Nathan Guy MP - Speech

Speech to Association of Consulting Engineers (ACE) Annual Conference

nospam@example.com (admin) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:51:00 +1200

Good evening and thank you for inviting me along tonight.

Can I thank Fletcher Challenge for their sponsorship of tonight's event, and of previous ACENZ conferences.

I read an article in the engineering magazine E.NZ recently on the award winning Te Rewa Rewa bridge here in New Plymouth. It's a stunning combination of art and engineering, and a great demonstration of what engineers can achieve.

It's part of New Plymouth's famous coastal walkway, and I'd urge you to have a look if you get a chance while you're here.

Tonight I'd like to give you a quick update on the government's priorities for the transport sector, and how this affects your profession.

The theme of your conference is "Energise the Future", which is a good description of what transport can do for New Zealand's economy.

We know that quality transport infrastructure can give us greater productivity and faster economic growth.

For an exporting nation like New Zealand, how we move people and goods to markets is crucial. We rely on roads, rail, sea and air travel to make a living in the world.

To be a competitive economy we have to make our transport network as safe and efficient as possible.

RONs

In particular, we see the road network as the core of the transport sector and a top priority.

A lack of investment over the last 20-25 years has created deficits in our infrastructure that are clogging our arteries.

We need to unclog these arteries, and quickly.

We are putting our money where our mouth is with $11 billion to be invested in our roading network over the next 10 years.

Last year the Minister of Transport Steven Joyce identified seven Roads of National Significance (RoNS) which are top priorities.

These roads are centred around our five largest centres, and are of national strategic importance for the economy.

All of these roads need work to reduce congestion, improve safety and support economic growth.

The NZ Transport Agency will be making major progress on these roads over the next 10 years.

Of course, we need engineers to help us build all of these roads and I expect many people in this room will be involved over the next decade.

Brief update on each RoNS project

The first Road of National Significance project to begin was SH1 Victoria Park in Auckland, which began last year, one year ahead of schedule.

This is the final part of improvements to Auckland's central motorway junction. It includes a 440 metre tunnel beneath Victoria Park to carry three lanes of northbound traffic, allowing the existing viaduct to provide four dedicated southbound lanes.

The Waterview section of Auckland's Western Ring Route will complete a 48 kilometre motorway linking Manukau, Auckland, Waitakere and the North Shore.

As part of this, the Manukau Harbour Crossing opened this week - seven months ahead of schedule. This will be a major relief for the 80,000 motorists who travel between central and south Auckland every day.

The $1.4 billion upgrade of State Highway One from Pūhoi to Wellsford will bring significant benefits to the Northland and Rodney districts, and to Auckland by reducing congestion and travel times while improving safety.

The SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link is the largest roading project ever planned in the Bay of Plenty. It's part of a wider project to handle increased traffic numbers in the region as well as supporting future population growth. Today the government has confirmed there will be tolling on this road to help pay for it.

Work on the Waikato Expressway is continuing, with a contract awarded recently to design and construct the $168 million Te Rapa section.

As the local MP for Otaki, I have a major interest in the SH1 Wellington Northern Corridor which extends from Levin to Wellington airport.

My electorate covers the Kapiti Coast and Horowhenua, and I can tell you transport is the number one local issue.

The other big news in that project was Transmission Gully. This is a big issue for people in my part of the world, and as local MP I've campaigned long and hard for this route to be built.

I think it's essential we have an alternative route in and out of our capital city. In a city like Wellington that is so vulnerable to a big quake, you've got to have route security.

This will also be a vital route in moving people and freight.

There has been decades of talk over this issue, but I'm proud to be part of a Government which is finally doing it.

Finally, the Christchurch Motorway Projects is made up of improvements to the southern, northern and western road corridors. This will mean better access around and to Christchurch, and better connections to the airport and the Port of Lyttleton.

Rail

Rail is also a big priority. We know that freight volumes carried in New Zealand will double by 2040. To meet this challenge, rail will have to play a big part.

In this year's Budget the government committed $250 million to the KiwiRail "Turnaround Plan". This is designed to make the rail freight business sustainable within a decade, so that it can stand on its own two feet.

In principle, we've committed $750 million over the next three years to KiwiRail. Final decisions will depend on business cases and meeting performance targets.

Road Safety

Finally, I want to outline our vision on road safety.

I'm sure you'll be aware of Safer Journeys, released a few months ago, which is the government's 10 year plan for road safety.

While we have made improvements and our road toll has dropped significantly in the last thirty years, this progress has stalled in recent years. Last year 385 New Zealanders died on our roads.

Safer Journeys outlines some of the major road safety issues we face and presents a range of actions to tackle them.

One of the biggest priorities is improving the safety of young drivers, because so far this year 35% of people killed on our roads have been under 25.

Our youth road toll is much worse than in Australia and it's among the worst in the world.

This is why we are raising the driving age to 16 and make the restricted driving test more difficult.

We're also improving road safety education and making it more widely available.

As we all know, alcohol is still a big problem. Nearly a third of road deaths in New Zealand involve drugs or alcohol in some way.

This week Cabinet signed off on a major package to tackle this problem.

Early next year we will be bringing in:

A zero drink drive limit for recidivist drink drivers
A zero drink drive limit for drivers under 20 years of age
Much tougher penalties for serious offences causing death and drink driving causing death
The introduction of alcohol interlocks for repeat drink-drivers and for serious first-time offenders.

In terms of the adult drink-driving limit, we'll be carrying out New Zealand-specific research into this issue over the next two years.

This is a finely balanced issue, and we want to find out more on the level of risk posed by drivers with a blood alcohol content between 0.05 and 0.08.

We need to ensure that New Zealanders understand the difference between the two levels, and what likely impact a change would have on the road toll.

The Minister of Transport Steven Joyce has always said that road safety measures only work if they have the broad support of road users.

Therefore we'd want to be sure New Zealanders understand the benefits of a change and fully support it before proceeding.

In addition to this, we've already we've passed new laws on cellphone use while driving, drugged driving and cracked down on illegal street racers.

Engineering safer roads

It's worth noting that Safer Journeys looks beyond just road users - it also takes in the safety of roads, roadsides and vehicles.

Engineering will have an important role as we aim for roads that can help reduce the chances of a crash and minimise the consequences when those crashes do occur.

The new Roads of National Significance will support this, as we retrofit and run separate carriageways through some of our busiest rural highways.

Work is underway on a State Highway Classification System. This will categorise State highways based on the volume of traffic they carry and the function they perform.

The recently launched KiwiRAP star ratings will feed into this.

These star ratings have been developed by the AA and the NZ Transport Agency to assess the relative levels of safety built in to our State highways.

They now provide important information for drivers, road authorities and the government.

Conclusion

With all of these projects happening, I'm sure you'll agree it's a busy and exciting time for the transport industry.

As engineers you have a major role to play in building and modernising our transport network, creating safer and more efficient networks throughout New Zealand.

Your expertise and knowledge is essential in carrying out these ambitious plans.

Thank you again for the chance to speak to you tonight.

Speech to Forest and Rural Fires Association Annual Conference

nospam@example.com (admin) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:45:00 +1200

Thank you for inviting me to open your annual conference. It's great to be here in the North.

Can I congratulate the FRFANZ committee for putting together an interesting conference programme. Welcome to the two international speakers, Johann Heine from South Africa, and Brendan Smyth from Australia.

I understand Brendan is a politician as well as a volunteer firefighter. He is the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the ACT Legislative Assembly in Canberra - welcome to New Zealand.

Today I'd like to touch on the most recent fire season, and outline some initiatives that are underway to support you in your valuable work.

Northland Fires

One of the best things about this part of the country is the great weather here. But while sunshine and low rain is great when you're on holiday, it's not so good for fire safety.

Northland has had a difficult fire season with drought conditions from November until well into autumn. I'm told this was the driest period in living memory.

As a result we had a large number of serious wildfires. In particular the Kaimaumau fire and the Kerikeri airport fire were very costly and time consuming.

