New Zealand Government Govt Offers Condolences In Wake Of Tragic Air Accident Transport Minister Steven Joyce has extended sincere condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those aboard the Skydive New Zealand plane that crashed near Fox Glacier this afternoon.Nine people on board the Fletcher FU24 turbine powered plane were killed. It is the first aviation accident of this magnitude in New Zealand since the Air Adventures accident claimed eight lives in 2003.Mr Joyce says... more>

New Zealand Government Hon Paula BennettMinister for Social Development, Employment & Youth Affairs5 September 2010 Media StatementGovernment Helpline 0800 779997 Proving EffectiveSocial Development Minister Paula Bennett says more than a thousand people have called the Government’s earthquake helpline for assistance.The 0800 double seven – triple nine – seven helpline has been operating since 4pm yesterday.Staff answering calls have provided advice and referrals for 1,070 people... more>

New Zealand Government Hon John CarterMinister of Civil Defence5 September 2010 Media StatementSafety Of Canterbury People Top PriorityThe day after the 7.1 earthquake hit Christchurch and surrounding areas, the safety of people in the area remains the top priority for Civil Defence Minister John Carter.“I visited the affected areas yesterday afternoon and it is not until you get there on the ground that you are aware of what a significant natural disaster this has been,” Mr Carter... more>

Massey University Massey Students Stung With Fee Increases In 2011Students at Massey University will be hit hard with the maximum possible tuition fee increase in 2011, as well as increased student services levies, a new scholarship levy, and increased enrolment fees. The Massey University Council recently approved a 4 percent increase in tuition fees for graduate and undergraduate students. The Council also approved a 47.5 percent average increase in the student services levy; this... more>

Ministry of Education School Closures Following Canterbury EarthquakeSunday 5th September 2010Schools and early childhood centres in Christchurch, Waimakariri, and Selwyn districts will be closed until Wednesday in response to the earthquake.This follows the Chief Medical Officer of Health advising all public buildings are to remain closed until Wednesday.The Ministry of Education says this means closure of all schools and early childhood centres in the Christchurch, Selwyn and... more>

Newmarket Business Association NZTA Congratulated On Early Newmarket Viaduct Reopening "NZTA is to be congratulated on a job well done. Its marketing and communications around the Newmarket Viaduct closure were first class. Aucklanders really heeded the advice to keep off the southbound motorway and that bodes well for any future closures," says Cameron Brewer, chief executive of the Newmarket Business Association. "Cutting 17 hours off the planned motorway closure blew everyone's... more>

TRAFINZ Our Year-10 Road-Safety Report Card: A Fatal Fail Ten years ago the Government approved a target to reduce the death toll on New Zealand’s roads below 300 per annum by 2010, and hospitalisation rates below 4500 a year. As a nation we’ve made progress but we will fall badly short of that target, where leading nations like Sweden and the UK have achieved equally ambitious targets. New Zealand’s failure is largely attributable to misplaced investment priorities and a lack of... more>

New Zealand Government Agriculture Minister Visiting Earthquake Hit FarmsAgriculture Minister David Carter is this morning visiting farms west of Christchurch damaged in yesterday’s earthquake.Mr Carter, accompanied by Selwyn MP Amy Adams, is visiting a wide area of the region including Hororata, Glentunnel, Sheffield, Darfield, Dunsandel, Lincoln and Tai Tapu. Mr Carter has also been through parts of Banks Peninsula this morning.“We are mainly concerned about farms still without... more>

COMMENT: All New Zealanders will share the shock and dismay that Susan and I feel for what has happened in the South Island today. The loss of life in the Fox Glacier air crash, together with the widespread damage wrought by this morning’s earthquake in Canterbury, have caused a dark day. Having just spent five days during the last fortnight in the South Island, my thoughts are with the people who have been affected by what has happened. I am reassured by the prompt actions of civil... more>

TRADEGY: Police have released the names of the nine people killed in yesterday's plane crash at Fox Glacier. The accident happened at 1.15pm when the plane, carrying a party of skydivers and tourists, crashed at the end of the runway at Fox Glacier Airport. The pilot was 33-year-old Chaminda Senadhira from Queenstown. The four dive masters were: Adam Bennett (47) from Australia, living in Motueka; Michael Suter (32) from New Plymouth; Christopher McDonald (62) from Mapua; Rodney Miller (55)... more>