OPENING CLEARVIEW SCHOOL

The Prime Minister and Amy Adams MP with schoolchildren and staff at Clearview Primary School in Rolleston, near Christchurch, for the school's official opening yesterday. See more photos of the PM on his Facebook page

BOOSTING SCIENCE AND INNOVATION

Science and innovation are important. They're one of the keys to growing our economy, raising wages, and providing the world-class public services that Kiwi families need. I'm determined to make New Zealand science more effective.

Lifting the profile of science

On Tuesday - at the Stardome Observatory and Planetarium in Auckland - I met some of our most brilliant scientists. I was there to announce the first Prime Minister's Science Prizes, a $1 million annual prize pool we introduced in last year's Budget. Our scientists are doing some great research and these prizes will help raise the profile of their work.

The top award, the Prime Minister's Science Prize, went to a research team from Industrial Research Limited for its world-leading work on high temperature superconductors. Other prizes went to the country's top science teacher, a young scientist embarking on scientific study, an emerging scientist at PhD level, and a science communicator. Click here to learn more.

Encouraging innovation in food

New Zealand's export base relies on our food and beverage industries. We want to encourage them to create more value from their products and boost our economy. That's why, yesterday, Economic Development Minister Gerry Brownlee announced that we are investing $21 million to set up a network of open-access food development facilities around the country.

Smaller businesses in the food industry need access to equipment that helps them develop, test, and prove new products, but it's often not economic for firms to build their own facilities. The Food Innovation Network will be a collaboration with industry, research and education providers, and local government. It will help provide the facilities our food businesses need to grow.

Improving Crown Research Institutes

Crown Research Institutes (CRIs) can be powerful engines of growth. We want them to deliver greater benefits for New Zealand and get more research and knowledge into our businesses. Last week a taskforce on CRIs reported to the Government. It's been looking at how we can get more value out of the investment we make in scientific research. We'll be responding to the taskforce's report soon.

In February I announced that science and innovation will be a priority for new government spending. We'll have more to say about that in the Budget.

Feeding the world - and tackling carbon emissions

Last Wednesday in Palmerston North I launched the Government's Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Centre with Agriculture Minister David Carter. The centre will work to find practical ways of helping Kiwi farmers and growers cut carbon emissions. It will make a big contribution to the New Zealand-led Global Research Alliance which is due to hold its first meeting in Wellington in April.

New Zealand is a leader in agricultural science. With the centre and the Global Alliance, we have a great opportunity to pool our expertise with other countries, and help feed the world's growing population - while tackling carbon emissions.

LIFTING ACHIEVEMENT IN TERTIARY EDUCATION

National is determined to address urgent problems in the tertiary sector, and make sure that students - and taxpayers - get more out of their investment in tertiary education. There are more than 6000 different qualifications in New Zealand. And in too many courses, more than half the students drop out or fail. Meanwhile, many students rack up interest-free loans for courses they can't or won't pass.

This week Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce laid out the Government's priorities for the sector. We want to improve the relevance of qualifications, improve course completion rates, and link student loans with academic progress. Learn more here.

SAFER NEIGHBOURHOODS FOR KIWI FAMILIES

On Tuesday I called into the Counties-Manukau Police headquarters to welcome their 200th new recruit.

In the 2008 election campaign we promised to put 300 extra police on the streets of South Auckland by the end of this year, and another 300 around the country by the end of 2011. We're on track to hit those targets. The new police in South Auckland are already making a difference. Locals tell me they're seeing more police on the beat and less trouble in their neighborhoods.

FROM MY DIARY

I'm in Pukekohe today, heading to the Pasifika Festival tomorrow, and starting Auckland's Round the Bays on Sunday. Then I'll be at the world famous Kumeu Show. Next week Parliament is sitting again and we'll be getting stuck into our busy legislative agenda.

Best wishes,

John Key
Prime Minister

Click here to support me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Read and subscribe to Bill English's Focus on Finance

OPENING CLEARVIEW SCHOOL

The Prime Minister and Amy Adams MP with schoolchildren and staff at Clearview Primary School in Rolleston, near Christchurch, for the school's official opening yesterday. See more photos of the PM on his Facebook page

BOOSTING SCIENCE AND INNOVATION

Science and innovation are important. They're one of the keys to growing our economy, raising wages, and providing the world-class public services that Kiwi families need. I'm determined to make New Zealand science more effective.

