Chair of Te Mangai Paho resigns

Te Mangai Paho chairperson Toby Curtis resigned from the TMP board this week. Mäori Affairs Minister, Parekura Horomia, met the board and received the report into matters surrounding former TMP employee, Tame Te Rangi. Parekura Horomia says in reading the report he was disappointed TMP management and the former board did not take decisive, early action to put an immediate stop to Mr Te Rangi's conflict of interest. Wira Gardiner is to chair the TMP board and Parekura Horomia is confident it will deal quickly with the issues raised.

$15m for investment in biotechnology

The New Zealand Venture Investment Fund is to establish one or more new seed funds targeting biotechnology with at least NZ$15 million to invest. Research Science and Technology Minister Pete Hodgson says the new fund would provide much-needed capital for New Zealand's biotechnology sector and encourage more private sector investors to get involved. The Government's Growth and Innovation Framework identifies biotechnology as a key growth sector and the recent report of the Biotechnology Taskforce identified access to capital as a key factor in growing the sector.

Designing our way to more exports

The better New Zealand's design ? the greater our exports, says Jim Anderton, Minister for Industry and Regional Development. He's welcoming the Design Taskforce Report "Success by Design", which outlines strategies for better integration of design into a business' product development lifecycle. Jim Anderton says in a fiercely competitive global environment, innovation, imagination and creativity would be the key to New Zealand's economic growth in the future. The Design Taskforce, was established in May 2002, as part of the Government's Growth and Innovation Framework. Jim Anderton promises a response to its report within months. Design Taskforce report at www.industrytaskforces.govt.nz

NZ gives $1.15m million to combat SARS

New Zealand has pledged $850,000 of aid money to help China fight the potentially fatal disease, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). A further $300,000 of funding will help Pacific Island countries prepare in the event of a SARS case reaching the Pacific. Aid Minister Marian Hobbs says helping stop the spread of SARS in China is in everybody's interest. No Pacific Island countries are known to be affected by SARS but with a lot of movement between New Zealand and other Pacific countries, we can't afford to take any risks, says Marian Hobbs.

Trade aid given a boost

An extra $1 million of aid money will go towards trade initiatives this year to help poorer countries trade their way out of poverty, Launching NZAID's new policy, Harnessing International Trade for Development Aid Minister Marian Hobbs says the gains from trade potentially outweigh the financial gains from international aid. As part of a $20 m budget boost in international aid funding, an extra $500,000 will help poorer countries in Asia develop trade to reduce poverty. Another $500,000 will go to support sustainable management of the Pacific fisheries resource. Copies of Harnessing International Trade for Development at www.nzaid.govt.nz

Government applauds Fonterra's environmental commitment

A commitment by New Zealand's biggest company Fonterra to meet clear environmental targets has been welcomed by the government. Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton and Environment Minister Marian Hobbs signed the Dairying and Clean Streams Accord with Fonterra chairman Henry van der Heyden, and a Local Government New Zealand representative. Marian Hobbs says the accord represents one of New Zealand's most important environmental agreements. Fonterra was working to targets to keep dairy cattle out of streams, lakes and wetlands, to treat farm effluent, and to manage the use of fertilisers and other nutrients. Jim Sutton says Fonterra was to be applauded for creating a powerful international marketing tool for "clean, green, 100 per cent pure New Zealand food."

Methamphetamine now carries life imprisonment risk

Methamphetamine importers, manufacturers and suppliers now risk life imprisonment with methamphetamine changing to a Class A drug from May 31. This is part of the government's new Methamphetamine Action Plan to address the growing problem with the drug across New Zealand. Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton says methamphetamine is pure evil and can have permanent, serious physical and psychological effects on individuals while creating havoc in families and communities. Class A status means life imprisonment for importing, manufacturing and supplying while giving police stronger powers to search and seize without a warrant where they suspect the drug is involved.

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