Latest Features

Safety Week

beehive.govt.nz — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:39:59 +1200

Most people feel safest in their homes – but the reality is actually far different with the latest statistics showing the home is the most common place for New Zealanders to be injured.

The figures show that one in seven New Zealanders were injured in their homes in the year from July 07 to June 08 – a third of all injuries. That’s more than 650,000 New Zealanders injured at home in a year – which equates to an injury every 44 seconds.

Worse still, more than 36,000 of those injuries required hospitalisation and 500 of those injuries resulted in death. A child dies every two weeks from an injury in the home in New Zealand.

This is a terrible tragedy, compounded by the fact that the causes of most of the injuries are often very easy to avoid. Across the country, the total cost of home injuries was a huge $377 million.

We can - and must – do more to prevent injury in the home and this is why it’s the focus of New Zealand Safety Week this week.

Safety Week is part of an ongoing ACC campaign to educate New Zealanders about the risks in the home and to encourage us all to think about taking some, often quite basic, safety steps to prevent accidents.

Changing our mindsets is an important part of taking a more precautionary approach, as research shows most New Zealanders seem to think there is little chance they personally are likely to get injured at home – in fact just 15 per cent think they will get hurt.

The steps you could take to stay safe might appear very simple, but they could save a life. How often do you run for the phone and risk tripping over, for example, when you could simply increase the number of rings on your phone instead?

The kitchen is a particularly dangerous place and more injuries occur in kitchens than in any other household room – a statistic common to most regions around the country.

So here’s a list of what can you do to make the kitchen safer:

install safety catches on cupboards where you keep dangerous objects like poisons or knives,
keep cupboard doors closed so you don’t walk into them (more likely when they are hanging open),
keep heavy objects in low cupboards so they don’t fall on you,
use a step ladder to reach high shelves rather than a chair and
mop up water and spills as soon as you see them.

There are plenty of other hotspots of course – too many to mention here. But here are five of the key tips ACC is trying to get New Zealanders to take on board:

Use non-slip mats in the shower and bath. May people are injured when they slip over in the shower or bath, or on wet floors. Use a non-slip mat and mop up any water that you see.
Make sure your stairs are well lit and always use the handrail. Install a light switch at both ends of the stairs if they are inside. Sensor lights should be installed on outside stairs. If you haven’t got a handrail, think seriously about getting one.
Wear non-slip shoes or slippers on wooden floors. It’s very easy to trip on wooden floors if you are wearing socks.
Make sure you can see sliding glass doors. Putting a sticker on the glass is easiest, adding a frosted pane or coloured panel is another option.
Always play it safe with ladders. Always keep three points of contact on a ladder at all times and never overreach sideways. Keep your belt buckle between the ladder rails.

And remember slips, trips and falls are the cause of over half of all moderate to serious home injuries, 40% of New Zealand homes have dangerously hot water and tools are dangerous if not used properly.

While most of us feel safe having a few drinks at home, it’s also worth noting that if you have three standard alcoholic drinks in six hours you’re 12 times more likely to fall.

So get on board, embrace Safety Week and make your home safer! The statistics have certainly made me think and I’m planning a few changes myself.

Maryan Street

Minister for ACC

For further information on Safety NZ Week and keeping safe in the home, visit www.homesafety.co.nz.
It’s time to make our homes safer -- More New Zealanders are injured in their homes than anywhere else and a child dies from an injury caused in the home every two weeks, says ACC Minister Maryan Street. (1 September Media Statement)
Speech to the ACC Futures Seminar -- at the ACC Futures Seminar, Maryan Street says the Accident compensation Corporation’s contribution to New Zealand society arises largely from its no-fault and comprehensive features. No-fault schemes are linked with
- better client outcomes,
- higher coverage,
- lower administration and legal expenses and
- fewer delays in payments.

2008 Social Report

beehive.govt.nz — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:42:33 +1200

Cover image for the Social Report 2008

Minister for Social Development and Employment Ruth Dyson says the findings of the 2008 Social Report show that New Zealand’s overall wellbeing is improving.

"For the first time since 1988 we’ve seen the gap between the rich and poor close. Working for Families has made a significant impact, providing invaluable assistance for families and creating a more level playing field," said Ruth Dyson.

The report, produced by the Ministry of Social Development, shows that social outcomes are advancing strongly.

There have been significant improvements across a range of areas particularly health, knowledge and skills, paid work and economic standard of living.

Key findings of the Social Report are:

NZ still has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the OECD
Income inequality has decreased between the top and lowest income earners
NZ is first equal in the world as the least corrupt nation
Adults are better educated with more people gaining a bachelor’s degree or higher
Maori have made large strides in attaining tertiary education
Life expectancy has increased
We’re living healthier lives as people can expect to live independently for longer
Teenagers are leaving school with higher qualifications
There’s been an increase in our pay packets
Our workplaces are safer
We’re better connected to the internet with more homes logging on

A full copy of the report is available for download at the bottom of this page and at www.msd.govt.nz/publications.

