Minister: Kate Wilkinson

Campylobacter strategy showing signs of success

beehive.govt.nz — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:50:05 +1300

Kate Wilkinson | Food Safety

The number of New Zealanders getting sick from campylobacter has taken a dive following a concerted effort to combat the bug in chicken meat, Food Safety Minister Kate Wilkinson said today. The New Z...

Minister launches Foodsafe Week

beehive.govt.nz — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:21:01 +1300

Kate Wilkinson | Food Safety

Minister for Food Safety Kate Wilkinson took the opportunity to display a clean pair of hands at Belfast School today. The Minister joined pupils at the Christchurch school for the launch of Foodsafe ...

New Zealand and China sign scholarship arrangement

beehive.govt.nz — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:15:11 +1300

Kate Wilkinson | Food Safety

Chinese officials will learn from New Zealand's world-class food safety regime through a new scholarship arrangement, Food Safety Minister Kate Wilkinson announced today.Ms Wilkinson and the Chinese G...

Bill for new rest and meal break legislation introduced

beehive.govt.nz — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:24:50 +1300

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

A Bill granting greater flexibility to existing meal and rest breaks legislation was introduced to Parliament today on behalf of Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson.The Employment Relations (Rest Breaks an...

Food safety minister to Australia and China

beehive.govt.nz — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:12:31 +1300

Kate Wilkinson | Immigration

Food Safety Minister Kate Wilkinson leaves New Zealand today for a week of meetings with Australian and Chinese counterparts. In Brisbane tomorrow she will represent the government at the biannual Aus...

Terms of reference released for adventure tourism review

beehive.govt.nz — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:11:14 +1300

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson today announced the terms of reference for a nation-wide review of the adventure tourism sector. The review of one of the cornerstones of New Zealand's tourism industry...

Remuneration Authority chair appointed

beehive.govt.nz — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:20:31 +1300

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

Former State Services Commissioner Michael Wintringham has been appointed as Chair of the Remuneration Authority, Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson announced today. The Remuneration Authority is the b...

Game hunting discussion document welcomed

beehive.govt.nz — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:04:50 +1200

Kate Wilkinson | Conservation

Associate Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson has welcomed the release today of a discussion paper outlining plans to establish a Big Game Hunting Council. The creation of the Council was recomme...

Outdated Food Act to be replaced

beehive.govt.nz — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:55:28 +1200

Kate Wilkinson | Food Safety

The Government will undertake a complete overhaul of the Food Act 1981 to make it more relevant to New Zealand businesses and consumers, Minister for Food Safety Kate Wilkinson announced today. "The F...

MPs salaries to reflect economic conditions

beehive.govt.nz — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:16:10 +1200

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

The Remuneration Authority will be required to take into account adverse economic conditions when setting MPs salaries under a new Government Bill, says Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson. "This year M...

Aoraki/Mt Cook visitors centre officially open

beehive.govt.nz — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:35:00 +1200

Kate Wilkinson | Conservation

The Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park's newly refurbished and extended visitor centre is officially open, Associate Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson announced today. "Aoraki/Mt Cook is a huge tou...

Risk of regional airport disruption unacceptable

beehive.govt.nz — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:59:27 +1200

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

The Government will introduce legislation to address the threat of regional airport control towers being closed and services unnecessarily disrupted, Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson announced today....

Raw milk cheeses get the green light

beehive.govt.nz — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:46:32 +1200

Kate Wilkinson | Food Safety

Cheesemakers will be allowed to craft a range of raw or unpasteurised milk products for sale in domestic and international markets under new standards to be introduced in October, says Minister for Fo...

Government defers folic acid fortification

beehive.govt.nz — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 09:20:55 +1200

Kate Wilkinson | Food Safety

Mandatory fortification of folic acid in bread will be deferred until May 2012, with the focus now on introducing a targeted voluntary programme, Minister for Food Safety Kate Wilkinson announced toda...

Work deaths show need for partnership approach

beehive.govt.nz — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 10:34:41 +1200

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

With more than one person a week dying in a workplace accident, a proposal to involve New Zealand's top business leaders in bringing down the work toll is timely and welcome, says Minister of Labour K...

