Budget 2015
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A Budget 2015 investment of over $1 million a year will close a critical gap in New Zealand’s financial information, Statistics Minister Craig Foss says.

Budget 2015 includes $5.75 million over the next four years for Statistics New Zealand’s Financial Flows and Balance Sheets project — a joint initiative with Treasury and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.

Craig Foss Statistics Budget 2015
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A fresh approach to saving the kiwi from extinction has been launched today thanks to a new $11.2 million investment from Budget 2015, Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says.

Our national bird is struggling to survive and faces a crisis. There are now less than 70,000 birds in the wild with the population falling 2 per cent a year, largely due to invasive predators such as rats, stoats and ferrets.

Maggie Barry Conservation Budget 2015
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New Zealand’s first social bond will aim to empower people with mental illness and support their families, Finance Minister Bill English and Health Minister Jonathan Coleman say.

Social bonds, in which the return for investors will be partially determined by whether or not agreed social targets have been achieved, will become another tool in the Government’s social investment approach that is aiming to improve the lives and prospects of the most vulnerable New Zealanders.

Jonathan Coleman Bill English Health Finance Budget 2015
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Irrigation projects will receive a kick-start of $25 million in operating funding for five years from 2016/17 through the Irrigation Acceleration Fund (IAF), Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has announced today.

“This funding will help to complete the investigation and development of new regional scale irrigation proposals,” says Mr Guy.

“The need for more water storage projects is obvious given that nearly every part of the country has suffered through drought at some stage over the past three years.

Nathan Guy Primary Industries Budget 2015
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The Government will invest $7.5 million over two years in developing key skills and systems to help boost exports across the primary sector, Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy says.

This investment focuses on key initiatives that will help deliver greater economic growth, including:

Nathan Guy Primary Industries Budget 2015
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Pacific peoples will benefit from Budget 2015 through our government’s focus on supporting families and reducing hardship, Pacific Peoples Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga says.

At the heart of Budget 2015 is a $790 million package to help children in our poorest households.

Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga Pacific Peoples Budget 2015
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Budget 2015 continues the Government’s investment in ensuring fairness in the tax system by pursuing those attempting to avoid paying tax, Revenue Minister Todd McClay says.

Budget details announced yesterday include a further Budget allocation of $74 million over five years for Inland Revenue’s investigations activity. 

“As announced earlier this week, $29 million of that extra funding will be used to increase property speculation,” says Mr McClay.

Todd McClay Revenue Budget 2015
Speech

Hi everyone. It’s great to see you all again this afternoon. Some of you are new to this lock-up; others have been here before. Regardless, I welcome you all and thank you for your ongoing commitment to education and to the future for all our children and young people. 

I’d also like to welcome the Under-Secretary for Education David Seymour who is here with us today. Like me, and all of you, Mr Seymour believes passionately in the ability of education to transform the lives of young people and I’m delighted he’s been able to join us.

Hekia Parata Education Budget 2015
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A critical lifeline for one of New Zealand’s most remote communities is to be completely rebuilt as a result of new funding in Budget 2015, Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne says.

The Waitangi Wharf on the Chatham Islands will be replaced in a three-year construction project costing up to $52 million in capital funding from 2015/16 to 2017/18, sourced from the Future Investment Fund.

Peter Dunne Internal Affairs Budget 2015
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The new Te Ture Whenua Māori Network, which will help Māori land owners improve the productivity of their land, will be supported by $12.8 million in the Budget, Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell says.

The network complements the current reform of the Te Ture Whenua Māori Act.

“Significant tracts of Māori land remain under-utilised and improving its performance and productivity will provide benefits to its owners and the wider New Zealand economy,” Mr Flavell says.

Te Ururoa Flavell Maori Development Budget 2015
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The Budget provides $2.1 million of new operating funding for rangatahi Māori suicide prevention, Māori Development Minister Hon Te Ururoa Flavell says.

“It recognises the need within Māori communities to address the high rate of suicide among our rangatahi and to reduce its tragic consequences,” he says.

“The causes of youth suicide are complex and varied. This fund will contribute towards taking a Whānau Ora approach to reducing youth suicide.”