Social Report 2008 -- other documents

Social Report 2008 Release -- Minister for Social Development and Employment Ruth Dyson says the findings of the 2008 Social Report show that New Zealand’s overall wellbeing is improving.
Maori make gains in Social Report findings -- More Maori school leavers are gaining higher qualifications, more Maori are participating in tertiary education, and life expectancy has improved for Maori men and women, saysParekura Horomia , Minister of Maori Affairs and Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment
Pacific peoples make gains in wellbeing -- the wellbeing of Pacific peoples has been improving steadily since the mid-1990s, says Pacific Island Affairs Minister and Associate Social Development and Employment Minister Luamanuvao Winnie Laban.

Digital Strategy 2.0

beehive.govt.nz — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:26:28 +1200

Communications and Information Technology Minister David Cunliffe launched Digital Strategy 2.0 today.

“This Strategy provides a bold vision and concrete actions to help New Zealanders become leaders in the digital world.”

“Revolutionary change has occurred since the 2005 Digital Strategy. Robust competition is driving a wave of investment to build super fast broadband networks,“ said David Cunliffe.

“No country has more to gain from this digital revolution than New Zealand. Through it we overcome our remoteness, leverage our inventiveness and show off our uniqueness.

”The building blocks of the Digital Strategy remain relevant: super fast connection, enhanced user confidence and cool content. DS 2.0 sets out targets and actions that take these to the next level and emphasises the importance of collaboration to get there.

“DS 2.0 challenges us to go further to secure outcomes from this technology: new digital productivity; reduced environmental footprints, and communities that are locally networked and globally connected.”

“To do this we are introducing a number of exciting new projects such as Connected New Zealand and the Digital Content Innovation Cluster. We’re also expanding successful initiatives, such as videoconferencing and teleworking, the Aotearoa People’s Network and the Community Partnership Fund.”

A major initiative of the Strategy is the $340 million for the Broadband Investment Fund over three years from Budget 2008 to enable affordable broadband roll-out based on competitive open-access principles. This is part of the $500 million the government has committed to investing in broadband infrastructure over the next five years. DS2 sets updated targets for connection speed and super fast broadband rollout.

David Cunliffe said the government was committed to creating digital opportunities by bringing the benefits of ICT to all New Zealanders.

“The Digital Strategy is about people and their ability to connect to the world. It’s about bringing all New Zealanders on the journey by breaking down the digital divide, and building their capability and confidence in using ICT. The future belongs to us all.”

The Digital Strategy 2.0 document is available for download at the bottom of this page and online at www.digitalstrategy.govt.nz

Digital Strategy 2.0 -- Other related statements

$5.8 million for innovative, grassroots ICT projects -- Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Ruth Dyson says The 2008/09 funding round of the Community Partnership Fund will open on 6 October 2008 and the government looks forward to receiving applications (28 August)
Delivery of rural broadband stepped up -- The government’s commitment of $75 million for rural projects aimed at extending the reach of broadband is great news for people living in remote areas of New Zealand, Rural Affairs Minister Damien O’Connor said on 26 August

Digital Strategy 2.0 -- Background information

Where did it come from?

The development of Digital Strategy 2.0 has been informed by the Digital Future Summit 2.0, over 40 pre-Summit stakeholder workshops and engagements with stakeholders, and submissions to the Draft Digital Strategy 2.0.

What’s new?

Digital Strategy 2.0 maintains a key element from of the original Digital Strategy - that the enablers of digital development such as connection are important. It builds on this by focusing on how we can maximise the potential of digital technologies to increase productivity, improve environmental sustainability, and build social inclusiveness.

Vision

The vision for the Strategy is for New Zealanders to become leaders in the digital world. To achieve this vision we need to understand how being smarter through digital contributes to a high-value economy, vibrant culture and communities, and a healthy environment.

Drivers

The purpose of Digital Strategy 2.0 is to:

provide a national vision;
highlight opportunities and challenges;
provide a call to action;
articulate the government’s role; and
outline the actions through which government will fulfil that role.

Three core ideas underlie the Strategy:

Unleashing the web’s full potential
Using digital technologies to drive productivity and economic growth
Bringing everyone on the journey

The key outcomes of Digital Strategy 2.0 are:

Economy - increased productivity and new business models and opportunities
Healthy environment - reduced carbon emissions and sustainable resource use
Communities and culture - locally grounded, globally connected communities and culture

The Strategy also identifies four enablers with associated goals and targets (goals in brackets):

Connection (widespread, affordable, fast broadband and access to content across multiple platforms using multiple devices);
Capability (the digital skills of our population create a competitive advantage for New Zealand);
Confidence (secure and trusted digital networks and universal understanding of online safety, security and privacy issues);
Content (unlock the creative potential of New Zealand’s content, both digital and non-digital).

Actions
The headline actions in the Strategy centre around:

Responding to the infrastructure, security and regulatory implications of Web 2.0: a bandwidth-hungry, content-rich environment.
Facilitating a step-change in broadband performance.
Harnessing digital technologies to transform our economy, through supporting digital research, innovation and commercialisation, and through working with SMEs to increase ICT uptake and smart use.
Bringing everyone on the digital journey, through a nationwide network of digital hubs, digital literacy for all and a continued focus on supporting community initiatives.
Transforming government, by making the back office and frontline services (in particular health and education) more effective, responsive and productive while protecting the privacy and security of personal information.