Lifting the profile of science

On Tuesday - at the Stardome Observatory and Planetarium in Auckland - I met some of our most brilliant scientists. I was there to announce the first Prime Minister's Science Prizes, a $1 million annual prize pool we introduced in last year's Budget. Our scientists are doing some great research and these prizes will help raise the profile of their work.

The top award, the Prime Minister's Science Prize, went to a research team from Industrial Research Limited for its world-leading work on high temperature superconductors. Other prizes went to the country's top science teacher, a young scientist embarking on scientific study, an emerging scientist at PhD level, and a science communicator. Click here to learn more.

Encouraging innovation in food

New Zealand's export base relies on our food and beverage industries. We want to encourage them to create more value from their products and boost our economy. That's why, yesterday, Economic Development Minister Gerry Brownlee announced that we are investing $21 million to set up a network of open-access food development facilities around the country.

Smaller businesses in the food industry need access to equipment that helps them develop, test, and prove new products, but it's often not economic for firms to build their own facilities. The Food Innovation Network will be a collaboration with industry, research and education providers, and local government. It will help provide the facilities our food businesses need to grow.

Improving Crown Research Institutes

Crown Research Institutes (CRIs) can be powerful engines of growth. We want them to deliver greater benefits for New Zealand and get more research and knowledge into our businesses. Last week a taskforce on CRIs reported to the Government. It's been looking at how we can get more value out of the investment we make in scientific research. We'll be responding to the taskforce's report soon.

In February I announced that science and innovation will be a priority for new government spending. We'll have more to say about that in the Budget.

Feeding the world - and tackling carbon emissions

Last Wednesday in Palmerston North I launched the Government's Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Centre with Agriculture Minister David Carter. The centre will work to find practical ways of helping Kiwi farmers and growers cut carbon emissions. It will make a big contribution to the New Zealand-led Global Research Alliance which is due to hold its first meeting in Wellington in April.

New Zealand is a leader in agricultural science. With the centre and the Global Alliance, we have a great opportunity to pool our expertise with other countries, and help feed the world's growing population - while tackling carbon emissions.

LIFTING ACHIEVEMENT IN TERTIARY EDUCATION

National is determined to address urgent problems in the tertiary sector, and make sure that students - and taxpayers - get more out of their investment in tertiary education. There are more than 6000 different qualifications in New Zealand. And in too many courses, more than half the students drop out or fail. Meanwhile, many students rack up interest-free loans for courses they can't or won't pass.

This week Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce laid out the Government's priorities for the sector. We want to improve the relevance of qualifications, improve course completion rates, and link student loans with academic progress. Learn more here.

SAFER NEIGHBOURHOODS FOR KIWI FAMILIES

On Tuesday I called into the Counties-Manukau Police headquarters to welcome their 200th new recruit.

In the 2008 election campaign we promised to put 300 extra police on the streets of South Auckland by the end of this year, and another 300 around the country by the end of 2011. We're on track to hit those targets. The new police in South Auckland are already making a difference. Locals tell me they're seeing more police on the beat and less trouble in their neighborhoods.

FROM MY DIARY

I'm in Pukekohe today, heading to the Pasifika Festival tomorrow, and starting Auckland's Round the Bays on Sunday. Then I'll be at the world famous Kumeu Show. Next week Parliament is sitting again and we'll be getting stuck into our busy legislative agenda.

Best wishes,

John Key
Prime Minister

Click here to support me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Read and subscribe to Bill English's Focus on Finance

Click here to watch my latest video diary

IMPROVING OUR TAX SYSTEM




I've had lots of comment and questions about our ideas for tax reform, and I want to thank those of you who have shared your views.

Over the past eight months, the Tax Working Group has looked at our tax system and found that the mix of taxes is not ideal. We want to fix that, to improve our economic performance, help create sustainable jobs, and lift family incomes.

We'll be making some changes to the way property is taxed. Those changes will be fairer for taxpayers. We'll announce details in the Budget in May.

As part of the overall package we are also considering increasing the rate of GST to 15 per cent, together with a reduction in personal income taxes across the board, and up-front increases in benefits, New Zealand Superannuation, and Working for Families payments.

What would be the effect of this tax switch?

Prices would rise by just over 2 per cent, but at the same time people would have more money in their pockets through income tax cuts, and increases in benefits, Super, and Working for Families.

