“New Zealand exporters are reaping the benefits of preferential tariff access to Chinese Taipei,” says Mr Groser.

“Before entry into force, New Zealand’s goods and services exports to Chinese Taipei were valued at $987 million a year. Since then, exports have increased by 22 percent, rising to $1.2 billion in the year ended June 2015.

“As of June 2015, exports of New Zealand apples to Chinese Taipei are now worth $40 million, up by over 200 percent since June 2013. Apples previously had a tariff of 20 percent tariff, which was eliminated on entry into force.

“There has also been significant improvement in cherry exports (up 150 percent since 2013) and kiwifruit exports (up 24 percent).

“Dairy exports, New Zealand’s largest export to Chinese Taipei, have grown 21 percent in value since June 2013, and now total $350 million a year. The 10 percent tariff on milk power and 5 percent tariff on butter were eliminated on entry into force.

“Exports of New Zealand wine to Chinese Taipei have grown 56 percent to $1.3 million. The 10 percent tariff on non-sparkling wine and 20 percent tariff on sparkling wine were eliminated on entry-into-force.

“These early results are extremely encouraging and will build jobs and more opportunities, particularly in regional and provincial New Zealand, where the production of cherries, apples and kiwifruit – all of which recorded spectacular gains – are concentrated.

“These extremely positive early results gives us confidence that Free Trade Agreements, Closer Economic Partnership Agreements and broad, comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreements like this one are all steps towards a more prosperous New Zealand.”

“We said the transformation of New Zealand’s tax administration would use a mixture of New Zealand and international expertise – and where a New Zealand company could do the work, I would expect they would be given the opportunity to.

“We have been true to that. To date, 67 per cent of the spend on Business Transformation has gone to New Zealand companies, supporting businesses and creating jobs.

“This equates to $54 million into the New Zealand economy – with another $26 million going to international companies,” says Mr McClay.

“We also said that, where the private sector can provide capacity we would use them rather than Inland Revenue. We would borrow their expertise rather than build systems from scratch ourselves.

“I have encouraged Inland Revenue to work closely with industry, including accounting and payroll providers.

“Today, I am pleased to announce that next month a sample of Xero and MYOB customers will be able to file GST returns straight from their accounting software to Inland Revenue, rather than having to file a separate return,” says Mr McClay.

From March next year this will be rolled out to all Xero and MYOB customers, and in time it will be extended to all other software providers to offer to their customers.

“This may sound simple, but it has very practical benefits for businesses, cutting the amount of time it takes to meet tax obligations,” says Mr McClay.

Mr McClay was speaking at the Trans-Tasman Business Circle, where he released two consultation papers. The first, making it simpler for businesses to manage PAYE and GST and the second looking at the Tax Administration Act.

“There are good reasons for the shortened time frame and lower costs. We selected a core tax system that’s built for tax and is already operating in other tax jurisdictions. Because this needs less customisation, it means Inland Revenue’s timeframe is likely to be reduced two or three years – so the programme is now planned to be completed within seven years instead of the ten years originally indicated.

“Also of great help is the commercial expertise that Inland Revenue has brought on board to help build the new system – people and companies who have done this work before, both in New Zealand and internationally.

“I fully expect this project to come in well below the high end of the projections – $1.9 billion – and it is now likely that the new Crown funding required will be under $1 billion,” says Mr McClay.

Today’s release is the second round of the Government’s “Making Tax Simpler” consultation series that commenced in March this year.

“Essentially what’s being proposed is to make PAYE and GST systems fit with business processes rather than the other way round,” says Mr McClay.

“So for example, why not allow employers to carry out their PAYE obligations when they pay their employees, rather than at a separate time required by Inland Revenue.”

Mr McClay says the focus for proposed changes to GST is on digital filing to reduce time and cost to businesses.

“For GST, we’re proposing that businesses be able to do their GST returns directly through the accounting software packages that many of them use, rather than making them file separate GST returns.

The Minister says the second discussion paper released today looks at the Tax Administration Act and how the current system might be made simpler for everyone and more flexible for the future.

“It looks at the role of the Commissioner of Inland Revenue, how taxpayer information can be used more efficiently to provide better services for New Zealanders, and the role of taxpayers and third parties,” says Mr McClay.

The Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons who are Blind, Visually Impaired, or otherwise Print Disabled, was concluded in June 2013 and will come into effect once ratified by 20 countries.