I know from experience on my own farm that peat fires are very hard to extinguish once they get going, so I can sympathise with the efforts taken to put out the fire at Kaimaumau especially.

I understand that this fire got into the peat layer and burned for over a month.

I see that you have a session on this fire later today. I'm sure this will be a good chance to share some of the lessons learnt from this experience.

In the South Island we had the Mount Allen forest fire in February, just outside of Dunedin. This fire burnt around 800 hectares of forest land and was a serious loss for the owner.

I saw the aftermath a month later, and I could clearly see the huge effort put in by firefighters. Containing this fire took several weeks.

I understand that both these fires cost over a million dollars each to deal with, and are the most expensive in New Zealand's recent history.

There is good progress being made though. The overall ten year rolling average of area burnt has dropped from 6,476 hectares to 5,597 hectares.

Since my appointment as Minister of Internal Affairs just over a year ago I've been hugely impressed at the dedication and professionalism of forest and rural and forest fire fighters.

It is a testimony to your work that the last fire season wasn't worse, because it easily could have been.

All reports are that the season was very well managed and I would like to congratulate everyone involved. Special thanks go to the volunteers who worked long and hard to protect their communities.

Thanks also to all the Rural Fire Authorities and their employees and contractors who get diverted from other important jobs to deal with these incidents.

International Cooperation

Supporting volunteers is an important part of the work your organisation does. Another crucial role is pursuing international ties through conferences and study tours.

There are regular visits to Australia, and earlier this year I was pleased to provide some funding for a tour of Tasmania.

These international relationships are very beneficial for the forest and rural sector. Even when the fire climates are vastly different, the processes are often similar.

In August last year six New Zealand firefighters went to Canada to help fight wildfires in British Columbia. It's great that New Zealand is able to help our neighbours and friends in times of need.

These tours and deployments provide a real chance to learn and build useful international ties.

NRFA National Stakeholders Meeting

Cooperation is also happening at a national level. The National Rural Fire Authority held their annual stakeholders forum in Wellington two weeks ago, which was an important way for your sector to have an input into the work of the Authority.

An example of this is the Authority's Strategic Plan, which was unveiled at this year's meeting. This plan will guide the work of the Authority over the next four years, and is based on the ideas generated from the last two forums.

ERFD Strategy

A key component of that strategy is Enlarged Rural Fire Districts Strategy.

This is obviously a key issue for your sector, as confirmed by the theme of your conference: "Is Bigger Better?"

I think there are real benefits to be had with greater economies of scale, pooled resources and taking a regional approach to fire management.

The plan involves having a full-time Principal Rural Fire Officer.

Overall I believe this will reduce duplication of effort and strengthen the sector.

Importantly, many of the strongest advocates for enlarged districts are people already operating in this new model. They see the benefits every day.

It should be noted that in most areas, a large amount of cooperation already goes on between Fire Authorities. The strategy highlights this, but also focuses on cooperation and integration at the governance level.

The basic principle of forest and rural fire management in New Zealand is that those closest to the land should manage the fire risk.

The Board structure of an Enlarged Rural Fire District can give fair representation to major stakeholders and landowners within the region. This can improve the ownership of fire issues by landowners, and encourage more groups to become actively engaged and involved.

I've been supporting this strategy for the past year and I'm pleased with the progress so far. The National Rural Fire Authority has led a huge amount of consultation and discussion across the country. Every region has now had some contact about the strategy.

The model remains voluntary and this gives you the chance to set the direction for the future. This is an opportunity for the sector to take the lead, and many of you have.

For example, in the Far North, a project manager has been appointed to assess amalgamation and analyse what it would mean for stakeholders and the community.

Stakeholders in the Central North Island, Otago and Taranaki have also appointed independent project managers to look at their business.

I think it can be helpful for an independent person to analyse the operations, governance and management processes, and of course the costs, before a decision is made on amalgamation.

I would encourage other areas to look at doing this.

Future changes in the sector

I encourage everyone here to look seriously at the benefits and advantages offered by this strategy. I know that it often presents a number of challenges in the short term, but the long term benefits will have a real impact on the forest and rural fire sector.

Changes in forest ownership, land use, climate, new technology, and an aging population are just some of the challenges facing your sector.

We need to look at ways that we can make the sector as strong as possible to face these, and other, challenges of the future.

Grant Assistance Scheme

I'd like to finish on a bit of good news.

The National Rural Fire Authority offers grants to subsidise new firefighting equipment and protective clothing for volunteer rural fire forces. I'm pleased that a funding increase of $300,000 has been made this year, with the total budget reaching $2 million.

I'm know this money does make a difference, and its pleasing to see more of the 4x4 yellow fire tankers in small rural communities.

Finally, I wish you all the best for the conference. I am sure that that the presentations, the discussion and networking will be interesting.

It's a great chance to strengthen relationships and share ideas with your colleagues from around the country and around the world.

Thank you.

Speech to the Aviation Industry Association's 60th Annual Conference

nospam@example.com (admin) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 11:39:00 +1200

Good afternoon and thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today.

I've been a Minister for just over 12 months now and I'm loving the role.

As well as Associate Transport Minister, I'm also the Associate Minister of Justice and the Minister for Internal Affairs, the National Library, Archives New Zealand.

So that covers a very wide area - gambling, passports, fire service, JPs, and transport safety, to name just a few areas.

I've enjoyed building strong relationships with the aviation sector.

I understand this is the 60th conference the Aviation Industry Association has held. Congratulations on a great achievement.

This shows the longstanding and vital role that aviation has played in New Zealand's economy.

A recent report from New Zealand Trade and Enterprise shows that aviation contributed around $9.7 billion to our GDP last year, representing 6.9% of the whole economy.

The report is called "New Horizons" and it details how innovation and new technology have driven growth in the industry.

Your industry employs over 23,000 people and has grown on average 9.5% over the last five years.

New Zealand companies are exporting to the global market in areas as diverse as training, aircraft design, airport systems and advanced rocket technology.

Aviation produces high-value products and services, and high-value jobs. This is exactly where the Government sees New Zealand's future.

For this reason, last month my colleague Gerry Brownlee - the Minister of Economic Development - lead a Ministerial mission to the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, China.

He took with him some of New Zealand's leading aviation companies to develop long-term relationships with Chinese agencies and companies.

China is already the world's second largest air travel market, and this presents major opportunities for New Zealand.

Clearly aviation makes a major contribution to the economy, and I believe it has an exciting future.

Today I'd like to discuss a few important issues facing your industry, and give you an update on government policies that affect you.

State of the aviation industry

As we all know, the global recession has had a big impact on the airline industry and it's been a tough couple of years.

Particularly with regards to tourism, the key indicators suggest that recovery from the recession will be a gradual process rather than a quick rebound.

However, international arrivals over the past year - to the end of April - were up 3.1% to 2.5 million visitors, which is good news.

Australia and United Kingdom remain our key markets and people travelling from Australia to visit friends and relatives in New Zealand are the strongest segment of that market.

I'm sure you know that the Minister of Tourism also happens to be the Prime Minister, and as part of the Budget this year he announced $30 million in new funding for tourism.

$25 million of this will go into overseas marketing to encourage more visitors here, with Australia as one of the main targets.

Of course next year's Rugby World Cup offers a major opportunity and challenge for the industry to take advantage of the biggest sporting event this country has ever hosted.

A total of 85,000 international visitors are expected here and the aviation industry will play a key role in transporting these people to and around New Zealand.

Government aviation initiatives

There are some important issues the government has been working on that will help your industry.

Recently the Transport Minister Steven Joyce announced a reduction in the international aviation security charge paid by out-bound airlines.

This is being reduced from $15 to $10 per departing international traveller, while the charge for domestic travellers dropped slightly from $4.66 to $4.35 (including GST).

The Aviation Security Service had built up large surpluses from this charge since it was last increased in 2007. By the end of March this surplus was sitting at close to $35 million from international security charges, and $6.5 million from domestic charges.

