Govt tackles overcrowded, unhealthy houses
Prime Minister Helen Clark this week launched the government's Healthy Housing Project, which will see living conditions in hundreds of state houses in Auckland suburbs Onehunga, Mangere and Otara targeted for improvement. On Monday Helen Clark and Housing Minister Mark Gosche were on hand when a large family from Onehunga moved out of their two-bedroom Housing New Zealand property into a newly modified four bedroom, two bathroom state house. In total 250 houses are to be extended. Others will be improved or modified to achieve objectives such as better ventilation to reduce damp or improved insulation for warmth. Helen Clark said as state housing became too expensive under National government's market rents system, families and households had endured crowded conditions because that was all they could afford. The impact on health had been serious. New Zealand's meningococcal disease rate - linked to overcrowding by health experts - is six times that of Australia and 12 times the rate experienced in the United States. The Labour-Alliance government scrapped market rents and restored income-related rents: low-income households now pay no more than 25 per cent of their income on rent.
Recreational fishing management
Fisheries Minister Pete Hodgson has ruled out licensing for marine recreational fishing. He did so this week when releasing a report and summary of submissions from the Soundings public consultation process on the future management of marine recreational fishing. The report, from the Ministry of Fisheries-NZ Recreational Fishing Council joint working group that ran the consultation process, outlines the key issues raised in public comments on the Soundings discussion document released last July. Mr Hodgson says there is widespread support for change to the administration of marine recreational fishing, but diverse and conflicting views on what that change should be. The report and summary of submissions are available at www.fish.govt.nz A full set of submissions is available for public scrutiny at the Auckland, Wellington, Nelson and Dunedin offices of the Ministry of Fisheries.
Thumbs up for fiscal management
Finance Minister Michael Cullen has welcomed rating agency Standard & Poors' decision to put New Zealand back on a stable credit outlook. Dr Cullen said the agency's decision reflected confidence in the government's fiscal stance. Both New Zealand and Australia are now on AA+, the second highest rating S&P gives. Since 1998 New Zealand had been on negative outlook. The agency says in a commentary this week that it is confident the government will maintain the budget in structural surplus. Other reasons are the independence of the Reserve Bank in the operation of monetary policy and the resilience of the economy with flexible labour and product markets.
Major report on tertiary education directions
The government this week welcomed the report of the Tertiary Education Advisory Commission. The report said a major shake-up of the sector is needed.
The report's central recommendation is that the government takes a greater role in "steering" the tertiary education sector. The report calls for an end to fierce competition between tertiary providers and recommends moves to combat an oversupply of graduates in some areas. Associate Education (Tertiary Education) Minister Steve Maharey said the tertiary education marketplace constructed over the last decade is incapable of producing the educational or research outcomes New Zealand needs in the 21st Century. Public submissions on the report close with Steve Maharey's office on 7 April. Final Government decisions can be expected by the end of May. Shaping the System is available on the Tertiary Education Advisory website at www.teac.govt.nz.
New IR charter welcomed
The government has welcomed Inland Revenue's new charter, launched on Wednesday. Revenue Under-Secretary John Wright is responsible for ensuring the government responds to the issues raised by the 1999 Finance and
Expenditure Committee inquiry into Inland Revenue. The charter was a key recommendation of the inquiry. John Wright said the charter meets the public demand for a clear set of standards, as highlighted by the select committee inquiry. He said the charter, and the enhanced complaints management process also launched this week, were valuable signs of Inland Revenue's commitment to improving its service.
Third business-government forum
Business leaders from several North Island regions attended a forum with government ministers this week to identify initiatives that will help improve New Zealand's economic performance. The forum, held in Hamilton on Thursday, followed on from the Auckland business-to-government forum in October and a similar event in Christchurch last month. Prime Minister Helen Clark and 10 other ministers attended. The PM says the forums demonstrate the importance that the government attaches to developing and maintaining an ongoing dialogue with business, aimed at improving New Zealand's economic performance. More information on the Business-Government Forums is available on www.nzbusiness.govt.nz
Revised Racing Bill will go to the Cabinet
Racing Minister Annette King will take a revised racing bill to the Cabinet this month, and if the Government approves the bill it will be introduced to Parliament in the next few months. Changes to the draft bill have been made after extensive discussions with the three code chairmen and industry sectors. Their response to the bill, which effectively merges the TAB and the Racing Industry Board, has been generally favourable, but there were some concerns about the appointment processes. The changes will clear the way for broader industry support for the new legislation.
Government monitoring Mir satellite splashdown
The government has established a specialist officials committee to monitor the return of the Russian space station, Mir, back to earth. Prime Minister Helen Clark said that while the Mir space station posed negligible risk to New Zealand, the officials were closely monitoring the considerable information on the satellite's progress provided by Russian and American space agencies. The latest information suggests that the satellite should splashdown in the South Pacific Ocean around the 18th and 20th of March, although it could be delayed another week after that. The Russians are aiming to undertake a controlled re-entry into the mid-latitude South Pacific ocean, some 4000 kilometres east of Stewart Island. Precise information on the location and date, however, will not be available until a day or two beforehand. Prior to that time, notifications will be sent to aircraft and shipping in the area. The planned final orbit will take Mir on a trajectory over Japan and Fiji, then towards Argentina if it overshoots. The closest it is expected to come to New Zealand is 1500 kilometres to the north-east on its final orbit.
