Minister: Kate Wilkinson

Parental leave payments to increase from July

Beehive — Thu, 31 May 2012 03:15:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

An increase to parental leave payments will put more money in the pockets of young families, Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson says. On 1 July the maximum parental leave payment available to eligible employees and the self-employed will increase from $458.82 to $475.16 a week. The minimum parental leave payment for the self-employed will also increase, from $130.00 to $135.00 a week. “Any increase in financial support for new parents is always helpful,” Ms Wilkinson says. ...

Ministers to consider PCE report

Admin — Thu, 31 May 2012 02:36:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Conservation

Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson and Environment Minister Amy Adams will consider a new report that challenges law makers to think about issues such as the trade-offs between renewable energy and wild and scenic rivers. ...

Foreign charter vessels to be reflagged

Admin — Tue, 22 May 2012 01:18:00 +0000

David Carter | Labour

The Government today announced it is to require reflagging of foreign-owned fishing vessels operating in New Zealand waters to address labour, safety and fisheries practice concerns. Primary Industries Minister David Carter and Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson say foreign-flagged fishing vessels will no longer be able to legally operate in New Zealand waters after a four-year transition period. ...

Improvements to employment law announced

Beehive — Mon, 14 May 2012 03:30:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson has announced a package of measures that will extend workers’ rights to request flexible working hours and ensure a fair and flexible collective bargaining environment. The changes were approved by Cabinet today and are expected to go before Parliament this year. “These improvements are a reflection of National’s election manifesto, and show that we’re keeping our pre-election promises,” Ms Wilkinson says. ...

Conservation Board Chairperson’s Conference

Admin — Sat, 12 May 2012 00:35:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Conservation

Conservation Boards are an important link between DOC and the community - you are independent and whilst you do not have a formal function to represent or be your community’s voice in conservation management – you are representative of your communities . Your members are drawn from your communities with extensive regional knowledge, varying skills and networks. You bring an understanding of what locals want, what is important to your communities and also how conservation initiatives can help them grow. ...

Minister welcomes passing of secret ballot bill

Beehive — Wed, 09 May 2012 06:59:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson has welcomed the passing of a new bill that will make it compulsory for unions to use secret ballots when workers vote whether to strike. The Employment Relations (Secret Ballot for Strikes) Amendment Bill passed its third reading in Parliament today. The members’ bill, put forward by Hon Tau Henare, requires unions to hold a secret ballot for their members when voting on strike action. ...

Data on work stoppages released

Beehive — Wed, 09 May 2012 06:16:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

Work stoppage figures for last year reveal an encouraging downward trend, Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson says. ...

Tougher penalties for gecko smugglers

Admin — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:49:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Conservation

Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson has welcomed the conviction of an endangered gecko smuggler but says tougher penalties are needed. German visitor Andreas Hahn was sentenced to a four month jail term in the Christchurch District Court today after taking four endangered jewelled geckos from Banks Peninsula. “The actions of this man are appalling and a gross insult to all New Zealanders,” Ms Wilkinson says. ...

Workplace safety to get funding boost

Admin — Wed, 02 May 2012 01:18:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

Workplace health and safety will get a $37 million boost over the next four years, Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson has announced. In addition, Ms Wilkinson has ordered a full review of New Zealand’s health and safety system by an independent taskforce to ensure it is fit-for-purpose. “Too many New Zealanders are injured or killed at work. People have a right to know that when they leave for work in the morning, they will be coming home safe and well at the end of the day,” Ms Wilkinson says. ...

Workplace deaths remembered on Memorial Day

Beehive — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 04:38:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

Today is International Workers’ Memorial Day - a time for New Zealand workers and employers to reflect on the importance of health and safety on the job, Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson says. Falling on April 28 each year, it is a day of remembrance and action for workers killed, disabled, injured or made unwell by their work. “This is a time to remember those friends, family and colleagues who didn’t come home from work and to reflect on the role we all must play in ensuring our workplaces are safe,” Ms Wilkinson says. ...

Whanganui cycle trail now completed

Admin — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:54:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Conservation

Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson joined with a group of cyclists today to celebrate the completion of the Mountains to Sea Cycle Trail. The 245km trail starts at Ruapehu, crosses the Tongariro and Whanganui National Parks and ends near the mouth of the Whanganui River. Ms Wilkinson, accompanied by Associate Conservation Minister Peter Dunne, met with the cyclists, Whanganui Iwi representatives and local mayors to unveil a carved pou at the junction of the Mangapurua and Kaiwhakauka Valleys in Whanganui National Park. ...

