Beehive Bulletin For Week Ending - Friday 09 August 2002
PM announces new government
Prime Minister Helen Clark announced a coalition agreement between the Labour Party and the Progressive Coalition Party
this week. The two will form a minority government, with agreed support on confidence coming from the United Future
Party. They will operate in government on a good faith and no surprises basis. Agree-to- disagree provisions will apply
where necessary, as provided for by the Cabinet Manual rewritten by the previous Labour-Alliance Coalition. Labour will
lead the broad policy programme, recognising the Progressive Coalition's general priorities of employment, support for
low-income families and health and education. Labour will also recognise the Progressive Coalition's wish to make
specific progress on enhancing better co-ordination and integration of industry assistance, implementation of a
comprehensive drug education strategy, and the promotion of a better balance of work and family responsibilities.
Details of the government's policy programme will be set out in the Speech from the Throne. The Progressive Coalition
will have one Cabinet position. The government's immediate priorities, in consultation with the Leader of United Future,
include the development of proposals for a Commission for the Family, the passing of strong victims' rights legislation
and the introduction and passing the government's foreshadowed transport legislation. United Future and the Progressive
Coalition Party have also prioritised a comprehensive drug education strategy aimed at young people. The government will
consult with United Future on the broad outline of the legislative programme and priorities in it; key legislative
measures; major policy issues; and broad Budget parameters. Helen Clark said discussion was continuing between Labour
and the Greens to establish a collaborative working relationship during this term of Parliament. Helen Clark said a
great deal of business had carried over from the previous Parliament and the government hopes to make good progress on
its legislative programme this year.
NZ's unemployment rate now on par with the UK and Sweden
Social Services and Employment Minister Steve Maharey welcomed the reduction in the unemployment rate to 5.1 per cent,
well below the OECD average of 6.9 per cent. New Zealand has moved up the OECD rankings and is now 10th equal with
Sweden and the UK on unemployment rates. It was 12th equal with Japan last quarter. We have now seen employment growth
for nine consecutive quarters, with 115,000 additional jobs created over the period. This represents a 6.5 per cent
increase in employment in the past two and a quarter years. Steve Maharey emphasised that employment growth has been
consistent, and is sustainable. Wage pressures remain moderate, and there is now a solid foundation on which to build a
sustained period of non-inflationary growth. However, the government still needs to address the gaps between regions and
between European, Maori and Pacific peoples in terms of employment opportunities, Steve Maharey said. Government exceeds
modern apprenticeships target The Government's flagship Modern Apprenticeships programme has exceeded expectations, with
new figures showing more than 3,000 young New Zealanders are now signed up under the scheme. Figures released by
Associate Education (Tertiary Education) Minister Steve Maharey figures show there were 3,254 Modern Apprentices in
training on 30 June, marking a 23 per cent increase in June quarter. Steve Maharey says this milestone sets the
government firmly on the path to achieve its next target ? doubling the number of Modern Apprentices to 6,000 by
December 2003. More than half of the Modern Apprentices (1,972) were aged 18 or younger when they began training.
Figures for this quarter also show a 20 per cent increase in the number of young Maori taking up Modern Apprenticeships,
bringing the number of Maori involved to 536. The structured training path and assistance provided by the Modern
Apprenticeships co-ordinators helps trainees to achieve and assists industries with skill shortage problems, Steve
Maharey said. Twenty-eight industry groups are involved with the programme. Steve Maharey also released Industry
Training statistics for the year to 30 June, showing 78,240 New Zealanders were involved in structured workplace
learning. This figure is up 18 per cent on least year's figure ? and 14 per cent higher than the number of industry
trainees at the last quarter.
Swain Releases Commerce Commission Airport Study
Commerce Minister Paul Swain released the Commerce Commission's final report on airport activities at Auckland,
Wellington and Christchurch international airports this week. The report considers whether airfield activities, provided
by the three major international airport companies, should be controlled under Part 4 of the Commerce Act 1986. Copies
of the report can be downloaded from the Minister's website ( http://www.beehive.govt.nz/swain). Paul Swain has invited written comments on new matters raised in the report that were not the subject of previous
submissions to the Commission and other relevant matters not addressed in the report. Interested parties have until
Friday 6 September to make submissions. Once he has considered the report and other comments from interested parties,
the Minister will decide whether or not to recommend to the Governor-General that airfield activities at one or more of
the airports should be controlled under the Commerce Act.
ENDS