Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith today acknowledged World Metrology Day, which celebrates the 1875 signing of the Metre Convention, and the integral role the science of measurement plays in both trade and science.

“The answer to the age old phrase ‘how long is a piece of string’ is the same worldwide, thanks to the work of our legal metrologists,” says Mr Goldsmith.

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith says submissions are overwhelmingly supportive of New Zealand joining an international treaty that will make more published works available to people with a print disability.

“The government released a discussion document in October seeking public feedback on whether New Zealand should accede to the international copyright agreement,” Mr Goldsmith says.

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith today acknowledged World Intellectual Property Day, an international initiative celebrating the role intellectual property plays in fostering human innovation and creativity.

“In our increasingly knowledge-driven economy, intellectual property is of growing importance to New Zealand businesses,” says Mr Goldsmith.

“Every year around 30,000 trade mark, patent, design and plant variety rights applications are made by individuals and businesses to the Intellectual Property Office (IPONZ).”

Australian Treasurer Scott Morrison and New Zealand Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith welcome the cross-appointment of New Zealand Commerce Commission (NZCC) Deputy Chair Susan Begg to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

“I am very pleased to appoint Susan Begg as an associate member of the ACCC under the cross-appointment arrangement with the NZCC,” Mr Morrison said.

Legislation has passed this evening allowing New Zealand Business Numbers (NZBNs) to be allocated to all businesses operating in New Zealand.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says this will be welcome news to businesses and government agencies.

“NZBNs are a key initiative of the Government’s Better for Business programme. They are a unique identifiers that reduce the time and energy businesses spend providing government the same information in different ways,” Mr Joyce says.

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith today welcomed the signing of a co-operation arrangement between the Commerce Commission and the Canadian Competition Bureau.

“A closer relationship between both agencies will lead to more efficient and effective enforcement of competition and consumer laws both here and in Canada,” Mr Goldsmith says.

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith today welcomed the relaunch of the popular financial planning website Sorted.

“With a refreshed look and mobile friendly interface, the new Sorted website will make it easier for people to see their finances and the choices that can help them get ahead,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“Last year the Government signalled that improving the financial wellbeing of all New Zealanders was a priority. The redevelopment of Sorted reinforces our ongoing commitment to this goal.”

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith will travel to Australia today to attend the Trans-Tasman Consumer Affairs Forum in Canberra.

“This forum is a key opportunity to discuss a range of consumer protection and fair trading matters,” Mr Goldsmith says. 

“New Zealand and Australia’s consumer and competition laws are closely aligned. The visit is a further opportunity to foster greater Trans-Tasman cooperation, which will benefit many New Zealand businesses currently operating on both sides of the Tasman.”

A proposed new law that will enable wine and spirit makers to register the geographical origins of their products is a step closer says Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith.

The Geographical Indications (Wines and Spirits) Amendment Bill was debated for the first time today and will now go through the select committee process, including public submissions.

The Bill amends the Geographical Indications (Wines and Spirits) Registration Act which was passed in 2006 but never brought into force.

Pacific Peoples Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga along with Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith welcome the Commerce Commission’s new series of animations that attempt to bring greater awareness around consumer rights and explain key law changes.

The series, called It’s All Good, stars New Zealand’s sharpest legal advisor Aunty and her good intentioned nephew Herman Faleafa.

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith today released a consultation document showing how the Government proposes to implement the intellectual property changes required to ratify the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP).

“TPP is New Zealand’s largest free trade agreement. The TPP economies are worth US$28 trillion and open New Zealand companies up to a customer base of 800 million people,” Mr Goldsmith says.

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith has today welcomed the launch of a new product recall web tool, a first-stop-shop for consumer product recall information.

Currently product safety recall information is distributed by four different government agencies in New Zealand, dependant on the type of product.

“The new portal streamlines information availability, allowing consumers and businesses to react more swiftly when products are recalled,” Mr Goldsmith says.

