Articles tagged with Zealand

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Prime Minister Luxon Strengthens Bilateral Relations with China Through Key Agreements and Discussions

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has wrapped up his successful China visit by meeting with his Chinese counterpart Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. “My first official visit to China allowed me to reconnect with Premier Li on the full scope of our bilateral relationship,” Mr Luxon says. Following their meeting, Mr Luxon and Premier Li issued a Joint Statement of Outcomes and witnessed the signing of 11 new government-to-government arrangements covering cooperation on climate change, cultural linkages, tourism and a range of practical initiatives to facilitate trade flows.

PM Luxon meets with President Xi Jinping

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. “My meeting with President Xi was a valuable opportunity to reflect on the depth and breadth of this important relationship, and to reaffirm our bilateral ties,” Mr Luxon says. “I outlined how our strong and innovative economic relationship has grown to cover a broad range of areas.

Hawke’s Bay Rebuilds After Cyclone Gabrielle: $4.77M Lotto Relief Funds Benefit Communities

Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says that communities in Hawke’s Bay are benefitting from $4. 77 million in grants from funds raised through a special Lotto draw for Cyclone Gabrielle relief. “Cyclone Gabrielle had a devasting impact on Hawke’s Bay, causing widespread destruction to property and requiring significant relief efforts.

Gisborne Community Receives $3.55M Cyclone Gabrielle Relief Grants: Minister Brooke van Velden

Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says that communities in the Gisborne region are benefitting from $3. 55 million in grants from funds raised through a special Lotto draw for Cyclone Gabrielle relief. “Cyclone Gabrielle had a devasting impact on the East Coast, causing widespread destruction to property and requiring significant relief efforts.

Medallic recognition for NZDF personnel extended

The Government has expanded the criteria for medallic recognition for Defence personnel who have served in operations supporting the UN’s sanctions against North Korea, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This medal – the New Zealand General Service Medal (NZGSM) 2002 (Korea) – has already been awarded to 180 personnel and the move to widen eligibility means a further 350 personnel will be recognised,” Ms Collins says. “Personnel who have served as part of Operation Whio – which monitors the United Nations Security Council’s sanctions against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea - since 2018 are now eligible for this medal.

Luxon wraps up successful Shanghai visit

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has concluded the successful Shanghai leg of his official visit to China, accompanied by Ministers Louise Upston and Mark Mitchell and a delegation of senior New Zealand business leaders from across the food and beverage, health and wellbeing, education, and tourism sectors. “Our bilateral trade relationship with China is one of our most important, with two-way trade exceeding NZ$39 billion in the year ending March 2025. “This relationship accounts for more than 20 per cent of New Zealand’s total goods and services exports,” Mr Luxon says.

Largest maritime navigation system upgrade in decades

The Government is making New Zealand more attractive to international shipping lines with the first major investment in navigation services in more than 30 years. Land Information Minister Chris Penk says the $28. 6 million Budget 2025 funding secures the future of shipping, tourism and the maritime economy – highlighting the Government's commitment to back economic growth.

62 percent fewer scam texts reported after Internal Affairs crackdown

Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has made significant progress in tackling scams in New Zealand, with a 62 per cent drop in reports of SMS scams in 2024 from 2023, following the Department’s investigations into scammers. The Department’s 2024 Digital Messaging Transparency Report, published this week, details some of the actions the Department has taken to catch people perpetrating scams, including by conducting search warrants and seizing equipment. “Scams cause serious financial and emotional harm, often preying on vulnerable people in our communities.

Getting more trainee teachers into rural schools

The Government’s ensuring some of New Zealand’s most isolated schools get the pipeline of teachers they need to teach the basics brilliantly. “For most new teachers, school placements play a significant role in deciding where they choose to teach once they qualify as a teacher. We know rural and isolated schools struggle to fill these rolls.

Strong interest in new programme for overseas-trained doctors

A total of 180 overseas-trained doctors have expressed interest in a new Government-funded training programme aimed at boosting New Zealand’s primary care workforce, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. “New Zealand needs more doctors – particularly in primary and rural healthcare care settings – and this Government is taking action to make that happen,” Mr Brown says. “That’s why we’ve launched a new two-year training programme to support up to 100 additional overseas-trained doctors across the country.

Govt set to surpass both law and order targets

New quarterly data shows the Government is on track to deliver on both law and order targets ahead of schedule, Minister for Children Karen Chhour and Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith say. “We’re determined to protect communities, reduce victimisation, and to encourage young people not to continue down the path of serious crime and incarceration,” Mrs Chhour says. “A year ago we set a target of reducing the number of children and young people with serious and persistent offending behaviour by 15 per cent by 2029.

Consultation on ECE licensing criteria open

Associate Education Minister David Seymour says that the Ministry of Education are now consulting on changing, merging, or removing approximately three-quarters of the Early Childhood Education (ECE) licensing criteria. “Earlier this year the ECE Sector Review instigated 15 changes to modernise and simplify regulations,” Mr Seymour says. “The changes to the ECE regulations show the power of a sector review.

New day stay unit at Starship Children’s Hospital will increase capacity

Health Minister Simeon Brown today officially opened the new Athlae Lyon Day Stay Unit at Starship Children’s Hospital, marking a major milestone in the ongoing redevelopment of New Zealand’s largest children’s hospital. “Starship plays a critical role in caring for our most vulnerable children, not just from Auckland but from right across New Zealand. It provides lifesaving care and specialist services that families depend on during some of the most challenging times they will face,” Mr Brown says.

Taking the handbrake off productivity through transport rule reform

The Government is progressing a bold work programme to increase productivity and efficiency through comprehensively reforming New Zealand’s land transport rules, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Land transport rules set out how different sectors of the transport industry must operate. They impact all road users - from the suburban mum or dad who has to get a Warrant of Fitness every year no matter how new or well-maintained their car, to the truckies who’ve been loaded up with compliance costs due to rules long since made redundant through advances in technology,” says Mr Bishop.