This level of surplus was unfair on airlines and the travelling public. It's not very often the government can reduce a charge of this kind so I'm pleased we've been able to do this.

I'm pleased to inform you that New Zealand formally acceded to the Cape Town Convention and the Aircraft Protocol on 20 July (or last week) and these treaties will come into force for New Zealand on 1 November 2010.

This is great news for the industry and I know the AIA has supported New Zealand's signing these treaties since it was first proposed a few years ago.

This will reduce the cost of financing for companies purchasing and leasing aircraft, and the benefits will be in the millions of dollars.

Air New Zealand has previously announced the purchase of 23 new aircraft over the next six years.

Your organisation has forecast that the rest of the industry could acquire some 160 aeroplanes and over 400 helicopters in a similar period.

Potential savings in finance costs over this period are estimated to be between $18 million (for reductions in the cost of export credit guarantees) and $325 million (on loan interest rates).

This is great news for the industry and I know the AIA has supported New Zealand's signing these treaties since it was first proposed a few years ago.

Civil Aviation rule changes

In December last year the Civil Aviation Rule Part 21 came into force which allows the commercial operation of different types of aircraft, such as light sport aircraft.

The proposed Part 115 Adventure Aviation Rule will further increase the types of aircraft available to be used for commercial aviation.

Since the mid-1990s there has been major growth in the numbers of ex-military and vintage aircraft in New Zealand for private and display use, and increasing demand for sport and recreational aircraft for adventure aviation.

Looking further afield, the Ministry of Transport is about to begin work on a review of New Zealand's international air transport policy.

We want to ensure it is supporting economic development and that regulatory frameworks are responsive and flexible to change.

Our international air transport policy was established in 1985 and restated in 1998. The 1998 policy set out the overall objective of air transport as being to maximise economic benefits to New Zealand, including trade and tourism, consistent with foreign policy and strategic considerations.

This has resulted in the most liberal and flexible air services arrangements possible with other countries, and a whole range of new agreements over the last 25 years.

This has meant increased opportunities for airlines, more tourists into the country and it has helped many New Zealanders see the world.

It's been a dramatic few decades for the aviation industry. We've seen rapid growth and expansion, but we've also had global challenges such as terrorism, pandemics, volatile fuel prices and the worst recession in generations.

We've also seen continuing expansion of global airline alliances, and a trend towards regional, rather than bilateral, air services agreements between governments.

Given all this, we think a review of the current policy is timely.

Civil Aviation Authority

I understand today you've heard from Steve Douglas, Director of the Civil Aviation Authority.

I'm sure you're aware of the report by the Office of the Auditor-General into the Civil Aviation Authority, looking at its certification and surveillance processes.

The report made 14 recommendations designed to strengthen the CAA's processes and the government has made it clear it expects to see these recommendations carried out promptly and in full.

CAA will be following a detailed work programme and the CAA Board and the Ministry of Transport will be making quarterly updates to the Minister of Transport.

It is important to note that the report was not concerned about the general safety of the New Zealand aviation system.

However it is essential these recommendations are acted on swiftly so the public can continue to have faith in the ongoing safety of our aviation system.

Three new appointments were made to the Board last month. Peter Griffiths, Anita Mazzoleni and John Bartlett all have a mix of skills and experience that will drive continued cultural change and increased efficiency at the CAA.

As well as those recommendations, the CAA also has a lot on its plate with a full review of fees, charges and levies and a value for money review.

Safety

Earlier this year I pleased to announce new initiatives to improve the monitoring of commercial pilots with drug and alcohol issues.

The CAA will be carrying out random checks on the criminal records of pilots and are developing an electronic database to monitor trends in this area.

While New Zealand has a strong, safe and reliable system for monitoring of pilots, these changes will further improve public confidence and transparency.

On that note, can I congratulate you on New Zealand's excellent safety record.

Over the last five years there have been no fatalities among fixed wing commercial operators carrying nine or fewer passengers. The same goes for commercial helicopter operators.

Let's hope we can keep it that way.

Operators have clearly invested a lot in their safety practices over the years, and this is a record to be proud of.

Conclusion

What the last few years have shown is that the aviation sector is resilient, and that it still has an exciting future.

Can I congratulate you again for 60 years of representing your industry, and I look forward to building on the good relationship you have with the government.

Thank you.

Speech to Rural Contractors Annual Conference

nospam@example.com (admin) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 11:33:00 +1200

Thanks for the opportunity to speak to you today.

Your organisation plays a valuable role as an advocate for rural contractors, and as an interface between your members and the government.

I'm here today as Associate Transport Minister, but also as a farmer. I have a family dairy farm just out of Levin, so I have a bit of insight into some of the issues you face.

Transport is a vital part of your industry, so today I'd like to update you on the government's goals in this area and some issues that affect you directly.

Transport driving the economy

The government is serious about making the New Zealand economy grow faster.

It will be no surprise that our top priority for transport is to maximise its contribution to economic growth.

As a small, remote nation we rely on tourism and exports to earn a living in the world. We need to move freight and people as quickly and efficiently as possible while removing blockages.

We are now well underway in making the biggest investment in New Zealand's roading network that has ever been made.

Over the next decade we are planning to invest nearly $11 billion in new infrastructure for New Zealand's state highway network.

That's new infrastructure - and that's alongside record spending on maintenance and renewals of the existing network; and record government investment in the local roading network.

The major priority is easing bottlenecks within and around our main cities, and linking our major sea and air ports into the state highway system.

These are the projects that will give the biggest lift to productivity and economic growth.

I noted some comments recently from Jeremy Sole, Head of the Contractor's Federation. He said that this programme of building had created confidence and enthusiasm in an industry that otherwise would be looking at cutbacks.

He also said:

"It is unlikely that New Zealand would have been able to retain the skills and ability to deliver major infrastructure projects during the post recession recovery period."

Road user charges reforms

Another big priority for the government is removing unnecessary red tape.

You might be aware of Transport Minister Steven Joyce's announcement this month on a package of proposed reforms to the road user charges (RUC) system.

The reforms are the most significant changes to the RUC system since it was introduced in 1978.

These reforms will be introduced to Parliament later this year, and are designed to simplify and modernise the system.

We want to reduce compliance costs for transport operators and ultimately for our businesses and exporters.

We also want to reduce evasion, which officials estimate is around $30 million a year. This means that honest users are subsidising those who dodge the system.

The government is proposing to change the definition of licence weights, remove the confusing time-licence system, and simplify the list of vehicles exempted from RUC.

I hope this is good news to this audience.

Of the 580,000 vehicles currently paying a RUC charge, around 7,500 - or 1% - currently need a time license. This is expensive to run and adds a lot of complexity. It's also difficult to set a fair and objective charge for time licenses.

It's not very often in speeches I get to talk about tractors, but I know this will be of interest to you.

We are proposing that all tractors be treated equally. They will be exempt from RUC but instead will pay the standard annual licence fee - currently $43.50.

A new one-off charge would replace the time license charge for other vehicles.

These changes will make the RUC system fairer and easier to understand.

Legislation will be introduced later this year, and there will be further consultation with affected users before changes are implemented.

Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Rule amendment

The government is also changing the use of heavy vehicles on our roads with an amendment to the Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Rule.

The amended Rule, which came into force in May, lets road controlling authorities issue permits for vehicles to operate up to 53 tonnes on certain routes. Previously the maximum allowable weight was 44 tonnes.

This will deliver real gains for both the economy and the travelling public.

It will help to reduce road congestion, operating costs, vehicle emissions and improve the road safety environment by slowing the increase in heavy vehicle movements on New Zealand's roads.

We could see productivity gains in the range of 10 to 20 percent by using fewer trucks to carry a given amount of freight. It could result in an increase in GDP by up to $500 million a year.

The Rule amendment also included a number of other changes that deal with issues raised by your industry.