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith has announced the appointment of New Zealand’s first Standards Approval Board, an independent statutory board set up under the Standards and Accreditation Act 2015.

The newly appointed Board comprises six members, with Vaughan Renner as Chair, along with Dr Peter Stevens, Faye Sumner, Peter Gilbert, Samantha Sharif and John Boshier. A seventh member is expected to be appointed shortly.

The new Standards Approvals Board is one of the changes resulting from the Act, which came into force yesterday.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith have welcomed the Commerce Commission’s release of the final report on the state of competition in New Zealand’s dairy industry today.

“I would like to thank the Commerce Commission for its hard work and the expertise applied in delivering the report. We also appreciate the way that dairy industry stakeholders have engaged in the process,” Mr Goldsmith says.

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith is urging consumers and the industry to have their say on how financial advice laws could be improved.

“The Government is reviewing both the Financial Advisers Act and the Financial Service Providers Act to ensure we have the best regulatory regime in place,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“We are looking at ways to simplify the regime and make financial advice more accessible to all New Zealanders.

Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Paul Goldsmith today welcomed the next step in establishing a single trans-Tasman patent attorney regime following the first reading of the Patents (Trans-Tasman Patent Attorneys and Other Matters) Amendment Bill.

“The Bill establishes a single joint registration regime for patent attorneys which will save them time and money as well as allow them to seamlessly practice in both Australia and New Zealand,” Mr Goldsmith says.

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith today released a consultation document seeking comment on whether businesses fundraising for charities should divulge certain information to the donating public.

“There is currently nothing in legislation that requires third party fundraisers to disclose information about their fundraising activity when asking for donations from New Zealanders,” Mr Goldsmith says.

Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Paul Goldsmith announced changes that remove the criminal sanctions for cartel behaviour currently contained in a the Commerce (Cartels and Other Matters) Amendment Bill. 

“The Commerce (Cartels and Other Matters) Amendment Bill enables companies to collaborate if the activity promotes competition and enhances efficiency,” Mr Goldsmith says.

New Zealand Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith and Australian Treasurer Scott Morrison today announced the expansion of cross-appointments between the New Zealand Commerce Commission (NZCC) and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith today released an options paper which sets out ways to improve our financial advice legislation.

“Our aim is to increase consumer confidence in financial advisers and the advice they give, so that people can make informed decisions about their money,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“We hope to make improvements to this regime so that all New Zealanders, including those with simple questions and without large sums to invest, have access to trusted financial advice should they want it. 

An expert group will review New Zealand’s corporate insolvency laws and report back to the government, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith announced today.

“A working group of insolvency experts will be set up to provide independent advice to the government on important aspects of corporate insolvency law,” Mr Goldsmith says.   

“It is inevitable that businesses get into trouble and fail. When that happens we must have an efficient insolvency law process that can recycle the capital back into the market.

Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Paul Goldsmith today released an issues paper seeking feedback on whether the law protecting consumers from anti-competitive behaviour by businesses is working well.

“Rules governing the misuse of market power are set out in the Commerce Act,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“The Government is taking a closer look at specific sections of this Act to determine whether they are working as they should or whether any aspects need to be changed.

Councils and New Zealand investors are big winners from the first multi-billion dollar local government bond listing, Ministers Paula Bennett and Paul Goldsmith say.

The Local Government Funding Agency (LGFA) has today listed $5.56 billion of its bonds on the NZX Debt Market. Established in 2011, the LGFA raises debt on behalf of local authorities on terms more favourable to them than if councils raised the debt individually.

Small Business Minister Craig Foss and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith are urging consumers and small businesses to keep themselves safe online this Fraud Awareness Week.

Fraud Awareness Week 2015, which runs from 15 – 21 November, is part of an international initiative to raise awareness of scams and promote safe online practices.

“It’s imperative for small business owners to get up to speed — and stay up to speed — on the types of scams doing the rounds,” Mr Foss says.