CAA meeting agreed on way forward for safety
Public safety is the paramount consideration in all sectors of the civil aviation industry, and processes to achieve that safety must be transparent, Transport Minister Annette King and Civil Aviation Authority chair Ron Tannock announced following a meeting in Parliament this week.

The meeting was held to discuss recommendations from the June 2005 Audit Office report into CAA certification and surveillance functions, and last month's coroner's report into the Air Adventures tragedy.

"CAA and the Ministry have agreed that the recommendations in these two reports will be implemented as soon as possible, and that progress on implementing them will be updated monthly on both the CAA and Ministry websites. The public must know exactly what improvements are being put in place to enhance their safety." "I am assured the major aviation industry sector is working well, but there needs to be greater concentration on safety in the general aviation area - small operators, sport and recreation, agriculture and helicopters," said Ms King.

Taupo Motorsport Park gets support
Taupo Motorsport Park will be extended to enable the hosting of large-scale international motor racing events thanks to a $2 million government investment in new facilities, Economic Development Minister Trevor Mallard announced this week.

The $13 million track and business park has received significant funding from the Taupo District Council and a group of private investors. The government funding of $2 million over three years comes through New Zealand Trade and Enterprise's Major Regional Initiative (MRI) fund, a component of its Regional Partnership Programme.

"This investment will give New Zealand a complex that is capable of hosting international racing events which can not currently be staged elsewhere," Trevor Mallard said. "The Taupo Motorsport Park facilities will be world-class when completed and as good as the best facilities in Australia."

NZ to send artist to Great War battlefields
Prime Minister and Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Helen Clark has announced an artist-in-residence position for a New Zealand artist at the In Flanders Fields Museum, in Ieper (Ypres), Belgium, in the first half of 2007.

"The In Flanders Fields Museum is one of Europe's leading museums focusing on the First World War. It has chosen for the first time to offer its artist-in-residence position to a New Zealand artist," Helen Clark said.

"The Artist In Residence programme has been running since 1999 and its objective is to give a contemporary artist a chance to reflect on war and peace in a place which hosted some of the bloodiest battles in history.

The residency is supported by the New Zealand Embassy in Brussels, New Zealand businesses in Belgium, and Creative New Zealand.

Increased aid for Timor Leste
New Zealand will contribute an additional $1 million for humanitarian assistance to the people of Timor Leste, bringing the New Zealand Government's total humanitarian contribution during the current crisis to $1.5 million.

"While New Zealand Defence Force personnel are helping to restore security, it's also important to ensure that those who are suffering because of the violence are assisted," Helen Clark said.

"The latest figures from Timor Leste's Ministry of Labour and Community Reinsertion, which is coordinating relief efforts, indicate that there are more than 65,000 displaced people living in camps around Dili, and a further 35,000 people from the capital living in camps in the districts. One of the major challenges is providing food for those displaced. Rice is the main staple of the local diet. Timor Leste's government has asked New Zealand to co-fund a shipment of rice which has arrived in Dili." said Helen Clark

NZAID has a $4.1 million annual aid programme with Timor Leste.

New measures aimed at reducing youth re-offending
More frontline staff, specialist youth justice teams and closer co-ordination with other agencies are some of the recommendations from a review released this week by Minister for Child, Youth and Family Services, Ruth Dyson.

"Turning young offenders around before they become adult criminals is one of the most important things the youth justice system can do. These measures should reduce re-offending, help steer young offenders away from a life of crime and help strengthen our most at-risk families," said Ms Dyson.

New ways to improve youth justice services and reduce re-offending are outlined in the Youth Justice Capability Review from the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services.

The Review recommends hiring additional social workers and co-ordinators to improve frontline services and a return to having dedicated youth justice social workers.

"The Department of Child, Youth and Family Services is just one part of the Youth Justice system, and often deals with the most challenging young offenders. The report has identified ways in which we can work more closely with other agencies, including Police and the Ministries of Justice and Corrections, and we'll be progressing these."

West Coast tourism receives government support
The government is to provide funding for a major new tourism initiative on the South Island's West Coast. Over the next three years, the initiative will support existing tourism icons such as the glaciers district and Shantytown, and provide assistance to encourage the development of new emerging attractions and facilities.

Economic development Minister Trevor Mallard said the objective of the initiative was to build a sustainable, world-class tourism industry in the West Coast region. The $2.5 million committed by the West Coast Development Trust is being supplemented by $2 million in government funding through the government's Regional Partnership Programme.

The funding will be used for a variety of tourism projects ranging from the development of facilities, to product management and support for small and medium sized enterprises. It is expected that the benefits will be spread through the whole West Coast region.

Cadetships offer career in public service
Social Development and Employment Minister David Benson-Pope this week congratulated the 68 young Work and Income staff members from around New Zealand who graduated from the Ministry of Social Development's Modern Apprenticeship Cadet Scheme.

Modern Apprenticeships were introduced by this government in 2000 to encourage and assist young people aged between 16 and 21 into careers while improving their training and qualifications. The Ministry of Social Development started the Work and Income Modern Apprenticeship Cadet Scheme in November 2003 and made an ongoing commitment to train approximately 100 cadets at any one time.

The 68 Work and Income cadets, all case managers at Work and Income Service Centres, have gained a National Certificate in Client Service (Public Sector) Level 4 - a nationally recognised tertiary qualification.

"At the end of December last year, 8,388 Modern Apprentices in 32 industries were earning and learning. Over 1400 young people have now completed their Modern Apprenticeship. An additional $34 million investment in the scheme from Budget 2006 will provide for up to 14,000 Modern Apprenticeships by the end of 2008," said Social Development and Employment Minister David Benson-Pope.

The 2006 recruitment of 70 new Work and Income cadets is already underway.

Tenders to be invited for additional oil reserves
The Government is taking steps to ensure New Zealand meets the International Energy Agency's requirement to hold 90 days of oil reserves, Energy Minister David Parker said this week with the announcement that the Economic Development Ministry would invite tenders for stock next month.

New Zealand's current stocks are about 60 days of net oil imports. Additional stock requirements to achieve the 90-day target are estimated at 418,000 tonnes in calendar 2007, 302,000 tonnes in 2008, nil in 2009 and 32,000 tonnes in 2010. Stock may be in the form of crude oil or refined products such as petrol and diesel.

Mr Parker said the quantities required to meet the target were significantly lower than earlier estimates because of expected increases in domestic oil production from next year.