The Government is expanding the number of Trades Academy places to help more senior secondary school students into employment, and simplifying the way Māori and Pasifika Trades Training students access the resources they need, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will travel to Australia tomorrow to meet with Australian counterparts in Canberra.

“Our relationship with Australia is hugely important. For two independent nations, Australia and New Zealand enjoy an unparalleled level of connection and integration,” says Mr Peters.

Mr Peters will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Hon Michael McCormack, and with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop for their six-monthly Foreign Ministers’ Consultation.

“Ms Bishop and I see each other frequently at regional meetings so we have a good working relationship. These six-monthly consultations provide a formal opportunity for us to discuss the Australia-New Zealand relationship in-depth, as well as the many global and regional interests we share as partners,

“However we mustn’t take this for granted. During our meeting we will be focused on how we can keep working to strengthen and build on the bilateral relationship,

“In turbulent times such as these, our close friends like Australia are more important than ever,” Mr Peters says.

While in Canberra, Mr Peters will also make a keynote speech to the National Press Club.

Mr Peters will be in Australia 21-23 August.

More than $3 million of funding will help divert 40,000 tonnes of commercial and industrial waste from landfills in Auckland every year.

Owning an affordable starter home is a step closer for eligible New Zealanders with the launch of KiwiBuild’s new online pre-qualification portal today.

Single-use plastic shopping bags will be phased out over the next year, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage announced today.

The role of small business in the economy is to be enhanced with a new strategy to drive performance and better connect small and medium enterprises with government, large businesses and research institutions.

Minister for Biosecurity Damien O’Connor says Kiwis can celebrate those helping to keep our flora, fauna and vital primary sectors safe by nominating them for New Zealand Biosecurity Awards.

The 2018 National Construction Pipeline Report released today shows signs of sustained growth for the next six years, Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa says.

The Green Party is today fulfilling the commitment to proactively release its Ministers’ and Under-Secretary’s diaries as an important part of the party’s transparency policy.

Seniors Minister Tracey Martin today released a discussion document and opened consultation on a new positive ageing strategy.