For example, certain over-dimension farm vehicles no longer need to comply with travel time restrictions if they can travel without taking up more than one lane of the road.

Work Time and Logbooks Rule amendment

Another issue your industry has raised with the government is around work time and log books.

The Land Transport Rule: Work Time and Logbooks Amendment (2010) came into effect this year. This sets a framework for dealing with road safety risks from driver fatigue for users of heavy motor vehicles and commercial vehicles.

I am sure your members will be pleased the compliance burden on your sector has been reduced.

Previously, only farmers were exempt from having to fill in a logbook. This has now been extended to cover all tractors with a limit of 50 kilometres on road in any day, such as those operated by agricultural contractors.

This was further extended by adding "self-propelled agricultural machinery" to the list of exemptions.

As a farmer myself I fully understand that contractors need to ‘make hay while the sun shines', and that time limits can be frustrating when working on time and weather critical jobs.

Agriculture is vital to the New Zealand economy and there is a need for greater flexibility of work hours at certain times.

We also recognise that much of the work done by contractors happens off-road. Some contractors have been in discussion with the NZTA about short-term variations of allowable hours.

My understanding is that while this helps, we still have some work to do to make the process less onerous.

But like most regulations, it's a balancing act for the government and for officials.

Driver fatigue is a serious road safety risk, especially for the heavy commercial transport sector.

Most other countries manage this risk by legislating maximum driving hours and minimum rest hours. Similar restrictions in New Zealand are there for a good reason.

I understand there have been positive and constructive discussions recently between your representatives, transport officials and Police about this issue.

I know that one area of concern is the requirement to make a request in writing to change the work time. Unfortunately this is required by legislation, which means it can only be changed by Parliament.

The good news though is that later this year Parliament will be considering changes to the Land Transport Act.

This will be your opportunity to make a submission on transport issues of concern to your sector.

I urge you to work with your industry leaders so your views can be heard.

ACC reforms

I want to touch on another couple of new policies, not directly related to transport, which affect your industry.

Last week the government announced changes to ACC to encourage safety and reward good employers.

From April next year, large employers paying more than $10,000 a year in ACC levies will be eligible for a discount or loading of up to 50%, depending on their claims history.

For smaller employers, a simple system of no-claims bonuses and high-claim loadings will apply.

The proposal is that if no weekly compensation claim has been lodged in the last three years, the employer will receive a 10% no-claim bonus on their ACC levies.

Penalties will apply if there has been more than four weekly compensation claims in the last three years.

We expect around 220,000 small businesses will receive a discount under this policy, and around 1000 will pay more because of their safety record.

This will make the system fairer, and reward good employers who take safety seriously.

90 day trial

The other new policy is extending the 90 day trial for new employees to include all employers, large and small.

This is an important step in creating more jobs and opportunities for New Zealanders.

Jobs are created when a business is prepared to give someone a chance - often someone they've never met before and know very little about.

The trial period gives employers the confidence to give a prospective employee a shot at work.

It gives many disadvantaged people - such as migrants, young people and the long-term unemployed - a chance to prove themselves.

The research shows many jobs have already been created that wouldn't have happened without the trial period.

Conclusion

Can I finish by just reinforcing how committed the government is to maximising economic growth and productivity. This means more jobs, higher incomes and better opportunities for New Zealanders.

To do this we need to keep investing in infrastructure, removing red tape and continuing to build relationships with all the industries that contribute to the economy.

Can I thank you for inviting me today to discuss these issues. I hope that many of the changes I've outlined today will be welcomed by your members.

Thank you.

Speech to the opening of the National Library's new Auckland centre

nospam@example.com (admin) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 10:18:00 +1200

Thanks Penny and Ngati Whatua for that warm welcome.

It's a great honour and pleasure to be here tonight, and the Prime Minister sends his best wishes.

This new centre is a proud moment for the National Library. It is a key milestone in the New Generation Strategy, aimed at modernising services.

In particular, moving to this new location in Parnell provides a real opportunity to improve the ways we support literacy and learning in Auckland, and New Zealand.

As you might be aware, the National Library supports around 720,000 students in over two and a half thousand schools across the country.

The ‘Services to Schools' team provides curriculum resources and advice on school library development.

When developing this centre, they have thought long and hard on the kind of support our students will need into the 21st century.

It's clear that the world of learning is a very different experience for children today than it was even a few decades ago.

Libraries have a key role to play in supporting this changing learning and information landscape.

This is exactly what the new centre does, providing a vibrant, open and collaborative space, creating new possibilities to support learning and to provide a window to New Zealand's past, present and future.

A couple of new features really stand out.

The brand new Learning Studio provides a space, facilities and technologies where library staff will work alongside teachers, to develop 21st century literacy skills, enhancing teaching programmes and developing new classroom resources.

It also has "The Window", which gives a glimpse into some of the National Library's collections.

The first exhibition on display through "The Window" is a selection of digital images from the Alexander Turnbull Library, showing Auckland scenes from 1860 onwards.

The Window open to anyone, including the general public, during opening hours.

Overall, this is a building with a modern, inviting feel. It makes the most of technology to engage the public, educators and kids, and is a great asset for Auckland.

This centre has cost $1.9 million, and is part of a $52 million project to modernise the National Library.

In this year's Budget I was also very proud to announce $12.6 million in new funding for a Government Digital Archive, to be jointly developed by the National Library and Archives New Zealand.

This will help preserve and store digital information for future generations to enjoy, and confirms the government's commitment to the sector overall.

Importance of literacy

This new centre is important to the government because improving the literacy of young New Zealanders is a key goal for us.

We believe that too many young people have been falling through the cracks of the education system. This has an enormous social and economic cost.

This is why we are rolling out National Standards and other efforts to boost literacy.

And we are investing $1.5 billion to roll out high-speed broadband across the country. In effect, this is the pipeline - the challenge now is to make the most of this opportunity and fill those pipes with information into every home and school in New Zealand.

This new centre will play a key role in achieving these goals for New Zealand.

Integration

Finally, can I say a few words about the integration of the National Library with Archives New Zealand and the Department of Internal Affairs.

As the Minister responsible for all three agencies I believe they share natural synergies. They all have a common focus on using digital technology and making public information widely accessible to citizens.

This move will allow expertise and resources to be combined, while at the same time sharing back office costs.

The integration is not about changing the major roles and functions of the National Library or the Turnbull Library.

We expect this will generate millions of dollars a year in savings, redirecting into better frontline services for the public.

I believe the National Library has an exciting future. It has embraced change and new technology, and this new centre is a perfect example of that.

It reflects the determination of the National Library to modernise its services so that they continue to be relevant to our schools and children.

It also means that the people of Auckland can more strongly connect with the taonga and treasures held by the National Library.

Can I finish by thanking the staff of the National Library who have worked so hard to bring this project into reality.

I think they have succeeded in creating a vibrant and engaging space that will support our educators while fostering the joy of reading in young people.

Well done and congratulations on this achievement.

Tena koutou Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, tena hoki koutou Ngati Whatua.

Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa.

Thank you.

Motor Trade Association School road safety presentation with Greg Murphy

nospam@example.com (admin) — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 10:15:00 +1200

Good Morning Greg, staff and students - thanks for inviting me along today.

I know that most of you would rather hear Greg Murphy speak than a politician, so I'll be quick.

I just wanted a few minutes to tell why you why his programme is so important, and what the government is doing to help young people stay safe on the roads.

You probably know that every year, hundreds of New Zealanders are killed and thousands are seriously injured on our roads.

The problem is especially bad amongst young people, who are more likely to be affected by speed, alcohol, drugs and distractions.

Our youth road toll is much worse than in Australia and it's among the worst in the world.

Everyone knows that driving can be fun, and for most people it's an essential part of growing up. But clearly we need to do better.

This is why the government has launched Safer Journeys, a 10 year strategy to cut our road toll.

A big part of the package is aimed at younger drivers. We are raising the driving age to 16 and make the restricted driving test more difficult.