The actions identified in the Strategy are only those which will be led by government, in collaboration with other stakeholder groups. The Strategy cannot be delivered by government alone. Digital Strategy 2.0 lays down a challenge for all stakeholders to work together to make New Zealanders leaders in the digital world and create a prosperous, sustainable and vibrant society.

Reporting back

The Ministry of Economic Development will report on progress against the targets in the Strategy every two years, starting in 2010.

The Digital Strategy 2.0 is available online at www.digitalstrategy.govt.nz

A summary of submissions to the Draft Digital Strategy 2.0, and a copy of all submissions is also available from the Digital Strategy website

Please email comments@digitalstrategy.govt.nz if you would like a hard copy of the strategy sent to you.

Questions & Answers

Why do we need Digital Strategy 2.0?

Feedback from stakeholder workshops, including the Digital Future Summit 2.0 in November 2007, was clear: the 2005 Digital Strategy needed updating. Many of the targets have now been achieved, while others remaining are not ambitious enough in the current environment.

The new digital world presents immense economic, environmental and social opportunities for New Zealanders. More and more users are able to produce their own content; the convergence of telecommunications, broadcasting and the Internet are connecting more New Zealanders; and new business models are being created, stimulating creativity and innovation across our economy and society. New Zealand must now capitalise on the potential of digital technologies to increase productivity, if we are to increase our absolute, and relative, standard of living.

The outcomes of the Summit, some 40 pre-Summit stakeholder workshops and engagements with stakeholders and submissions to the Draft Digital Strategy 2.0 have informed the development of this Strategy.

How is Digital Strategy 2.0 different from the 2005 version?

The 2005 Digital Strategy talked about connecting to each other and the information we need for our everyday lives. This Strategy goes beyond looking at the factors that enable digital development, to the creativity and opportunities for collaboration unleashed by the digital world. Digital Strategy 2.0 focuses on what we can achieve by being smarter through digital - how we can maximise the potential of digital technologies to increase productivity, improve environmental sustainability, and build social inclusiveness.

This Strategy still identifies four enablers necessary to be smarter through digital – connection, capability, confidence and content, but sets new goals for these enablers to carry us into the future.

What did the first strategy achieve?

Revolutionary change has occurred in telecommunications since the 2005 Digital Strategy called for rapid progress on connection issues. Robust, pro-competitive settings have been put in place, following the 2005/06 Telecommunications Stocktake, resulting in the urgent passage of the Telecommunications Amendment Act 2006. The Act marked the beginning of a new era in New Zealand’s telecommunications environment – the unbundling of the local loop, the operational separation of Telecom New Zealand, and a much stronger role for the Telecommunications Commissioner.

Significant progress has been made through some 70 government initiatives implemented as part of the Digital Strategy. These include investments in shared public sector networks; partnerships with businesses and communities to stimulate investment in open-access fibre networks and improving digital skills in the community; improving online security; and the launch of the Digital Content Strategy, and significant initiatives in broadcasting, including the launch of free-to-air television via the Freeview platform.

The total investment has been considerable – since 2005, the government has committed about $400 million to Digital Strategy initiatives, including baseline funding.

For a more detailed account, you can download the Digital Strategy Report on Progress 2007 from the Digital Strategy website, www.digitalstrategy.govt.nz.

What will Digital Strategy 2.0 achieve?

Its purpose is to:

Provide a national vision, supported by outcomes and goals, for New Zealand’s digital development;
Highlight opportunities and challenges presented by the digital world;
Provide a call to action for all stakeholders to rise to these challenges and opportunities.
Articulate the government’s role in digital development; and
Outline the key actions through which government will fulfil this role.

The vision of the Digital Strategy 2.0 is that: “New Zealanders are leaders in the digital world. We live in a prosperous, sustainable and vibrant society”. And achieving this vision requires New Zealanders to understand and consider about how being smarter through digital contributes to these outcomes.

High-value economy:

Increased productivity across the economy
New business models and opportunities

Healthy environment:

Reduced carbon emissions
Sustainable resource use

Communities and culture

Locally grounded, globally connected communities
Local grounded, globally connected culture

What concrete actions does the Strategy contain?

The Strategy includes a number of bold actions that will help achieve the Strategy’s outcomes. The key actions are:

Digital Content Innovation Cluster, to build international connection, foster business capability and links between researchers and firms to support the development of commercial digital content, including broadband applications, in New Zealand;
Connected New Zealand. Grass-roots level programme to be driven by the Digital Development Council in conjunction with the Ministry of Economic Development. The purpose of the programme is to increase the uptake of digital technologies through small and medium enterprises (including not-for-profits, cultural and voluntary groups). The programme will be based around a community-development model of using e-champions or digital development teams to drive local understanding and uptake of digital technologies.
Highlights government use of digital technology to increase productivity and effectiveness – for example through Connected Health, the National Education Network and video conferencing.
Highlights the potential of integrated digital systems to enable monitoring and innovation in the area of sustainability, and includes initiatives to increase uptake of teleworking and environmental management systems across the economy.
National network of digital hubs, based around the successful Aotearoa People’s Network (APN). APN will be expanded into more libraries and into other venues such as marae. This will be supported by the ongoing Community Partnership Fund, to provide funding and support for community-level activities.