As a Government, we are working to ensure that the extra money in people's pockets would be more than the increase in prices. If we can't make sure that happens for the vast bulk of people, we won't be increasing GST.

Today, in a speech to Grey Power on the North Shore, I spoke more about our proposed tax changes and how they will lift superannuation payments.

Read and comment on my speech here.

MAKING ACC AFFORDABLE, SUSTAINABLE, AND FAIR

National is committed to ACC. We want it to be a fair and efficient 24/7 no-fault insurance scheme for all New Zealanders. But in the past four years, the cost of ACC claims has risen by 57 per cent - five times as fast as inflation. Meanwhile, unfunded liabilities have blown out from $4 billion to $13 billion.

Without changes, this would mean big increases to ACC levies for everyone - families, workers, and employers. That's why this week we passed a new law to help get levy increases under control, and make ACC more affordable, sustainable, and fair. Click here for more details.

BOOSTING DOCTORS, NURSES, AND MIDWIVES

The second intake of Nationals' voluntary bonding scheme for graduate doctors, nurses, and midwives has opened for registrations. Under the scheme, graduates who are keen to work in hard-to-staff areas and specialties for three to five years are eligible for student loan write-offs and cash incentives.

Demand last year was huge. We expected 350 doctors, nurses, and midwives to apply. We ended up welcoming 890 into the scheme. That's great news for areas with shortages of critical health professionals. This year we've added to the areas and specialties in the scheme. Registrations for graduates close at the end of April.

LIFTING ACHIEVEMENT IN OUR SCHOOLS

A few weeks into the school year, it's great to see the vast majority of teachers and schools introducing National Standards in a practical and professional way. National Standards will ensure primary and intermediate schools regularly assess children's progress in reading, writing, and maths, and provide that information to parents in plain language. The standards will help identify pupils who are struggling so that teachers and parents can give them extra help.

Last week we appointed an independent advisory group to support the implementation of National Standards. This group, which includes Professor John Hattie, will provide the Minister of Education with free and frank advice about National Standards, and any refinements that could make them better. Learn more about National Standards here.

BACKING THE BAY

Last Friday I had a really busy day in Hawke's Bay - as Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism - catching up with the locals. A big thank you to everyone I met for making the day in the Bay such a great one. See photos by clicking on the links below:

Watching the boys wharf jump and checking out the McLean Park upgrade

Meeting workers at Mr Apple in Whakatu

Visiting the Havelock North Community Centre

Getting on my bike in Hastings to support Bikes in Schools

Enjoying the Art Deco Festival

FROM MY DIARY

Today I've been in my electorate and tonight I'm opening the Asia-New Zealand Lantern Festival at Auckland's Albert Park.

On Saturday I'll be at the Helensville Show. If you live in Auckland, I hope you'll come and join us for a great day out!

Best wishes



John Key

Prime Minister

Follow me on Twitter
Support me on Facebook

Click here to watch my latest video journal.

OUR PRIORITIES FOR 2010

It’s great to be back in Parliament. Our team is getting stuck into the hard work, delivering on our promise of a brighter future for all New Zealanders – and making New Zealand the place our children and grandchildren want to call home.

On Tuesday I opened Parliament for the year by laying out the Government’s programme for 2010.

Our first priority is to lift the performance of our economy. We want to make New Zealand more prosperous, so it can provide well-paid jobs and better living standards for all New Zealanders and their families, and so it can provide the world-class public services we need. Click here for a summary of our economic priorities.

Our second priority is social sector reform. We need to better equip New Zealanders – and particularly young people – for the economic challenges they face. We want to lift achievement in our schools. We want to make our neighbourhoods safer for families. And we want better, faster, more convenient healthcare for all. Click here for a summary of our social priorities.

Alternatively, read my full speech here.

I particularly want to mention four parts of the speech:

1. A Growth-Enhancing Tax System

National agrees with the Tax Working Group that our tax system has major problems with integrity, fairness, and incentives. In Budget 2010 we will start reforming the tax system.

We want taxes that create incentives to work hard, save, and get ahead. We also want taxes that are fair. That’s why we are considering personal tax cuts across the board. And that’s why we are also carefully considering a modest increase in GST, to no more than 15 per cent. We’ll maintain Working For Families and compensate low to middle income earners if there is any increase in GST.