We want young people to graduate through the system with the maturity and skills they need to be competent drivers.

We are improving the road safety education and making it more widely available.

We're also looking at vehicle power restrictions for young drivers, and whether there should be tougher penalties for breaching the restricted license conditions.

Of course, alcohol is still a big problem. Nearly a third of road deaths in New Zealand involve drugs or alcohol in some way.

The government is considering a zero drink drive limit for drivers under 20 and using interlock devices for repeat offenders, to stop a vehicle being driven if the driver is over the limit.

Cabinet will also be considering the adult drink drive limit, and whether we lower this or carry out more detailed research.

Already we've started a major programme of building new roads across the country, and we've passed new laws on cellphone use while driving, drugged driving and cracked down on boy racers.

Driving a car on your own is a privilege. You will be behind the wheels of a machine that can kill others, so we want you to be safe and responsible.

But at the end of day, the government can only do so much. The responsibility for staying safe belongs to all of us.

This is what I think you're going to hear a bit more about.

It's my pleasure to introduce Greg Murphy this morning. Greg is one of New Zealand's top sporting champions, and a four time winner at the legendary Bathurst 1000 race in Australia.

As a V8 Supercar driver, he knows a fair bit about staying safe on the road and making the right decisions under pressure.

It is a real privilege to have him here today speaking to us, giving up his valuable time.

Thanks to the Motor Trade Association for organising this event today, and thank you Greg.

Speech to Central Region Justice of the Peaces

nospam@example.com (admin) — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 10:09:00 +1200

Good afternoon and thank you for inviting me to your luncheon today.

Today I'd like to outline some of the government's priorities for the legal system, and touch on a few issues facing JPs in particular.

Can I start by thanking all of you, for the valuable work you do as JPs.

The communities you serve rely on you for a number of important functions - whether it be witnessing documents and taking statutory declarations, or offering advice or guidance.

Today there are over 10,000 JPs in New Zealand, and your communities see you as leaders.

The role of a JP has always been to serve the public. It is done on a voluntary basis, with no expectation of payment.

As the local MP for Otaki I've heard many times how much the local community values your work.

My own father is a JP so I have a reasonable understanding of the role.

You might be aware the first JP in New Zealand was appointed in 1814, so that's nearly 200 years of voluntary service.

As well as your work in the community, many of you play an important role in the court system.

In the 2008/2009 year you provided almost 25,000 hours of service to District Court work around the country, undertaking a range of duties from hearing summary offences to issuing search warrants.

Crime and victims

As a group with an interest in the justice system, I'd like to fill you in on the government's main priorities in this area.

A key focus for us has been on the victims of crime. I'm sure you are all aware of the impact crime has on individuals and on communities.

From 1 July a $50 levy will be imposed on all convicted offenders at the point of sentencing in court.

This is in addition to any sentence or court order, and will be collected after reparation and before fines.

The money raised by this levy will help pay for additional support services to victims of serious crimes.

We expect the levy to generate $13.6 million over the first four years.

We've also brought in new ways to protect the victims of domestic violence.

Police can now issue orders on the spot to remove an alleged violent person from a home for up to five days.

This can be issued when there's not enough basis for an arrest, but when Police believe there is a danger of violence occurring.

If a Police safety order is breached, then the matter can be brought before the court. A JP will then be able to direct the Police to issue a new order, and can also send the matter to a Judge to consider a temporary protection order.

The Ministry of Justice, the Police and the Courts have been preparing training material for JPs on this new role.

Legal aid and alcohol

I'm sure you'll be aware of the report into the legal aid system, released by Dame Margaret Bazely last year.

She found a number of system-wide failings, leaving the system open to abuse by lawyers and defendants.

The government has taken her concerns very seriously, and accepted most of her recommendations.

Justice Minister Simon Power has announced a range of measures to improve the standards of lawyers taking part, and improve the transparency of the system.

We are confident these changes will rebuild public confidence in the system, and deliver better value for taxpayers.

Also in the news recently has been the Law Commission's report into alcohol, with a range of ideas for reducing the harm it causes to society.

The government has 120 working days to develop its formal response to the report, and we are carefully considering all the options.

Reducing the harm from alcohol is a major priority in the Government's approach to Addressing the Drivers of Crime.

Continuing work

Modernising our courts is another big project.

In my electorate we've recently opened a very impressive new courthouse in Levin. We had an open day a few weeks ago, and I can tell you it is a major improvement from the old leaky building.

Across from my office in Wellington we have the new Supreme Court building, which is drawing a range of opinions on its unique design.

Inside the courts we are making greater use of technology. The Courts (Remote Participation) Bill will allow participants to appear in Court using audio-visual links, as long as certain criteria is met.

Within four years time we estimate some of New Zealand's busiest Courts will each see up to 2,000 remand prisoners appearing this way every year.

We hope this will mean more efficient courts with fewer delays and hold-ups.

Testing for this will begin soon in the Auckland District Court and the Auckland Central Remand Prison.

The Justice Ministry will be working with the Royal Federation on training for Judicial JPs in Auckland who might end up using this system.

We're also looking to make use of technology to reduce paperwork in Courts, which I think will be a relief to many of you.

Another major project is the Criminal Procedure (Simplification) Project.

This is intended to fundamentally reform criminal procedure and replace most of the Summary Proceedings Act 1957 with a new consolidated Act.

A major change proposed is to introduce a case management system, requiring parties to discuss their case and exchange information in an attempt to resolve matters.

The aim is to avoid unnecessary appearances and shorten trial time.

We want to see more efficient, clearer and faster processes.

This will mean improved access to justice for court users, and more public confidence in the system.

I know the Royal Federation have already indicated that JPs will be providing feedback on the new Bill once it has been introduced into the House, and I encourage you to do so.

Another piece of legislation likely to affect JPs is the Search and Surveillance Bill, which deals with situations where Police need a warrant urgently.

Issuing officers will be available 24-7 to grant search and surveillance warrants.

Many of those who will train to become issuing officers are likely to be JPs.

The Bill has had its first reading and the Select Committee report back has been deferred until October of this year.

Finally, I'm overseeing changes to the law regarding the regulation of security guards ahead of the Rugby World Cup next year.

So as you can see, it's a very busy programme of work.

JP issues

Can I finish by touching on a couple of issues directly relevant to JPs.

The Ministry of Justice has been working with the Royal Federation to rewrite the Judicial JPs manual, and they have also developed a new Judicial JPs bench book.

Work is also underway to review and redesign the Judicial JPs training course.

This course was first developed in 1976 and hasn't been properly reviewed in over 20 years.

Work is underway with the New Zealand Open Polytechnic to:

reduce the current number of course assessments (from 10 to 3) and;

achieve a more practical and applied approach to learning.

I've also been very impressed by the flash new website of the Royal Federation of JPs. It looks great, it's easy to use and has a lot of useful information for the public and for JPs.

Conclusion

Thank you for the opportunity to be here today, and thank you again for the work you do to serve the public. I can assure you it is well known and well appreciated by the Government, and the wider community.

Thank you.

Speech to the Airports Association of New Zealand

nospam@example.com (admin) — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 10:06:00 +1200

Good evening and welcome here to Parliament tonight.

I'd like to say a few quick words about the importance of airports to New Zealand, and touch on a few issues facing your sector.

The Government has made it clear our top priority for transport is to maximise its contribution to economic growth and productivity.

Airports have a major role to play in this. For a small and remote nation like New Zealand, moving people and goods to markets is crucial.

We rely on tourism and trade to make a living in the world, and air travel plays a huge part in that.

About 98% of foreign tourists enter New Zealand through our international airports and around 15% of our exports and 20% of our imports by value cross our borders at an international airport.

Put simply - we need airports.

We have 31 airports in New Zealand, including six international, connecting people and families as a major part of society.

As we all know it's been a tough few years for aviation around the world.

The recession has had a major impact with a decline in the number of domestic and international passengers, meaning we really need to work hard to promote New Zealand.