Why is the Aotearoa People’s Network a model to build from?

The Aotearoa People’s Network provides computers, training, mentoring and internet access in public libraries. It has proven highly successful, with 22 libraries already online and another 70 expected to be online by the end of 2008.

Does New Zealand have enough skilled people to deliver the projects in Digital Strategy 2.0?

ICT practitioners are in short supply globally. We need to promote, develop, attract and retain ICT professionals, such as network architects, application developers and security specialists, to perform high-value and creative digital work. We also need technicians to develop and maintain our ICT systems.

The ICT industry, wider business community, education sector and government need to work together to ensure our skills are up-to-date and world-leading. The Strategy includes a number of actions designed to address the current skills shortage by promoting digital careers and skills, matching tertiary courses to industry needs, and attracting more skilled ICT practitioners to New Zealand.

How were people consulted on the Draft Digital Strategy 2.0?

The development of this strategy has been an ongoing conversation and involved consultation with, and input from, many different groups and individuals, particularly from 40 stakeholder meetings and the Digital Future Summit held at the end of 2007 and the submissions to the draft in May of this year.

In total 124 submissions were received which included input from the wiki, online forum, email and paper submissions.

What has changed from the draft Digital Strategy 2.0?
Feedback received on the draft Digital Strategy 2.0 covered the six broad themes of broadband, digital skills and education, digital content, security and safety, collaboration and sustainability. Some of the key points that have been reflected in the final Strategy are:

More aspirational targets in the Connection section;
The importance of developing ICT capability;
The continuing need for collaboration between government, industry and community groups; and
The need for greater access to digital content vs protection of digital content
The submissions and the Summary of Submissions are available on the Digital Strategy website: [link]

How was the Digital Strategy 2.0 developed?

The development of the Digital Strategy 2.0 was informed by:

the Digital Future Summit 2.0 held in November 2007 www.digitalstrategy.govt.nz/Media-Centre/Digital-Future-Summit/;
124 submissions and various meetings with stakeholders on the Draft Digital Strategy 2.0 www.digitalstrategy.govt.nz/
the OECD Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy in Seoul, which the Minister for Communications and Information Technology attended in June 2008 www.oecdministerialseoul2008.org/en/;
feedback from government agencies represented on the Digital Strategy Steering Group and other relevant agencies;
feedback from the final meeting of the Digital Strategy Advisory Group; and
feedback from the newly formed Digital Development Council www.beehive.govt.nz/release/platform+new+digital+future+launched.

What is government’s role in the Digital Strategy 2.0?

Government’s core role is to provide the basics that enable creativity, innovation and collaboration – fast, accessible broadband, a digitally skilled population, secure infrastructure, and support for an access to New Zealand content. Government also has a role supporting businesses and communities to be creative and innovative in the digital world, e.g. by supporting digital content firms to grow.

This strategy includes a number of actions for government, in partnership with other stakeholders, and government will monitor and evaluate the targets and goals in the Strategy.

Will New Zealand get better broadband?

Yes. The connection section of the Strategy includes ambitious targets for the employment of broadband over the next 10 years. Digital Strategy 2.0 aspires to have all homes, businesses, schools, marae and farms connected to high-speed reliable broadband within a decade. This requires significant investment from the private sector and government. Recent private investment announcements top $2.5 billion. The government’s contribution through the Broadband Investment Fund and investment in the health and education sectors adds a further $500 million for the next five years, to be matched with at least another $500 million from private investors.

How does improved digital technology contribute to environmental outcomes?

Digital technology can be used to monitor and report on resource use, energy consumption and carbon emissions across the economy, for example in transport, energy generation, buildings and ICT itself. This will help us to identify possible innovations or efficiencies, and monitor their effects. Innovative and creative digital products and management systems can allow us to transform our lives in a sustainable way – including the ways we do business, manufacture products, use water and fertiliser on our farms, and transport items, as well as where and how we live.

Will there be more Community Partnership and Broadband Challenge funding?

The Broadband Investment Fund replaces the Broadband Challenge and focuses on providing high-speed connections to high-bandwidth users in a manner that supports future network extensions by all technologies

The Fund will provide immediate benefits for high-bandwidth users and puts New Zealand on a pathway to the widespread deployment of high-bandwidth connection to the home. We will be supporting the roll-out of ducting and dark fibre through urban centres and extending network availability in rural regions.

We see three immediate priority areas for further investment for the Fund:

improving the availability of very high speed services to businesses and local public facilities in urban areas
improving rural broadband infrastructure (backhaul and ‘last mile’) by supporting fixed, wireless and satellite solutions; and
improving resilience and competitive discipline of our international connections.

The Broadband Investment Fund applications opened on Tuesday 26 August 2008. Applications are due on 30 September 2008.

Further funding of $6 million for the 2008/09 Community Partnership Fund (CPF) was announced in Budget 2008, and the Strategy indicates that funding options will be developed to enable CPF to continue beyond next year.

Expressions of Interest for the new round of CPF open on 6 October 2008 and close on 10 November 2008.