“Agreeing to the Marrakesh Treaty would make a positive difference to the lives of almost 170,000 New Zealanders with a print disability,” says Mr Goldsmith.

“It would make it much easier for people to access, distribute and share a wider variety of copyrighted works in formats such as Braille, large print or audio books.”

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner said the release of the discussion document was a good opportunity for people with print disabilities to have their say.

“Making more print content accessible would allow people with a print disability to access and enjoy books that other people take for granted.

“It would make a crucial difference to many people’s ability to communicate and participate in their community. I am pleased to see this important issue being discussed,” Ms Wagner says.

Currently less than 10 per cent of copyright works are available to people with a print disability in formats that are accessible for their particular needs.

The discussion document asks whether joining the Marrakesh Treaty would improve access to works and considers what changes to the Copyright Act would be needed.

“Although our law already includes a copyright exception for creating accessible format copies, it does not facilitate cross border exchange. This results in costly duplication of efforts to convert works that would otherwise be easy and inexpensive to import,” says Mr Goldsmith.

“The Marrakesh Treaty will remove this barrier leading to faster access to a greater variety of accessible format copies for New Zealanders with a print disability. It will also mean more efficient use of resources by schools, libraries and charitable organisations that serve people with print disabilities.

“New Zealand’s intellectual property regime should cater for the needs of the visually impaired and this is an important step toward this goal,” says Mr Goldsmith.

Submissions close on 26 February 2016.

“There were 26,185 consents issued nationwide in the year to September 2015. This is the highest in any 12-month period since 2007 and double the low of 13,236 following the Global Financial Crisis,” Dr Smith says.

“I also welcome the 8271 consents issued for Auckland in the year to September 2015. This is up 18 per cent on the same period the last year, and the highest since 2005.

“I am further encouraged by the finding from Statistics New Zealand that the trend for consents in Auckland remains at an 11-year high. This is an important indicator of growth and the latest record in Auckland has been driven in part by an increase in the number of apartments, which are an important part of the solution to Auckland’s housing supply and affordability issues.

“Today’s figures confirm the direction of the Government’s housing policies. We are continuing to free up more land faster through the Auckland Housing Accord and the seven other Accords we have with councils across the country. We have initiatives in place to constrain building materials costs, rein in development contributions, cut compliance costs and invest in improved sector productivity. Our new $435 million HomeStart support package, which came into effect 1 April, will help 90,000 people into home ownership over the next five years.

“The Government’s focus is on growing housing supply, improving affordability and ensuring residential investors pay their fair share of tax. New tax measures came into effect on 1 October. The next steps include the Reserve Bank’s new LVR rules on investors coming into effect 1 November, and the planned second phase of reforms to the Resource Management Act, which will address the long-term issues affecting housing supply and affordability. We remain committed to supporting more New Zealand into their own home.”

A Government Inquiry was launched in December 2014, following Mr Smith / Traynor’s abscondment while on temporary release from prison.

“I am confident that this review provides information needed by agencies to assist with their response to vulnerabilities identified through Mr Smith / Traynor’s departure from New Zealand,” says Mrs Bennett.

“Justice Minister Amy Adams will now be leading the work programme coordinating how agencies respond to the findings of this report.”

The Inquiry was Chaired by Hon Dr John Priestley, a retired High Court judge, and he was assisted by Simon Murdoch CNZM, a former Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Chief Executive of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

“I would like to thank Dr Priestley and Mr Murdoch for their diligence and hard work over the past few months,” Mrs Bennett says.

A copy of the Inquiry report is attached.

The inquiry noted that while Mr Smith’s escape did not indicate fundamental problems with the overall system, it did find there were shortcomings in various agencies’ systems and processes.

The Government accepts, or accepts in principle, 34 of the 39 recommendations. The remaining five recommendations raise wider issues which the Government will consider as part of this work.

Given the issues raised involve multiple agencies, Minister Adams is leading the Government response and related work programmes.

“The report highlighted vulnerabilities that need to be addressed including the way we deal with identity and information sharing across the justice sector, and other related agencies such as Customs and Internal Affairs,” Ms Adams says.

“A number of refinements across agencies have already been made which will significantly reduce the likelihood of a similar occurrence happening again.”