The Prime Minister John Key is also the Minister of Tourism, and as part of the Budget this year he announced $30 million in new funding for tourism.

$25 million of this will go into overseas marketing to encourage more visitors here, with Australia is one of the main targets.

Already though there are encouraging signs the economy is getting back on its feet, and healthy growth is forecast for the next few years. This is good news for New Zealand, and good news for airports.

Of course next year is the Rugby World Cup, which will be the biggest event ever hosted in this country. We are expecting around 85,000 internationals visitors, and moving them around the country represents a great challenge and opportunity.

It's also encouraging to see new developments like Air Asia wanting to fly into New Zealand.

Another new development is Smartgate. I was at Wellington airport a couple of weeks ago for the launch of this. It's a great initiative which makes travel a lot quicker, more efficient and enjoyable for passengers.

Recently the Transport Minister Steven Joyce announced a reduction in the international aviation security charge paid by out-bound airlines will be reduced by $5 per passenger.

The domestic aviation security charge was also reduced to $4.35.

It's a welcome move given that it's not very often that a government can reduce a charge of this kind.

While this charge is in place to ensure the security of passengers, we felt the level of recovery was too high. We hope airlines will pass most of these reductions onto their passengers.

The government has also announced recently that New Zealand will become a party to the Cape Town Convention and associated Aircraft Protocol.

This will reduce the cost of financing for companies purchasing and leasing aircraft, and the benefits will be in the millions of dollars. So it's good news for the aviation industry, and the country as a whole.

Finally, can I pay tribute to the work of the Airports Association. It is very important that we have your sector industry in developing policy and strategies for New Zealand.

Thank you for coming and enjoy the rest of the evening.

Address to the 90th Anniversary of the Alexander Turnbull Library

nospam@example.com (admin) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 09:58:00 +1200

Welcome here tonight everyone, thank you for coming and for asking me to say a few words.

Since becoming the Responsible Minister - exactly one year ago today - it's become very clear to me that the Alexander Turnbull Library has a lot of friends.

Perhaps what has struck me the most about the National Library and the Turnbull Library is the passion of those involved.

Amongst the staff, it is clear this is more than just a day job - it is a real dedication.

The same goes for users and supporters of the Library, who are fiercely proud of this institution. And rightly so.

I'm sure most of you know the history of the Turnbull Library.

It was 1918 when Alexander Turnbull gifted his extensive collection to the nation. Over time this has been built up through donations, bequeaths, and targeted purchasing.

Thanks to Mr Turnbull and many other supporters, the Library now has grown to include millions of items.

It is recognised as the foremost heritage research library in New Zealand, and has an international reputation.

It has certainly been an eventful 90th year for the Turnbull Library.

I want to say a few about the integration of the National Library, Archives New Zealand and the Department of Internal Affairs.

Firstly, can I outline why the government is doing this.

This move will allow expertise and resources to be combined, while at the same time sharing back office costs.

We expect this will generate millions of dollars a year in savings, all of which will be redirected into better frontline services for the public.

The integration is not about changing the major roles and functions of the National Library or the Turnbull Library.

One issue I've had raised with me is the status of the Chief Librarian after this integration.

We've made it clear that the statutory roles and functions of this position will be preserved and protected.

The Chief Librarian will be appointed by the chief executive of the new department, on the recommendation of the National Librarian.

In my view, this change of reporting lines will make very little material difference.

There are already several similar positions within the public service, such as:

the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages
the Director of Civil Defence Emergency
the Surveyor-General
the Registrar-General.

All of these positions are employed by a chief executive and have important statutory roles, regardless of what tier they might be.

There will continue to be a separate Budget vote, and as the responsible Minister I will continue to receive independent advice from the Guardians of the Turnbull Library.

The Chief Executives of all three departments are currently working through the operational details of the integration, and I'm pleased that Chris Szekely as Chief Librarian is playing a senior role in this.

Legislation to amend the National Library Act 2003 with a few tweaks will be introduced by the end of July, and it will be largely minimal and technical.

This Act confirmed that the Turnbull collections are owned by the Crown, to be held in perpetuity. That will not be changing.

Consultation with stakeholders, such as the Guardians and Friends of the Turnbull is well underway. The public will also have the chance to contribute through the select committee process.

Thank you for all the feedback I've had so far.

Can I also thank the staff of the National Library and the Alexander Turnbull Library who have been very professional throughout this whole process.

This government values important, iconic institutions like the National Library, Archives New Zealand and the Alexander Turnbull Library.

And we've been "putting our money where our mouth is" to back it up.

$52 million into modernising the National Library
$1.9 million into a new Auckland centre for the National Library which I'll be opening next month
$12.4 million in the recent 2010 Budget for a Government Digital Archive. That's new extra money to help preserve and store digital information for future generations to enjoy.

Finally, can I thank you again for coming tonight. I want to especially thank everyone here tonight who has been involved with the Turnbull Library in some way over the last 90 years.

It is a remarkable milestone we're celebrating tonight.

The reason for this success is not just the books and the physical material, but the people behind the scenes.

It is the staff, the friends, guardians, users and supporters, who have made this achievement possible.

With your continued support, I believe the Turnbull Library has an exciting future and will continue to be an iconic institution for future generations to enjoy.

Happy 90th Birthday.

Speech to a special conference of the Community Gaming Association

nospam@example.com (admin) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 11:21:00 +1200

Thank you for the opportunity to speak at this Special Conference of the Community Gaming Association.

It's my pleasure to address you as the Minister responsible for the Gambling Act and for gambling policy in New Zealand.

I would have liked to have been here in person today, but due to a Ministerial visit to my Otaki electorate - organised well in advance - I've had to record this message instead.

What I want to talk about today is the Government's expectations of the groups that run gaming machines, especially the groups that run gaming machines in commercial venues like pubs.

To begin with, it's worth noting the size of the sector.

Expenditure on non-casino gaming machines was around $890 million in 2008/09, and has been over a billion dollars in some years.

Importantly, the money raised for community purposes has been about $330 million.

Some people have harmless fun playing these machines.

However, they are also linked to a variety of problems.

It's important, therefore, that there are measures to prevent and minimise harm.

It's also important that there are measures to limit the opportunities for crime and dishonesty.

Achieving a balance among all of these things is what the Gambling Act is all about.

Today, I want to focus on the community purposes part of this equation.

It's very important to remember that societies are licensed to run gaming machines to raise money for community purposes.

As societies, the money you get from your gaming machines is not your money so to speak.

It is money you hold in trust on behalf of the community.

Some societies seem to have lost sight of this very simple point.

It is not a "grey" issue, with any room for debate.

From the Government's point of view, it is "black and white".

As I'm sure you know, the Government has several priorities for gambling.

One priority is to maximise the percentage return to community purposes from gaming machines.

This is an important way to support our communities.

Other priorities are to improve compliance with gambling laws and the integrity of funding practices.

The Gambling Act says that societies must maximise their returns to the community and minimise their costs.

The Government's expectation is that you will comply with the law, and honour your obligations to the community.

I know that most of you are doing this.

I don't want to see an unnecessarily heavy-handed approach from the Department of Internal Affairs.

Staff in the Department would prefer to be spending their time on more constructive activities.

But they will be persistent when they get a sniff of anything dodgy.

The Department will suspend, cancel or refuse to renew licences, and it will consider prosecutions, when it finds breaches of the law.

Some sanctions have already been imposed.

I understand the key topic for discussion today is the Gambling Commission's recent decisions upholding two licence suspensions.

In one of those cases, it even extended the suspension the Department had originally imposed.

The Commission made it very clear that a gaming machine society cannot spend money to try and poach venues from other societies.

A variation on the behaviour in these two cases involves societies making grants to community groups that control the venues in which societies run their machines.

This is just another way to capture profitable venues.

The Gambling Commission has said that the sort of behaviour found in these two cases is widespread in the sector.

I have read with interest the comments of my colleague, the Honourable John Carter, Minister for Racing, on a harness racing website.