What is the Digital Development Council and Forum and what role will it play?

In May 2008 the Digital Development Council was established. The Council was established before Digital Strategy 2.0 was finalised so that it could provide input into the development of the Strategy and be ready to ‘hit the ground running’ as soon as the Strategy was launched.

The first meeting of the Digital Development Forum is due to held by the end of September 2008. The Council is busy organising this.

Together the Council and Forum provide a national framework for collaboration on New Zealand’s digital development. The Forum is open to any group with an interest in digital development. It will set the priorities for the work programme of the Digital Development Council. The Forum and Council will be important collaboration partners with government in implementing Digital Strategy 2.0.

For further details see: www.beehive.govt.nz/release/platform+new+digital+future+launched

How will we know Digital Strategy 2.0 is making a difference?

The Ministry of Economic Development will update and report on progress against the targets in the Strategy every two years, starting in 2010. This will be undertaken in collaboration with stakeholders, the Digital Development Council, and with support from the OECD.

Do other countries have digital strategies?
Many countries around the world are recognising that a national digital strategy, which coordinates and provides focus for digital initiatives, is valuable in realising the significant potential of digital technology. All countries recognise the ability of digital technologies to transform their economies. Many of the advanced strategies focus on the ICT industry as a key economic base (Singapore’s iN2015, U-Korea, U-Japan, Hong Kong’s Digital 21 Strategy).

Primary News Aug-Sept 2008

beehive.govt.nz — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:48:49 +1200

The Primary News is a regular newsletter that contains information for the Agricultural Sector. It contains several informative articles and photographs about the Minister of Agriculture, Hon Jim Anderton, and interesting activities and events that relate to the agriculture portfolio.

The August-September 2008 edition contains articles about: the NZ Fast Forward Fund, the National Animal identification and Tracing (NAIT) System; Innovation in primary industries; the Emissions Trading Scheme; Recent drought conditions and animal welfare; New mushroom venture in Gisborne; Greenhouse gas footprinting studies; the future for New Zealand meat; United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) three-day summit; Trade mission to India; Tax credit rebate part of budget package.

Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori

beehive.govt.nz — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:37:05 +1200

Maori Language Week is an entire week -- 21-27 Hōngongoi 2008 -- dedicated to celebrating the beauty of one our most paramount taonga tuku iho –Te Reo Māori.

We should use this opportunity to promote the importance of keeping the spirit of our reo alive and vibrant within our communities, says Māori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia.

Māori Language Week's 2008 theme is Te Reo i te Kāinga - Māori Language in the Home, inviting us to help te reo to live and grow in our own homes.

Te Reo Māori – Māori Language – plays a huge part of our national identity an has become and integral part of who we are and how we live our everyday lives as New Zealanders.

Māori Language Week began in 1975 and Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori/ Māori Language Commission; Te Puni Kôkiri/ Ministry of Māori Development and Te Kâhui Tika Tangata/ Human Rights Commission started working together in 2003 to coordinate activities. Each year this week longer celebration of Te Reo grows from strength to strength.

I am a proud supporter of Te Reo Māori week and all the work the Labour-led government has done to support the retention and revitalization of the Māori language.

By encouraging the use of Māori language in homes, in classrooms and beyond we are ensuring that one of our national treasures stays alive for future generations to enjoy.

So during Māori Language do your part to keep Te Reo Māori alive by getting out there and giving Maori language a go! Korero Maori!

Ideas for Māori Language Week from www.korero.maori.nz:

Learn some greetings in Te Reo Māori
Learn some basic phrases
Learn some phrases for special occasions

Ideas on the theme, 'Te Reo i te Kāinga - Māori Language in the Home'

Create Māori language zones. The kitchen can be a 'Māori only' area. Maybe the dining room, your lounge or your desk can be reo Māori zones. Your car could become a reo Māori zone on wheels! While you're in these zones, speak Māori only and encourage those with you to do the same.
Schedule some Māori language times. Perhaps lunch or dinner can be a kōrero Māori time for you and your whānau. Maybe Saturday or Sunday mornings work better. You and your partner could decide to do your shopping in te reo Māori. It doesn't need to be a long time - 10 minutes a day will make a difference to your skills.
Practise with your children. Read Māori language books aloud to your children and watch Māori language children's programmes with them.
What's the Māori word for ...? There's nothing like a note when it comes to naming common household items. Let the family know you're going to use only the Māori word for that thing or activity from now on. Label 5-10 new things a week.
Listen to or view Māori media. Māori language have never been more accessible. Watch Māori Television at home and listen to your local Māori radio station. Visit your local library to borrow Māori music, DVDs, videos and books. Add Māori books, music and CDs to your birthday shopping list!
Use the Internet. Do a Google search on 'Māori language', 'Māori language lessons', Māori conversation' etc. Try out basic commands and phrases in these booklets: 'Using Māori in the Home'; 'Kei Roto i te Whare'.

Why is Maori Language Week important?

Māori Language Week is an entire week dedicated to celebrating the beauty of one our most paramount taonga tuku iho –Te Reo Māori. We should all try to use this opportunity to promote the importance of keeping the spirit of our reo alive and vibrant within our communities.

