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Seasonal work policy
Pacific workers will be allowed to fill horticulture and viticulture job shortages under a new seasonal work scheme announced this week. Social Development and Employment Minister David Benson-Pope and Immigration Minister David Cunliffe say the scheme will address specific labour shortages, while demonstrating a commitment to Pacific development. The Recognised Seasonal Employer policy is designed to ensure New Zealanders get first opportunities at jobs and contains strong incentives for employers to train and upskill the domestic workforce. Employers will need to demonstrate they tried to recruit workers locally and that they are good employers before being able to recruit migrant workers. Mr Benson-Pope said that with record low unemployment, the horticulture and viticulture industries face considerable pressure recruiting staff. The scheme will be phased in from April 2007 - existing policies will remain available for employers to recruit workers while the new policy is bedded down, Mr Cunliffe said. Given New Zealand's ongoing labour shortages, after confirming there are no Kiwis available, the policy allows employers to seek migrant workers from Pacific countries first - before looking to other countries. Pacific workers, as with other migrant seasonal workers, must leave New Zealand at the end of their work season.
Fighting obesity
Health Minister Pete Hodgson this week announced a $800,000 investment in four new projects aimed at fighting obesity, including among Māori and Pacific Island families. The funding comes from the Healthy Eating, Healthy Action Innovation Fund. With poor nutrition and poor physical activity now the leading causes of premature death in New Zealand, Mr Hodgson said finding new ways to encourage active lifestyles and healthy eating has become our most pressing public health challenge. The three-year $3 million Healthy Eating, Healthy Action Innovation Fund was established last year and originally funded 16 projects around the country. The government made more funding available this year due to the fund's initial success. The Innovation Fund is one aspect of the Labour-led government's work to encourage New Zealanders to live healthier lives. In September, Prime Minister Helen Clark launched Mission-On - a package of initiatives to encourage and support young people to improve their nutrition and rates of physical activity.
New insolvency laws
Creditors and directors of failing companies will have more flexible and effective methods to deal with financial distress under changes to New Zealand insolvency laws passed by Parliament this week. A voluntary administration regime for companies in financial distress, as a potential alternative to liquidation, is a key feature of the legislation. The new process provides 'breathing space' for administrators to assess the company's viability to continue trading before deciding whether to rehabilitate the company by entering into a deed of company arrangement with the creditors, or enter into liquidation. Commerce Minister Lianne Dalziel said that the Australian model had seen increased returns to creditors and she was confident that similar benefits would occur here. The Bill repeals and replaces the Insolvency Act 1967, amends insolvency provisions of the Companies Act 1993 and creates new legislation on cross-border insolvency. The legislation will be implemented later next year once the regulations are in place.
Sports anti-doping law
Parliament this week passed a new law placing New Zealand at the forefront of the fight against doping in sport. The Sports Anti-Doping legislation will further strengthen New Zealand's commitment to ensuring its athletes are able to compete in a drug-free environment, Sport and Recreation Minister Trevor Mallard said. The Sports Anti-Doping Act 2006 implements the World Anti-Doping Code which seeks to protect an athlete's fundamental right to participate in drug-free sport. It also aims to ensure harmonised, coordinated and effective anti-doping programmes at an international and national level. Under the new Act, Drug Free Sport New Zealand will establish a set of rules to implement the provisions of the World Anti-Doping Code. These rules may be adopted by the National Sporting Organisations through their anti-doping policies, constitutions, regulations or other instruments. With the exception of some transitional clauses, this Act will come into force on 1 July 2007.
Development support for teachers
The government will fund tertiary fees for 600 primary teachers from next year to help lift the quality of mathematics teaching, Education Minister Steve Maharey announced this week. This was the first stage of a scheme the government was looking to extend across other priority areas of the curriculum, the Minister said. The aim is to ensure teachers can enhance their knowledge and expertise in important subject areas, including English, Science, Social Studies and Technology. The scheme recognises that the most important factor in lifting student achievement is effective teaching, backed up by good professional development, Mr Maharey said. It will build on the results of the hugely successful numeracy and literacy professional development projects running in schools around the country. While New Zealand's highest achievers in mathematics are comparable with the best in the world, work is still needed to lift standards for all students.
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