Minister Carter emphasised that integrity has to be a cornerstone of the racing industry.

He thinks racing's integrity might be coming unstuck due to its relationship with the gaming machine sector.

Minister Carter knows that the organisation and running of race meetings, including the payment of stakes, is an authorised purpose under the Gambling Act.

This means that most gaming machine societies can therefore make grants to racing clubs.

But he has concerns about how and why some societies decided to make the grants they made.

He is not comfortable with racing officials sitting on the boards of gaming machine societies.

A lot of this goes further than what gaming machine societies can or can't legally do.

It's about perception.

Some of the public perception is that no matter how worthy a community purpose is, it won't get a grant unless the community group knows the right people, controls a gaming machine venue, or controls a gaming machine society.

DIA officials tell me some cases coming up suggest that this perception is accurate.

But whether it's accurate or not, this is a perception you have to sort out.

It's in your hands.

When the Department picks up issues involving non-compliance, societies must accept that there are problems and put them right, quickly.

There are too many cases of societies spending community money trying to defend the indefensible.

If the sector can improve its practices (which I hope it will), then this has to be a win for all the parties involved.

A win for the sector, a win for the Department, and, most importantly, a win for the community because more money will find its way to grass roots New Zealand.

I want you to show how good the sector can possibly be.

The Government needs you to pull your socks up and prove you can all comply with the law.

Now is your opportunity.

From my meetings with the sector and the wider community, there seems to be a strong desire for change.

I am hopeful that the time is right to harness that desire for change.

The Government is prepared to change too.

We are prepared to see some changes people in the sector would like.

Some societies and potential grant recipients consider that the prohibition on multi-year grants means that grant applicants don't have the certainty which is necessary for long-term planning.

There is some merit in this point.

Later in the year, the Government is prepared to propose changes to allow societies to make multi-year grants in certain circumstances.

For example a society would need to hold a current licence, have sufficient funds available, and disclose long term commitments in its annual report.

Allowing multi-year grants would give a "better bang for the bucks" and assist in getting projects started with more long-term certainty.

But first, we want to see a change in societies' behaviour.

If the sector wants concessions and changes to the law, then it needs to demonstrate that it will maximise the community funding generated by gaming machines, and that everyone will comply with the law.

If we work together, I hope we can get the sector back on track.

This your chance.

Thank you once again for the opportunity to talk to you.

Speech to the Australasian launch of the Jetstar cadet pilot programme

nospam@example.com (admin) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 10:03:00 +1200

I'm very pleased to be here at the Australasian launch of the Jetstar cadet pilot programme.

This programme has been developed by the aviation training group CTC especially for Jetstar. It is an 18 month programme which gives young New Zealanders the chance to build a career as First Officers within Jetstar in Australia and New Zealand.

This is a great initiative which will help talented young men and women to realise their dreams of becoming an airline pilot.

I've done a few flying lessons myself so I have an idea of the dedication required to become a professional pilot. I would dearly love to have some more flight training when I have a bit more time available.

It will be a great asset for this region. In 2004 CTC opened a brand new purpose-built training centre here in Hamilton, and this new programme is a further vote of confidence.

It will also attract plenty of foreign students, representing another boost to the local economy.

This represents a significant investment by Jetstar into the local community, and into New Zealand aviation.

It's a much needed investment, because based on current growth rates, it is expected that within about seven years there won't be enough pilots to meet worldwide demand.

For a small and remote nation like New Zealand, moving people and goods to markets is crucial.

The government's top priority for transport is to maximise its contribution to economic growth and productivity. We rely on tourism and trade to make a living in the world, and air travel plays a huge part in that. Put simply - we need pilots.

This commitment by Jetstar to New Zealand is welcome, given that it has been a tough few years for aviation around the world.

The recession has had a major impact. Among other things, we have seen a decline in the number of domestic and international passengers, meaning we really need to work hard to promote New Zealand.

The Prime Minister John Key is also the Minister of Tourism, and as part of the Budget this year he announced $30 million in new funding for tourism. $25 million of this will go into overseas marketing to encourage more visitors here, and Australia is one of the main targets.

Already though there are encouraging signs the economy is getting back on its feet, and healthy growth is forecast for the next few years. This is good news for New Zealand, good news for Hamilton and good news for Jetstar.

Of course New Zealand has a proud history in aviation, from Richard Pearse and his homemade flights through to pioneers like Jean Batten.

We have a proud record on safety too, with high standards demanded by the public and by regulators. Good quality pilot training is an essential element in ensuring it stays that way.

Congratulations to Jetstar, CTC and all those who have been involved in developing this project. It is exciting for the region, and exciting for the aviation industry.

Thank you.

Launch of new resources for Hector's World

nospam@example.com (admin) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 11:17:00 +1200

Hectors World is an innovative New Zealand charity doing great work both here and overseas.

Their website is free and has a fantastic range of material aimed at keeping children and families safe on the internet.

As a parent of three young kids I know how quickly they can learn and pick up on new technology, often faster than their parents can. My 18 month old son already walks around talking on the phone.

Today we are here to launch a new series of programmes for Hectors World on computer security, introducing children to topics like viruses and strong passwords.

This is a great programme because it's not about lecturing children - it empowers them to take responsibility for themselves and their family.

These new programmes teach children to use their skills and knowledge to protect not only themselves, but their friends and families. These are great messages for young children as they start their lives online.

Through Hector's World, children can learn how to stay safe on the internet through a series of episodes featuring animated underwater characters.

And while it deals with serious issues, it does so in a fun and interactive way with great animation, music and fun characters.

It even has material for us grown-ups, with lesson plans for teachers and discussion points for parents.

The Government's Community Partnership Fund through the Department of Internal Affairs has generously sponsored the creation of these new resources. A lot of hard work has gone into this by many talented young people, including actors, musicians and composers.

It's a world leading programme which is now being used in primary schools across the UK and by the Australian Government.

Hectors World is great fun, it's for all ages, it has an important message and it's free.

Thank you to everyone involved in this project, and I hope that Room 6 and other classes around the world find it a fun and educational resource.

Announcement of Government Digital Archive

nospam@example.com (admin) — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 11:10:00 +1200

Thank you for the welcome and the opportunity to speak today.

I'm very pleased to see the great turnout here at the forum, and the engagement in public record keeping. I understand there is increasing interest in these forums, and that departments and staff are upping their game. This is great to see.

I'm here to speak to you about the use of digital technology, the challenge it presents for public recordkeeping and what the government is doing about it.

For people of all ages, digital content is a huge part of daily life. The internet is now the first port of call for many people seeking information.

When it comes to government data, people expect - even demand - that it will be available online.

And there is good progress underway, with both current information and historical. New Zealanders' land ownership records are now digital. Our identity records are digital. Our company records are online.

A major priority for Archives New Zealand is digitising content. Shipping lists from 1855 to the mid 1970s, war records from the South African War and World War One have been digitised and the next focus is on probates and wills.

To support internet access, the government has announced plans to invest $1.5 billion in rolling out broadband across the country.

Within the next 10 years we want to have ultra-fast broadband available to 75 percent of New Zealanders.

Clearly, digital information is going to become even more important in the future.

This is good news in terms of improved access, but at the same time it presents some major challenges for the public sector.

Here in New Zealand three-quarters of public sector agencies can no longer access some of their records. This can be caused by obsolete storage media, or unreadable software or hardware.

Public records deal with major issues, having an impact on society, the economy and people's lives, and we don't want to lose these important records.

For example: on one of my first visits to Archives New Zealand as Minister I was shown the findings from the 2005 Royal Commission of Inquiry into Genetic Modification. These records had been stored on zip files.

As you know zip files are out of date. And how long before USB memory sticks are out of date? The risk of losing a lot more material is high if we don't take action now.

In the 1980s we were told that CDs would last for a 100 years, but new research shows that's not the case, and their true lifespan is a lot shorter.