What sort of state is te reo in at the moment?

I think that Te Reo is in one of the best states it’s been in for a very long time. In a 2006 survey over half of those who identified as Māori said they could speak Te Reo to some degree.

Kohanga, Kura and Wananga as well as iwi radio, Māori television and Maori broadcasting have all played a huge part in ensuring that Te Reo continues to grow and flourish as a living language. Just recently we celebrate 500,000 hours of Māori Broadcasting. An amazing feat.

Should most New Zealanders be thinking about te reo just once a year, or should it be spoken more in general society?
It’s great to take a week out once a year to focus on celebrating a language that is one of the cornerstones of our National Identity. In all honesty, I think most New Zealanders do think of and use Maori language more than once a year. So many Maori words are accepted as part of our everyday vocabulary- like ‘kia ora’ ‘ka kite’ or ‘ka pai’.

By encouraging the use of Māori language in homes, in classrooms and beyond we are ensuring that one of our national treasures stays alive for future generations to enjoy. So during Māori Language do your part to keep Te Reo Māori alive by getting out there and giving Māori language a go! Korero Māori!

Rail back in New Zealand hands

beehive.govt.nz — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:27:13 +1200

The transfer of New Zealand’s rail assets back into New Zealand hands is a major step forward in building a sustainable transport system for the 21st Century.

The rail and ferry assets of Toll New Zealand were transferred into government ownership today. A new KiwiRail establishment board will manage the services, pending determination of the final shape of the relationship between KiwiRail and OnTrack – the SOE which runs the rail track.

"With rising fuel prices and a sense of urgency in the fight against climate change, governments around the world are again looking to rail as a central part of 21st century economic infrastructure," said Prime Minister Helen Clark.

With our rail system back in public ownership, we can make the strategic decisions and investments necessary for rail to play its full part in building a more sustainable New Zealand. Over time, we will be able to move more and more freight off our roads and onto rail. Rail will also play a bigger role in public transport in our major centres

Overall, we can ensure that it works in New Zealand interests, supporting the needs of New Zealand business and New Zealand’s communities.

Finance Minister Michael Cullen said that under a National Government in the 1990s, New Zealand was the first nation to privatise a hitherto national rail system completely, but that move had clearly not worked.

"From asset stripping to trading scandals, New Zealand’s experiment with rail privatisation failed to produce much needed investments in this critical part of New Zealand’s transport infrastructure," said Dr Cullen.

"Toll Holdings had made good progress in recent years, but it has become clear to all that the rail network could not be run without substantial government subsidies into the future.

By bringing our rail system back into public ownership – following the buyback of the tracks four years ago – we will spare future generations from subsidising a private rail operator and will be able to create an integrated, sustainable transport system.

This is a long-term investment in New Zealand’s future. The government is confident that KiwiRail will make a huge contribution to our economy.

More information

Rail back in New Zealand hands -- Joint statement by Prime Minister Helen Clark and finance Minister Michael Cullen on the transfer of New Zealand’s rail assets back into New Zealand. 1 July, 2008.
Jim Bolger to lead New Zealand’s public rail system -- Media statement by finance Minister Michael Cullen announcing that former Prime Minister Jim Bolger has been appointed chair of the establishment board of KiwiRail, which will manage the business previously known as Toll Rail. 1 July, 2008
A strong, thriving rail network for New Zealand -- Finance Minister Michael Cullen on living up to our full economic and environmental potential. Speech, 1 July 2008
KiwiRail Launch -- Prime Minister Helen Clark speaks at the launch of KiwiRail. Speech. 1 July 2008
Rail buy-back a new sustainable era for transport – Helen Clark and Michael Cullen announce the purchase of Toll New Zealand’s rail and ferry business. Joint media statement, 5 May 2008
Budget buys rail back for New Zealanders – Budget 2008 includes $690 million in capital funding to buy back the rail system after 15 years of private ownership. Michael Cullen media statement, 22 May 2008
Rail buy back marks new sustainable era for transport – agreement with Toll Holdings Ltd for the purchase of Toll New Zealand’s rail and ferry business. Joint media statement: Prime Minister Helen Clark and Finance Minister Michael Cullen. 5 May, 2008
Govt moves to protect rail network – in June 2003, the government signed a Heads of Agreement to buy the rail network for $1, take out a 35 per cent stake in Tranz Rail and rescue it from insolvency through a $44m cash injection. Joint media statement by then-Transport Minister Paul Swain and Finance Minister Michael Cullen. 6 June, 2003

CNI Iwi Forestry Agreement

beehive.govt.nz — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:32:34 +1200

1. What is the total cost to the Crown?

The value of the Crown land to be transferred to the Central North Island Forest Iwi Collective is $195.7 million. In addition, the Collective will receive the rentals that have accumulated on the land since 1989, which are worth approximately $223 million, and an annual income stream of about $13 million.

As with previous settlements, these rentals and the future rental stream the Collective will receive from that land are not considered as financial redress as they represent the income the land owner would have received if the land had been transferred in 1989, and are not costs to the Crown.

