Message from the Minister of Internal Affairs, Rick Barker

The Department of Internal Affairs has been in the spotlight this month. Media interest in the monitoring of behaviour in Casinos has been strong and TV3’s Campbell Live also spent a day filming DIA staff at work in Auckland’s Births, Deaths and Marriages Registry office on the 11th of July. This is a great example of the diverse range of functions carried out by the Department

Lottery profits are up and communities will benefit

This year the Lottery Grants Board will distribute over $171 million to the community and statutory bodies. That’s almost $50 million up on last year. Creative New Zealand, the New Zealand Film Commission, and Sport and Recreation New Zealand will together receive an extra one-off amount of $15.75 million additional to their allocation. Lottery distribution committees will receive $84.16 million this year. This includes a $5 million boost goes to the recently reactivated Lottery Community Facilities Fund for 2007-08 bringing the total available for capital works to $13 million.

Forest and Rural Fire Association Annual Conference

On 1 August, Internal Affairs Deputy Secretary Keith Manch delivered the opening address to the Forest and Rural Fire Association annual conference on my behalf.

The theme of the conference was ‘Wildland Fire Training for Global Cooperation’ and the speech reflected on the dangerous nature of the work that Rural Fire-fighters in New Zealand carry out and the excellent cooperation that exist between the Australian and New Zealand Fire Services, and other nations such as the US and Canada.

On behalf of the Government an engraved Pulaski and commemorative plaque was presented to Principal Rural Fire Officer Murray Dudfield. The Pulaski and plaque were initially presented to Trade Minister Phil Goff in Washington in May in appreciation of the 29 Kiwi fire fighters who helped fight the wildfires ravaging the USA’s Pacific North West.

DIA reports into Casino activities released

Two reports on investigations undertaken by the Department of Internal Affairs into allegations around the Christchurch Casino were released on 26 July 2007. While all investigations are not yet complete, the reports suggest recent allegations of improprieties at Christchurch Casino are unlikely to be substantiated.

The reports have however, focussed attention on the issues of loan sharking and money laundering in the casino environment. DIA officials will be developing a more comprehensive understanding of these problems to determine how government agencies and the sector can work better together to identify loan sharks and money laundering when it occurs. Copies of these reports are available online at www.dia.govt.nz