2. Science and Innovation

Our economic future relies on new ideas. This year we will help businesses grow by connecting them with our best scientists and researchers. We’ll invest in more science and business research, drive research into agricultural greenhouse emissions, fund open-access food development facilities, and reform Crown Research Institutes.

3. Unlocking our Resources

New Zealand’s natural resources have huge potential to boost our economy and create jobs. In 2010, we’ll work to unlock that potential by reducing red tape. We’ll drive a second phase of resource management reforms, look at extending mining on Crown-owned land, remove roadblocks to irrigation, and reform aquaculture. We’ll also promote investment in capital markets while strengthening protection for investors, and look at developing New Zealand as an Asia-Pacific hub for financial services.

4. Reforming Benefits

In 2010 we’ll deliver on our promise to reform the benefit system. We want to help people who can work get back to work. We’ll adjust the benefit abatement regime to encourage them. And we’ll make sure that welfare spending gets to those who need it most.

I’ll have more to say in coming months. In the meantime, watch video of my speech here.

LIFTING ACHIEVEMENT IN OUR SCHOOLS

I’ve been blown away by the huge response to our National Standards campaign. Thanks for your comments to last week’s Key Notes. It’s clear that there’s a lot of support for our plans to assess every child’s progress in reading, writing, and maths, and report this in plain English to parents. Click here for more information on National Standards.

BUILDING THE CYCLE TRAIL

Yesterday, the Ministry of Tourism announced that 13 projects will go to stage two of the next funding round for The New Zealand Cycle Trail. The projects are in: Tauranga, Opotiki/Gisborne, Rotorua, Taupo, Ruapehu, Hawke’s Bay, Nelson/Tasman, Westport, Greymouth, Mt Cook, Queenstown, Clutha, and Central Otago. These routes were chosen from 54 applications, and promise cycle trails of spectacular beauty in some of our most breathtaking scenery. Click here for a map of these projects and the Quick Start Trails already underway.

GETTING TO KNOW PRINCE WILLIAM

Were you in the crowd who met Prince William at the opening of the Supreme Court? See video of the walkabout here.

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to have a barbeque with Royalty? Watch footage here.

See my Waitangi Day snaps here

Best wishes

John Key



Prime Minister

Click here to support me on Facebook
Click here to follow me on Twitter
Subscribe to Bill English’s Focus on Finance

 

Yesterday, together with the Minister of Education, I welcomed the introduction of National Standards in literacy and numeracy into New Zealand’s Year 1-8 schools.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH MY LATEST VIDEO

To mark this important milestone I’ve written to around 350,000 households to draw their attention to National Standards and to explain what they mean for young New Zealanders. The letter is accompanied by a brochure which clearly explains what National Standards are about and how they will affect children and schools.

I encourage you to read this information, to find out what National Standards may mean for your children and your local schools, and to pass this information on to anyone with an interest in New Zealand’s education system.

In addition, over the next few weeks, National Party MPs will be holding public meetings up and down the country to talk directly to parents about this important policy. I also encourage you to attend one of these meetings in your local electorate.

 

 

National Standards are a core part of National’s plan for securing the brighter future we campaigned on. Because while this country is home to some of the best schools, teachers and students in the world, New Zealand has, for too long, let too many children slip through the cracks.

I am simply not prepared to tolerate up to one in five New Zealand children leaving our schools without the literacy and numeracy skills they need to succeed.

National Standards will ensure that all parents, not just the lucky few, can expect their school to regularly test their children against national benchmarks in reading, writing and maths. They will ensure all parents have this information reported to them in plain-language. And they will ensure all parents are properly informed about what is being done to support their child’s progress.

New Zealand deserves a future with more highly-skilled citizens, who have better job prospects, greater life choices, and, in turn, who live in a society with less dysfunction, unemployment, welfare dependence and crime.

I see our education system as one of the fundamental tools for delivering this brighter future.

That’s why this Government is working hard to ensure National Standards deliver for the benefit of our young people, our economy and for the future of New Zealand.

If you have any further questions you want answered about National Standards don’t hesitate to e-mail us on nationalstandards@parliament.govt.nz.

Best wishes


John Key
Prime Minister

Click here to support me on Facebook
Click here to follow me on Twitter

 

Comments on this post have closed due to comment flooding by a few parties.