Education Minister, Hekia Parata, today announced that the Ministry of Education is seeking a network services provider for the Network for Learning, an online network that will enable improved access to education resources for learners.
Suppliers are being asked to present innovative proposals to deliver network services such as internet access, firewalling, filtering and network helpdesk [...]

The Budget later this month will confirm the path back to surplus in 2014/15, despite lower than forecast tax revenue in the Government financial statements in the nine months to 31 March, Finance Minister Bill English says.
Core Crown tax revenue was $1.6 billion below the Pre-Election Economic and Fiscal Update forecast and overall revenue was [...]

The government is expected to save around $60 million over the next five years after signing all-of-government procurement contracts for mobile voice and data services, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says.
The new contracts are part of a public-sector wide Government Procurement Reform Programme aimed at making government buying as efficient as possible and reducing costs. [...]

The number of people on benefits has fallen to the lowest level since July 2009 says Social Development Minister Paula Bennett.
There are now 320,954 people on benefits, down by 2,000 in the last month, representing around 12 per cent of working age New Zealanders.
There are 58,000 people on Sickness Benefits and 99,000 sole parents on [...]

The Budget this month will provide $287.5 million over the next four years for the first phase of the Government’s welfare reforms to help more New Zealanders into work, Social Development Minister Paula Bennett says.
This includes $81.5 million of additional up-front funding, with the remainder reprioritised funding from within Social Development.
The second phase of reforms [...]

Acting Transport Minister Steven Joyce today welcomed the draft approval of Transmission Gully by an independent Board of Inquiry under the Government’s national consenting process with the Environmental Protection Authority.
“The Board of Inquiry’s draft decision to approve the regulatory consents applications for the nearly $1 billion Transmission Gully project is a very good step forward,” [...]

Revenue Minister Peter Dunne today launched Inland Revenue’s new mobile web application that will allow people to manage more of their tax and social policy entitlements on the move.
“The app will offer a faster and simpler service for accessing and maintaining contact details and viewing account information,” he said.
“For example, if you have a student [...]

New Zealand and Canada this morning signed a new double tax agreement (DTA) to replace their 1980 treaty.
The updated agreement was signed at Parliament by Canada’s Minister of International Trade, Ed Fast, and Revenue Minister Peter Dunne.
Mr Dunne said the agreement will help New Zealand-based businesses compete in Canada and make New Zealand a more [...]

The Household Labour Force Survey released today underlines the gradual, steady growth in the number of jobs, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce says.
The HLFS for March 2012 shows an increase in the number of people employed with 9000 new jobs in the quarter, the highest labour force participation rate in three years, [...]

The Government has today launched a website to provide New Zealanders with information about the Government’s mixed ownership programme.
State Owned Enterprises Minister Tony Ryall says the new website, www.governmentshareoffers.govt.nz, will give New Zealanders factual information about the proposal to sell up to 49 per cent of four State Owned Enterprises – Mighty River Power, Genesis [...]