Submissions open on code for infant feeding

beehive.govt.nz — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 10:34:07 +1200

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

Public submissions on the Draft Code of Employment Practice on Infant Feeding will be welcomed from today, Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson has announced. “The purpose of the Code is to provide emp...

New Zealand Chemical Industry Council AGM

beehive.govt.nz — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:52:04 +1200

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

It is a pleasure to be here today to address your annual conference and to be presenting the PRINCE and Responsible Care awards. These awards are an excellent way to recognise leadership and looking a...

Submissions open on Holidays Act review

beehive.govt.nz — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:17:23 +1200

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

Public submissions on the Holidays Act 2003 will be welcomed from tomorrow, 21 July, Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson has announced. “The Holidays Act affects all business owners and employees. It ...

Public submissions on folic acid open Wednesday

beehive.govt.nz — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:38:13 +1200

Kate Wilkinson | Food Safety

A discussion document proposing that the mandatory fortification of folic acid in bread be deferred until May 2012 will be released on Wednesday, says Minister for Food Safety Kate Wilkinson. “I am...

Bakers’ frustration understandable

beehive.govt.nz — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:59:56 +1200

Kate Wilkinson | Food Safety

The Government sympathises with the New Zealand Association of Bakers' frustration over Labour's legacy of mandatory fortification of bread with folic acid, says Minister for Food Safety Kate Wilkinso...

Forest and Bird concerns unfounded

beehive.govt.nz — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:22:00 +1200

Kate Wilkinson | Conservation

Forest and Bird's claim that the Government plans "wide-scale privatisation" of the South Island high country is complete rubbish, says Associate Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson. "The tenure ...

100 Years of Mediation

beehive.govt.nz — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:45:54 +1200

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

Speech by Hon Kate Wilkinson, Minister of Labour, to commemorate 100 years of employment mediation, Parliament House, 30 June 2009. Ladies and Gentlemen: a very warm welcome on this chilly Well...

Govt confirms EFSA findings on A1 milk

beehive.govt.nz — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:09:43 +1200

Kate Wilkinson | Food Safety

The Government will not convene a group of experts to discuss the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) review of the science of A1 milk, Minister for Food Safety Kate Wilkinson announced today. Th...

Conservation board thanked for its work

beehive.govt.nz — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:20:34 +1200

Kate Wilkinson | Conservation

Acting Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson has thanked the members of the East Coast Hawke's Bay Conservation Board for their hard work, with the board to be disestablished with effect from today ...

Code of ethics launched as mediation service celebrates 100 years

beehive.govt.nz — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:04:19 +1200

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson will launch a new code of ethics for the country’s mediators as they celebrate 100 years of employment mediation in New Zealand tonight. Ms Wilkinson says the new C...

Address to the ILO Summit on the Global Jobs Crisis

beehive.govt.nz — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:49:18 +1200

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

Mr President, fellow delegates. I am pleased to represent New Zealand at this important event, and I congratulate the ILO and the Director-General for their work in enabling this Summit to take place....

Wineries get choice for export testing

beehive.govt.nz — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 11:29:52 +1200

Kate Wilkinson | Food Safety

New Zealand wineries can now have wine destined for Europe tested by laboratories closer to home instead of being sent to Auckland for analysis, Minister for Food Safety Kate Wilkinson announced today...

Jobs on the agenda for international conference

beehive.govt.nz — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 10:56:59 +1200

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson will take part in discussions on the proposed Global Jobs Pact at the 98th International Labour Conference in Geneva starting Sunday. The Director-General's 2009 rep...

Parental leave payments increase

beehive.govt.nz — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:17:13 +1200

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

Families with new babies can expect a boost to their parental leave payments next month, Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson announced today. The maximum parental leave payment will increase from $407.3...

Holidays Act review underway

beehive.govt.nz — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 09:42:45 +1200

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

A working group has been appointed to begin the review of the Holidays Act 2003, says Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson. "The Holidays Act has been widely criticised for its complexity and generic app...