The key issues identified in the report were:

Risk management – inadequate monitoring given the offender’s profile
Temporary release – shortcomings in approving and informing sponsors and in monitoring the temporary release
Identity management – official identity is not always or consistently established
Information sharing – insufficient sharing between agencies of offender identity information
Mr Lotu-Iiga says changes have already been made within Corrections to help remedy some of these issues.

“High risk prisoners are subject to more intense scrutiny and comprehensive risk assessment,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

“Corrections has also made the temporary release process more rigorous.”

Ms Adams says, “Among the remaining recommendations, there is the opportunity to significantly improve the quality of identity information held in the justice sector. It’s important that these solutions are well considered and fit-for-purpose and therefore we’ll be taking further time to fully consider the best way to respond to the issues the report raises.”

New Zealand welcomes the Security Council debate on the resolution of conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa.

And we welcome the fact that it involves foreign ministers from so many members of this Council.

But we do not welcome the fact that today we will pass no resolution, not even agree a Presidential statement; we will not stop the fighting.

Sadly this is symbolic of the dysfunction and mistrust that has characterized this Council’s performance on Syria and too many of the conflicts that rage in the region.

And it must stop.

In Syria, 250,000 dead people and 12 million displaced by conflict should tell this Council it must stop; that we must work together to find a resolution.

We can all see what the path forward must involve.

On one hand we must be pragmatic, we must take the situation as it is and the actors who are there, and collectively impose a transition process- one that will enable institutions and services to operate as we allow Syria to rebuild.

On the other, we must uphold the principles of justice and international law that would rule out impunity for those responsible for mass atrocities.

In his introductory remarks to this year’s General Debate, the Secretary-General named five countries whose deep differences need to find resolution if the conflict in Syria is to cease.

Each of these five countries, along with most others, has declared its implacable opposition to the brutal terrorist threat that is ISIL.

To that extent, the concept behind today’s debate can claim success.

Where it fails is in its inability to unite these key actors and members of this Council behind a process that marries the pragmatism that must be employed to stop the conflict, with the more principled solutions that will enable Syria to start rebuilding, displaced people to return, and the other conflicts in the region, involving largely the same actors, to be addressed- in Libya, Iraq, Yemen and Palestine.

Until members of this Council learn to cooperate to broker these compromises, we will live in a world which is eternally destabilized by the rivalries of the Middle East and North Africa; a world of constant workarounds as substitutes for Council leadership, and a growing and ultimately deafening demand for Security Council reform.

Figures released by Statistics New Zealand today show that across New Zealand, ethnic diversity is projected to increase over the next two decades.

“New Zealand prides itself on being a welcoming and ethnically harmonious country. We have a high standard of living and we offer a safe haven for those fleeing conflict elsewhere in the world.

“As Ethnic Communities Minister, it is pleasing to see that all of New Zealand can share the benefits of ethnic diversity, not just in our main centres,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

“We can learn so much when we interact with other ethnic communities and the mix of cultures, language and heritage adds to the rich cultural make-up of our society.”

The information is also useful for planning in areas such as education and health.

“It is important that as a truly multicultural society, the needs of our ethnic communities are reflected in our services,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

“For example, in recognition of our growing Asian communities, our government established a $10 million Asian Language Learning in Schools contestable fund to increase the provision of Asian languages in schools.”

“Fisheries are the most important natural resource for the majority of Pacific nations and more must be done to conserve stocks and boost returns from this resource,” Mr Key says.

“While there has been an increase in the amount of fish caught in Forum Fisheries Agency waters since 2012, the value of key fisheries has fallen by just over 20 per cent. This has led Pacific Governments to look for new approaches to lift returns and safeguard fisheries for future generations.

“Pacific Leaders have endorsed ‘A Roadmap for Sustainable Pacific Fisheries’ which promotes a move towards a catch-based management system for tuna by 2025. New Zealand has experience in implementing catch-based management systems, and we have committed to sharing our knowledge and experience with the Pacific.

“The funding announced today will support the development of a framework for a catch-based management system, and support Pacific nations to improve their legal and management systems around fisheries.

“New Zealand will also invest in the monitoring and enforcement systems required to protect Pacific fish stocks. These steps will help ensure the long term sustainable economic development of Pacific fisheries,” Mr Key says.

Prime Minister Key is currently attending the Pacific Islands Forum in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.