Action plan to reduce farm injuries announced

Beehive — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 06:25:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson has launched a new action plan to bring down the “unacceptable” number of workplace injuries in the agriculture sector. The Agriculture Sector Action Plan targets four priority areas that account for at least half of all injuries and deaths in the sector, including: • use of agricultural vehicles and machinery • the physical and mental health/wellbeing of agricultural workers • slips, trips and falls, and • animal handling. ...

Minister welcomes new tourism - conservation partnership

Beehive — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 05:25:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Conservation

Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson has welcomed the signing of a new commercial partnership with the Department of Conservation (DOC) and Air New Zealand working together to protect and promote our unique wildlife and special landscapes. Under the partnership, which was announced in Auckland today, Air New Zealand will fly endangered species to new breeding sites around the country and invest directly in conservation programmes alongside the Great Walks network. ...

New guidelines to reduce workplace falls

Admin — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 22:23:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson has told the construction industry there’s no longer any excuse for failure to work safely at height. The Minister today launched the Best Practice Guidelines for Working at Height in New Zealand at the new Wigram Skies housing subdivision in Christchurch. “These guidelines give everyone in the industry clear, simple advice that will help bring down the death and injury toll from avoidable falls in the construction industry. ...

16th Occupational Health and Safety conference

Admin — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 00:58:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

Introduction Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you all today. Health and safety within New Zealand workplaces is something the Government takes very seriously and is a key focus area for me personally, so I am pleased to be able to come and talk to you about the issues and our priorities for the next three years. This term the Government has four key priorities. These are to responsibly manage our finances; deliver better public services; build a more competitive and productive economy; and rebuild Christchurch. ...

Food Bay of Plenty & Tauranga Chamber of Commerce

Admin — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 01:03:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Food Safety

I am delighted to have the opportunity to talk to you this evening and thank you for organising such an interesting day. The Bay of Plenty is well known as a major producer of food - kiwifruit, avocado and also wine. You are indeed a “foodie” region – with 80% of the national kiwifruit canopy area here and nearly 70% of the avocado export growers. ...

Minister welcomes flight of the kakapo

Beehive — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 22:02:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Conservation

Iwi representative Hillary McGregor releases a kakapo on Hauturu/Little Barrier Island (taken by Deidre Vercoe). The transfer of seven critically endangered kakapo to Little Barrier Island is a significant move to help secure the species’ survival, Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson says. The native parrots were captured on the predator-free Whenua Hou/Codfish Island and Anchor Island in Southland then airlifted – by helicopter and Air New Zealand passenger flights - to their new home north of Auckland yesterday. ...

Review favours extension of flexible work rights

Admin — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 21:36:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

A review of workers’ rights to ask for flexible work arrangements has found strong support for extending the power to all employees. The review into section 6AA of the Employment Relations Act was presented to Parliament today by Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson. It found flexibility delivered positive business benefits, including improved retention and recruitment of staff, reduced staff turnover, and improved employee motivation and loyalty. ...

Minister welcomes Million Dollar Mouse campaign

Beehive — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 06:44:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Conservation

Rockhopper Penguin Light Mantled Sooty Albatross Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson today warmly welcomed the announcement of the ‘Million Dollar Mouse campaign’ to rid New Zealand’s sub-Antarctic Antipodes Islands of the pests. The brainchild of economist and ‘Our Far South’ organiser Dr Gareth Morgan, the campaign aims to raise more than a million dollars towards the major mouse eradication project. ...

26th Annual Industrial and Employment Relations Summit

Beehive — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 03:38:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

Thank you for the opportunity to speak to your conference today about my government’s priorities for employment relations for the next three years. I thought I should start by emphasising our Government’s driving goal – as articulated by the Prime Minister – which is to build a more competitive and internationally-focused economy with less debt, more jobs and higher incomes. ...

Government moves to further protect dolphins

Beehive — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 02:48:00 +0000

David Carter | Conservation

The Government is considering further measures to protect Maui’s dolphins as a new study points to a decline in numbers of the critically endangered species. A population assessment commissioned by the Department of Conservation shows the number of adult dolphins has gone down in the six years since the previous assessment, with an estimated 55 adult animals remaining. ...