2. Who benefits from this settlement?

The iwi who make up the Collective and will receive the redress are Ngai Tuhoe, Ngati Tuwharetoa, Ngati Manawa, Ngati Whakaue, Ngati Whare, Raukawa and the Affiliate Te Arawa Iwi/hapu. Together these iwi have a population of over 100,000 people. Ngati Rangitihi was part of the Collective in the process of negotiating the proposal, but was not able to endorse the settlement in the Collective endorsement process. If Ngati Rangitihi is able to satisfy the Crown that there is broad support for the settlement within the iwi, within the next six months, there is an opportunity for it to join the settlement.

The settlement will also lead to a very substantial investment into the central north island region, from which the wider region and New Zealand as a whole should benefit.

3. Are the public’s rights affected?

No. Public access to the forests will continue following settlement date. The Collective has agreed to preserve and enhance existing public access to the Central North Island forest estate for the continued enjoyment of all New Zealanders. Much of this access would otherwise expire upon transfer of the lands in settlement.

4. What effect does this settlement have on the one previously negotiated by the Affiliate Te Arawa Iwi/Hapū represented by Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa?

The participation of Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa in the Central North Island Forests Iwi Collective process has required the amendment of the settlement negotiated between the Crown and the Affiliate Te Arawa Iwi/Hapū in 2006. The commercial forestry redress negotiated in that settlement has been replaced by a share in the Collective’s forest assets.

5. What are Crown forest lands and Crown Forest Licenses?

In order to protect Crown land for use in possible later Treaty Settlements, the Crown Forests Assets Act 1989 created Crown Forest Licenses, separating the ownership of the forest from the underlying land. The licenses are owned by investors and their rentals are held by the Crown Forestry Rental Trust. The Crown and Maori nominate the Trustees. When the underlying Crown held forest lands are transferred to iwi in Treaty settlements the accumulated rentals are also transferred to the settling group. Further details on the rentals can be found at www.cfrt.org.nz.

6. Why are the rentals not counted as financial redress by the Crown?

Since 1989, and the passage of the Crown Forestry Assets Act, the Crown Forestry Rental Trust has been receiving rentals from Crown Forest Licensed land pending the resolution of Treaty claims to the land. The rentals represent earnings foregone from the forest land during the time it has taken to resolve the claims, and are not offset against settlement quantum.

7. What forest land is included in the Crown forest lands in this proposal?

The land under the Kaingaroa, Horohoro, Marotini, Waituhi, Pureora South, Waimihia, Taurewa and Whakarewarewa forests. The total land area covered by these licenses is over 176,000 hectares.

8. What does on account mean?

Comprehensive settlements for the CNI Collective iwi will be negotiated separately, (and have been completed in the case of the Affiliate Te Arawa Iwi and Hapu). These settlements will take into account what the iwi have already received under this settlement. Any additional redress for each iwi above what they receive in this package will be decided in their individual discussions with the Crown about the remaining elements of the settlements of their historical claims.

9. How will proposed redress be allocated amongst the members of the Collective?

The Collective iwi have agreed amongst themselves on a process to allocate the land which is based on mana whenua and principles of tikanga Maori. The process will be completed by 1 July 2011. The Collective has agreed to allocate the accumulated rentals and ongoing rental income proportionally as set out in the Bill. The allocation for the individual iwi closely aligns with the Crown’s own assessment of how the redress be allocated.

10. What about the interests of iwi who are not members of the Collective?

The Crown will hold 13.3% of the Crown forest lands (by value) to settle other claims to the CNI forest lands. This has changed from 10%, as Ngati Rangitihi has not agreed to the settlement. The Crown’s 13.3% holding will revert to 10% if Ngati Rangitihi decides formally to agree to the settlement and is able to satisfy the Crown there is broad support for doing so. In that case it will be included in the settlement and the Collective’s share restored to 90% and the Crown’s share to 10%. After six years, any lands not used in settlements with those iwi will be available to the Collective. Mechanisms for deciding on allocation are still being explored. The Waitangi Tribunal will continue to have jurisdiction over the Crown’s proportion for this period.

11. How was the settlement ratified?

Support for the settlement was demonstrated through a number of hui held both by the Collective and the Crown. The Collective held over 70 hui in total, with each iwi in the Collective determining its own endorsement process. Some used postal votes, and others hui votes. Four public meetings were convened by the Crown in the CNI area to hear the views of iwi and the public directly, and written submissions were also invited. The Crown also engaged directly with neighbouring iwi who have forest related claims to make sure it understood the implications of the proposed settlement for those iwi. Te Puni Kokiri acted as an independent observer at the Collective and Crown hui and provided an report on the process. The majority of Collective iwi endorsed the settlement during consultation, with the exception of Ngati Rangitihi, who in a contested result did not agree to the settlement. Ngati Rangitihi is consequently not included in the settlement Bill, however the Crown and the Collective are holding open a window of opportunity for Ngati Rangitihi to agree to the settlement within the next six months. If the iwi can satisfy the Crown there is broad support for the settlement within Ngati Rangitihi, the iwi will be included in the Bill through a Supplementary Order Paper.

12. What happens next?

Now that the Crown is satisfied of a broad level of support for the redress package from a majority of iwi, a Deed of Settlement will be signed and legislation to implement the settlement will have its first reading. The government will continue to support the Collective to identify and explore economic opportunities to maximise the returns to the member iwi and the CNI region, and to New Zealand as a whole.

