the region,” Mr McCully says.
“As Forum Chair, New Zealand promoted [...]

Finance Minister Bill English leaves tonight for overseas meetings with business, investment and political leaders, which will include the annual meeting of International Monetary Fund and World Bank governors in Tokyo.
The meetings will provide another opportunity to assess latest global economic developments and their likely impact on New Zealand.
“It’s clear that the global economic situation [...]

Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson is pleased to announce the appointment of Susan Yerex as a director on the Queen Elizabeth II National Trust Board.
The QEII National Trust helps protect significant natural and cultural heritage sites on private land.
As at 30 June 2012 there were 3,659 registered QE II covenants on private land covering 99,782.67 hectares.
“Ms [...]

Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams has announced that an event will be held to raise awareness about the benefits of businesses having staff work from home.
The inaugural Telework Week will run from 12-16 November to promote employees using ICT to work away from their traditional place of employment, while monitoring the savings and [...]

Results from 2011 show the Government’s continued focus on performance in the Tertiary sector is working well, Tertiary, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce says.
The 2011 education performance information released today shows that the university, polytechnic, wānanga, and private training establishment sectors have improved their course and qualification completion rates as well as student retention [...]

Internal Affairs Minister Chris Tremain says lower passport fees are being considered as the Government moves to enable online passport applications.
“Online applications have been trialled successfully and will be available to the public by the end of the year. This will streamline the process of applying for a passport and reduce costs, providing the opportunity [...]

Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams has announced that work will start on developing an industry regulation to improve the transparency of broadband product information for consumers.
Ms Adams has asked the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment to begin work on a regulation framework, which could include, among other things, enhanced disclosure requirements for [...]

The Government has today launched the new Christchurch Educated marketing initiative to encourage international students to study in Canterbury.
Speaking at the launch in Christchurch, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce said the Government was committed to working with providers to boost the number of international students studying in Christchurch.
“While the numbers of overseas [...]