This is why the government launched the Digital Continuity Action Plan last year. The plan emphasises that digital continuity is a responsibility by everyone.

It is a world-first, in that no other country has developed such a unified public sector approach.

Of course, any action plan needs commitment and funding from the government.

For that reason, I am very pleased to make a major announcement this afternoon.

As part of the 2010 Budget the government is providing $12.6 million in new funding to develop a Government Digital Archive.

I have lobbied hard for this new money, which is a major investment in the future. This funding will provide a secure system to store, preserve and give access to important public records.

Most of you are public servants, so I probably don't need to remind you how tight the government's finances are. The fact this project has received the go-ahead shows how seriously the Government takes the work of Archives New Zealand, and the importance of preserving information.

It will be created by extending the National Library's National Digital Heritage Archive system so it can be used by Archives New Zealand for public sector records.

It will ensure that digital information is accessible, usable, and reusable by those who need it for as long as it is needed.

Both agencies will be working jointly on this project. The budget allocated includes $9.7 million for Archives New Zealand and $2.9 million for the National Library over the next four years.

This investment is crucial to preserve valuable government information and to make it widely available to the public online. We need to keep up with technology and promote open, transparent and accountable government.

This project means that our content, our records and our heritage will be protected and preserved for ourselves and for future generations to use.

It's also an endorsement of the digital preservation work already underway by Archives and the National Library.

Focusing on digital information is one of the reasons why the government has announced the merger of Archives New Zealand, the National Library and the Department of Internal Affairs.

This move will allow expertise and resources to be pooled, while at the same time sharing back office costs.

All savings generated by this project will be redirected into better frontline services for the public.

Today it will be announced that Cabinet has approved the legislative changes to the Public Records Act required for this merger, and that those changes will be largely minimal and technical.

We have always made it clear that the major roles and functions of Archives New Zealand and the National Library will not be affected by this merger.

The statutory role, functions and independence of the Chief Archivist will be preserved and protected. The same applies to the National Librarian and Chief Librarian.

The Chief Archivist will be responsible to the Chief Executive of the new Department, and will be protected from any improper influence in performing his or her duties.

The principle of an independent check on government recordkeeping will be preserved by this legislation.

There will continue to be a separate Budget vote, and as the responsible Minister I will continue to receive independent advice from the Archives Council, Library Advisory Commission and the Guardians of the Turnbull Library.

We intend that the necessary legislation will be introduced by the end of July, with ongoing consultation - including through the select committee process.

A special website has been set up to keep stakeholders and the public well informed. You can find lots more information at www.integration.dia.govt.nz.

These important cultural assets will continue to be trusted and preserved for future generations.

I believe Archives New Zealand has an exciting future. The investment I've announced today will help future-proof it as an institution that all New Zealanders can be proud of.

Can I finish by thanking you all for the important work you are doing to preserve public records. Thank you for listening and I hope the rest of the day is productive and interesting

Speech to the launch of Greater Wellington Regional Council's 'Last Choice' road safety campaign

nospam@example.com (admin) — Thu, 06 May 2010 11:06:00 +1200

Kia ora and thank you for inviting me today.

I want to acknowledge those people here today who work at the coalface of road safety.

Thank you to the police, emergency services staff and medical personnel who deal with the horrific consequences of road crashes.

Can I also acknowledge and thank those who work to prevent such tragedies - the road safety coordinators who work in our schools and communities.

And of course I acknowledge Greater Wellington Regional Council and the effort they have made to launch this campaign.

Road toll

The Last Choice campaign centres around this car which was involved in a tragic accident on Paekakariki Hill Road last year, where a young man - Richard Chambers - lost his life.

The car has been given to the police by the family in the hope that its message will prevent further tragedies.

It shows what can happen when young people make bad choices - something that still happens far too often in our region, and in New Zealand.

Every year, hundreds of New Zealanders are killed and thousands seriously injured on our roads.

The problem is especially bad amongst young people, who are more likely to be affected by speed, alcohol, drugs and distractions.

Our youth road toll is much worse than in Australia and is among the worst in the world.

Safer journeys

This is why the government has launched Safer Journeys, a 10 year strategy to cut our road toll. Some of you may have been here at Parliament a few months ago when this was launched.

Since then Cabinet has approved a plan to raise the driving age to 16 and make the restricted driving test more difficult. We want young people to graduate through the system with the maturity and skills they need to be competent drivers.

We are also looking at vehicle power restrictions for young drivers and to see whether penalties for breaching the restricted licence conditions need to be increased.

As we know, alcohol is a major road safety problem in this country. Almost a third of deaths on our roads involve drivers with alcohol and / or drugs in their system.

The government is considering a zero drink drive limit for drivers under 20 and interlock devices for repeat offenders, to prevent a vehicle being driven if the driver is over the limit.

Cabinet will also be considering the adult drink drive limit, and whether we lower this or undertake more research on this issue.

Already we've passed new laws on cellphone use while driving, drugged driving and illegal street racing.

Better roads

Better roads will help too. Nearly $11 billion has been earmarked to develop seven major roads of National Importance across the country.

One of these is the corridor from Levin to Wellington airport, including Transmission Gully. As the local MP for Otaki I'm looking forward to safer journeys and fewer accidents on what can be a dangerous stretch of road.

Conclusion

When it comes to road safety, there are plenty of statistics we can quote to people. But the power of this campaign we are launching today is that it's visual.

This car will provide a chilling message to young people, far more effective than any speech or lecture given by a politician.

I hope this demonstration will make people stop and think about the choices we all make on the roads, and on the terrible consequences of getting it wrong.

As I've outlined, the government is working hard on bringing the road toll down. But this is an issue the whole community needs to take responsibility for.

I would like to thank Greater Wellington Regional Council for taking their share of this responsibility, and helping to spread this message.

I hope this campaign makes a real impact in our community and that we can the learn the lessons this vehicle has for us.

Thank you.

Speech to the launch of phase 2 of the National Digital Heritage Archive

nospam@example.com (admin) — Tue, 04 May 2010 11:02:00 +1200

I'm very pleased to be here today to officially launch phase 2 of the National Digital Heritage Archive, or NDHA.

Phase 1 was about developing the mechanisms to build up the collections of born digital material. This is the ingest of material.

Phase 2 is focused on developing mechanisms for the management and preservation of the material.

This project is government funded to the tune of NZ$24 million, and I'm hopeful we can extend the gains from this investment.

This is a very important project for our nation. Earlier this morning I spoke at the Digital Continuity conference on how important it is that we preserve public records. The same applies to non-government records as well.

New Zealand's digital memory deserves our attention and investment and this is why the NDHA is so important.

An increasing amount of New Zealand's heritage is being created in digital format. It's all very well creating this great content, but if we don't keep it and look after it then we will lose incredibly valuable material.

The NDHA means we can store and preserve more of our heritage for future generations to use. Information deposited with the National Library will be secure, authentic and trustworthy.

Our school children, our researchers and universities, our businesses and communities will continue to be able to delve into, and learn about, all aspects of New Zealand's life and culture.

And who knows what form that content will take as digital technology continues to adapt and change. I wonder how many people in previous generations would have predicted the need for a digital archive today?

Looking ahead, given that most Government information is now online and increasingly digital, there are very real opportunities for other departments to leverage from the NDHA.

The "pay once, use many times" solution means that we can prevent costly double-up of resources and extract much greater value from the original investment.

The NDHA may seem a simple concept but like many simple ideas, it's hugely complex. This project has taken a lot of time, effort, thinking and creativity to deliver.

As you probably know, government finances are very tight so I'm very pleased this project has been delivered on time and on budget.

It has been a collaborative effort between the National Library and international partners Ex Libris and Sun Microsystems. It is a good example of how a private and public partnership can deliver an innovative and world-class solution.

Already there has been overseas interest, and a number of sales including to the Singapore National Library and the Bavarian State Library.

Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard on this project. The NDHA is the first commercially viable preservation system ever developed, which is a great achievement.