13. How has public access been enhanced?

The right of the public to enter and use the land for recreational purposes which would usually fall away on settlement is to be maintained. This includes protecting cycle and horseback access in the Whakarewarewa Whaka and Tokorangi forests. The Collective (and the licensees) have also agreed to extend vehicular access to four track ends within the Whirinaki Forest land. Principles for protecting the Whakarewarewa Whaka and Tokorangi forests have been agreed with the Collective. If the Rotorua District Council also agree they will be included in the Deed of Settlement.

14. What about the impact of the settlement on conservation values?

The Crown, the Collective and the licensees have agreed to additional protection for two areas of high ecological value. They are a 15 ha wetland that is home to a threatened species of swamp leek orchid and the 127 ha Rangitaiki River wetlands which have exceptional conservation values. Additional vehicular access has also been provided for conservation staff.

15. What impact will the new emissions policy have on the way in which the forests are used in the future?

Ministers have yet to make final decisions on emissions policy. If the Climate Change Emissions Trading Bill being passed into law, the Collective will receive an allocation of New Zealand Units as a consequence of receiving the land, on the basis that the CNI forests land is pre-1990 forest land.

16. Will all the land be held by one entity after settlement?

The legislation will set up a trust holding company that that will receive the forest lands and accumulated rentals, and will hold the land until and unless allocated to individual iwi. Transfer of the land allocated can be made after 6 years or earlier if the Crown agrees. Members of the Collective (and the Crown until its share has been transferred to either settle other claims or to the Collective) will own shares in the company, and will have equal voting rights (i.e. one vote per shareholder).

NZ wants to see Fiji meet its Forum commitments

beehive.govt.nz — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:25:13 +1200

The current state of the relationship between Fiji and New Zealand is a direct result of the unlawful military takeover of December 2006. While it is true that this event, and the actions stemming from it, have restricted the way we engage with each other, diplomatic channels are most certainly still open and active.

New Zealand’s interest in seeing Fiji prosper in a stable political environment has been a consistent part of our foreign policy for several decades.

The past eighteen months have been an extremely active period for the Pacific Forum in terms of its regional diplomacy on Fiji. There have been three meetings of Forum foreign ministers, as well as a key Forum leaders’ meeting in Tonga which devoted considerable effort to encouraging the restoration of democratic and constitutional government within Fiji.

Forum leaders will next meet in Niue in August and Fiji will again be on the agenda.

Prior to that meeting, the Foreign Ministers of New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu will participate in the Forum’s Ministerial Contact Group on Fiji. We will spend the coming weeks formulating a clear view on the state of Fiji’s electoral preparations to report back.

All of this demonstrates that New Zealand, along with Fiji’s other regional neighbours within the Forum, care deeply about what happens in Fiji. We all look forward to the day when the situation in Fiji will no longer be a subject of concern within Forum discussions.

While the Fiji interim government has sometimes reacted critically to the actions of the Forum and its individual members, it is important to recognise that those actions are grounded in a deep concern about Fiji’s future.

The Fiji interim government made important commitments to Forum leaders in Tonga last year. It agreed to hold free and fair elections by March 2009, in accordance with Fiji’s electoral laws and constitution - and to respect the outcome of those elections.

In Suva, New Zealand continues to work in the Forum-Fiji Joint Working Group to encourage further movement in this direction. These efforts are supported by other international partners and donors, including the European Union and the United States.

It is important to underline that New Zealand does not see elections as offering a full solution to Fiji’s internal problems. We recognise that Fiji’s problems are complex and deep, and we remain willing to provide support and assistance in addressing these challenges, as we have done for many years.

What is needed to address these issues is a truly inclusive and independent process of political dialogue, which will formulate solutions in a co-operative and collaborative way. It goes without saying that New Zealand cannot accept that a military dominated administration which lacks a popular mandate should impose its will on the people of Fiji. Nor do we believe that such an imposed solution will endure. There is a real risk that it will exacerbate Fiji’s divisions.

That is why New Zealand continues to call on Fiji’s interim government to honour its commitments to advance electoral preparations. That is also why we call on the interim government, and all other key political leaders within Fiji, to participate in discussions aimed at identifying some of the key issues that a properly constituted government will need to consider.

In this way, we hope to nurture a climate that will enable free and fair elections.

New Zealand also remains actively engaged with Fiji through our aid programme. This includes through the assistance we have provided for electoral preparations, and also through the programmes to support communities within Fiji.

For example, in the past year New Zealand has provided over $400,000 of humanitarian assistance to help poor families who have lost livelihoods due to heavy flooding and the closure of the Vatukoula gold mine on the main island.

Many Fijians, including some members of the interim government, have lived and studied in New Zealand, and know our country well. They should also know that New Zealand’s policies and approach to Fiji are consistent with those adopted after previous coups in Fiji and with our responses to coups in other countries.

New Zealand places such a high importance on ensuring that Fiji meets its commitments to Forum leaders, because this will clear the way for the restoration of the close and friendly relationship we enjoyed in the past.

We all look forward to that day.