Te Ururoa Flavell Maori Development Budget 2015
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Budget 2015 provides operating funding of $35.3 million over the next four years to improve housing outcomes for whānau Māori, Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell says.

This will provide practical assistance to whānau and Māori housing projects and will be coordinated through the establishment of a Māori Housing Network.

Te Ururoa Flavell Maori Development Budget 2015
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New operating funding of $49.8 million over the next four years will further support Whānau Ora navigators to work with whānau, aiga and families, Whānau Ora Minister Te Ururoa Flavell says.

This new funding will allow the continuation of Whānau Ora navigators, who play a critical role in Whānau Ora,” he says. “They act as brokers for whānau and support them to achieve their goals.

Te Ururoa Flavell Whanau Ora Budget 2015
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Budget 2015 invests an extra $4.7 million of operating funding over four years to fund extra officers to screen departing international passengers for security threats such as terrorism and drugs, Customs Minister Nicky Wagner says.

This initiative is part of a range of measures in Budget 2015 to improve security at the border, involving Immigration, Customs and Biosecurity.

Nicky Wagner Customs Budget 2015
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Disabled students with high needs will receive more support to transition from school to adult life, Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner says.

Budget 2015 delivers an additional $16.3 million over the next four years for participation and inclusion services for students with disabilities leaving school and entering the Very High Needs Scheme.

“The extra support will make a difference to the quality of life for around 300 young people facing significant challenges,” Ms Wagner says.

Nicky Wagner Disability Issues Budget 2015
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New Zealand’s most famous bird, the kiwi, will receive $11.2 million of operating funding over the next four years in an effort to arrest its serious ongoing decline in the wild.

Wild kiwi numbers are falling by 2 per cent a year and the bird could be extinct on the mainland in our grandchildren’s lifetimes, Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says.

The aim of the investment is to turn the 2 per cent decline into an annual increase as soon as possible.

Maggie Barry Conservation Budget 2015
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Budget 2015 includes changes to tackle child support debt and to encourage parents to pay what they owe for children for whom they are responsible, Revenue Minister Todd McClay says.

Over the next four years, the Government will forgive around $1.7 billion of penalties owed by parents to encourage more support to reach children.

“Child Support debt is currently $3.2 billion and rising, and only around $700 million is actual child support,” Mr McClay says.

Todd McClay Revenue Budget 2015
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Budget 2015 will provide an extra $8.1 million of operating funding over the next four years for the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), demonstrating the Government’s commitment to tackling serious fraud, SFO Minister Michael Woodhouse says.

“The work of the SFO is important to New Zealand’s economy because it protects New Zealand’s reputation as a safe place to invest and do business, which in turn contributes to growth in our economy,” Mr Woodhouse says.

Michael Woodhouse Police Budget 2015
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Budget 2015 builds on the Government’s success in reducing crime and ensures New Zealand Police is fit for the future with new operating funding of $164 million over the next four years, Police Minister Michael Woodhouse says.

This demonstrates the Government’s commitment to maintaining visible, active and hard-working Police that deliver more effective frontline policing and crime prevention to keep our communities safe.  

Michael Woodhouse Police Budget 2015
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A $10 million package over four years will further strengthen New Zealand’s animal welfare systems, Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy says.

“New Zealand already has a strong reputation for animal welfare,” Mr Guy says.

“However, the expectations of consumers and society are constantly changing and our farming systems are continually evolving,” he says.

Nathan Guy Primary Industries Budget 2015
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Biosecurity funding will be boosted by $24.9 million over four years, in addition to $2 million of capital funding, to increase our border capabilities, Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy says.

“New Zealand has a world-class biosecurity system but there will always be a need for improvement. This investment will help future-proof our system to deal with the constantly changing demands of modern biosecurity,” he says.

Nathan Guy Primary Industries Budget 2015
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A new border clearance levy will help the Government to protect New Zealand from imported pests, diseases, illegal drugs and contraband and bring us in line with border approaches by other countries, Primary Industrie

Nathan Guy Nicky Wagner Primary Industries Customs Budget 2015