Kiwis to fly through Australian Airport gates
New Zealand passport holders can now queue with Australians for customs and immigration checks at Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane International Airports. Announcing the new trans-Tasman deal, which came into force this week, Customs Minister Nanaia Mahuta said the deal marked a milestone in Trans-Tasman border arrangements and highlighted New Zealand's close ties with Australia. In the last financial year, some 1.1 million Kiwis made the journey across the Tasman. The agreement is part of a commitment between New Zealand and Australia to improving facilitation of trade and travel, harmonising technologies, and aligning border processes.

APEC leaders meet
APEC Leaders met on 18 and 19 November in Korea. Prime Minister Helen Clark says the main regional issue was the fragile state of the World Trade Organisation's Doha Development Round. APEC leaders said the recent United States offer on domestic agriculture support could reinvigorate the Round, and the European Union now needed to make a similar offer. Helen Clark and Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin announced an initiative to promote private sector development by simplifying government regulations across APEC's 21 members. APEC leaders also addressed preparations for a possible avian influenza pandemic (better surveillance, information exchange, multi-sector pandemic plans), and recommitted to continuing APEC's collective counter-terrorism actions, such as assessing the vulnerability of airports and improving supply chain security.

SAS troops return from Afghanistan
Around 50 Special Air Service personnel returned from Afghanistan on 22 November after six-months of reconnaissance and direct action missions. Welcoming the troops home, Defence Minister Phil Goff commended their performance supporting UN Security Council multi-lateral effort to counter terrorism and restore stability to Afghanistan. They had helped constrain the influence of Al Qaeda and Taliban elements and allowed nation-building and reconstruction to take place, including a fair and credible democratic process for the first-ever elections to the Afghanistan Parliament.

Government calls for broadband uptake
Communications Minister David Cunliffe this week challenged New Zealand's local bodies to come up with the infrastructure for a digital future. The government has more than $44 million of seed funding available for local networks, and is committed to boosting broadband nationwide. Mr Cunliffe told delegates at the inaugural Digital Cities conference that this seed funding was a good start and he anticipated a wave of private investment throughout New Zealand's urban and rural areas. He said cheaper, more accessible, broadband was vital for New Zealand to increase its uptake of broadband and its knowledge of information and communications technology. As part of this, he is talking to telecommunications industry stakeholders about the regulatory regime, and further strategic announcements are due in 2006.

More flood help for East Coast farmers
Further Taskforce Green help and the rural assistance and New Start programmes are to be extended if necessary to cover growers affected by recent floods in Gisborne and Tolaga Bay. Agriculture Minister Jim Anderton said the government would pay up to $25,000 towards a feasibility study to establish flood protection measures in Tolaga Bay. Cabinet has decided not to fund a full agricultural recovery package. Mr Anderton said the government stands by people in need, but their management of natural and environmental risks needed to be addressed more seriously. So far, the government has provided a $150,000 flood assistance package to assist the recovery process, including $70,000 for Enhanced Task Force Green personnel, $20,000 for heavy equipment hire and $60,000 for unforeseen costs.