Action plan to reduce manufacturing injuries

Admin — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 23:56:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Labour

Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson today launched a new plan to bring down the number of injuries and deaths in the manufacturing industry. The Manufacturing Sector Action Plan targets the most significant causes of harm to manufacturing workers and outlines a range of initiatives, including improving safe use of machinery and vehicles at work. ...

Non-resident angler licence considered

Admin — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 23:43:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Conservation

The Government is considering a proposal to establish differential fishing licences for overseas anglers, Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson announced today. Last year the Minister asked Fish and Game NZ to provide a report on the rationale on for a non- resident fishing licence and charging a differential licence fee for visiting anglers fishing in Fish and Game New Zealand regions. This report, which included input from the Department of Conservation, then went out for public consultation. ...

Minister urges New Zealanders to get involved in marine conservation

Beehive — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 22:50:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Conservation

Seaweek is all about inspiring New Zealanders to celebrate and learn from the sea, Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson said at the national launch of Seaweek last night. “New Zealand’s seas are more than 15 times larger than our land area, and home to more than 15,000 known species, many not found anywhere else in the world,” she said. The launch event at Auckland Zoo kicked off a week of marine conservation activities around the country, and at last count more than 120 events had been registered. ...

Welcome addition to Nelson’s conservation land

Admin — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 23:31:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Conservation

Public conservation land around Nelson has been given a boost with the Government purchasing 333 hectares of private land beside Kahurangi National Park. The forested block on the coast between Big River and Kahurangi Point, north-west of Nelson, is home to the endangered land snail (Powelliphanta gillesi kahurangica) and one of the area’s last remaining lowland coastal populations of the great spotted kiwi (Apteryx haastii). The coast is also home to the nationally rare sand kanuka. ...

Minister praises partnership for whio breeding result

Beehive — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 03:26:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Conservation

Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson has praised Genesis Energy Ltd for their work with the Department of Conservation (DOC) to increase numbers of the rare native whio (blue duck). Ms Wilkinson visited Turangi’s National Trout Centre today for the official launch of the Genesis Energy Whio National Recovery Project. ...

Foreign Charter Vessels Inquiry report released

Admin — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 23:40:00 +0000

David Carter | Labour

The Government has resolved to take a stronger line on the operation of foreign charter vessels (FCVs) in New Zealand waters, say Primary Industries Minister David Carter and Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson. The Ministers today released the report of the Ministerial Inquiry into Foreign Charter Vessels. The Inquiry, which was initiated by the Government last year, focused on several issues, including labour standards and protecting New Zealand’s reputation. Mr Carter says the Inquiry panel has done a thorough job. ...

Foreign Charter Vessels Inquiry report

Admin — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:26:00 +0000

David Carter | Labour

Primary Industries Minister David Carter and Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson today received the report of the Ministerial Inquiry into the use and operation of Foreign Charter Vessels (FCVs). The Inquiry was initiated by the Government last year to consider key issues relevant to the use of FCVs in New Zealand waters. A Ministerial Inquiry was regarded as the appropriate course of action as a number of ministerial portfolios have an interest in FCV engagement and operation, including fisheries, labour, immigration, transport and foreign affairs and trade. ...

Minister concerned at Hectors dolphin deaths

Beehive — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:40:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Conservation

Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson was shocked to learn of the discovery of a pair of endangered Hectors dolphins that washed up inside a marine sanctuary. The two dolphins were found entangled in a fishing net on the beach near the Waimakariri River mouth yesterday, around 30km inside the northern limit of the Banks Peninsula Marine Mammal Sanctuary. The 413,000 hectare zone covers Banks Peninsula and stretches north to the Waipara River. ...

Trust to help restore Abel Tasman National Park

Admin — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 23:13:00 +0000

Kate Wilkinson | Conservation

Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson has praised the generosity of a private family trust which has launched a multi-million dollar conservation project in Abel Tasman National Park. Project Janszoon is a partnership between the Department of Conservation and the Project Janszoon Trust. It aims to restore biodiversity - essentially the variety of plant and animal life - to around 80 per cent of the park over the next 30 years. “Our indigenous flora and fauna are a major part of New Zealand’s culture and heritage,” Ms Wilkinson says. ...