Latest news with #NationalGovernment
Scoop
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Scoop
110km/h Speed Limit Consultation Begins For SH1 Transmission Gully And Raumati Straights
Press Release – New Zealand Government This is all part of the Coalition Governments agenda to deliver the infrastructure needed to grow the economy, reduce travel times and increase the productivity of our transport network. Were committed to providing state highways that help people … Minister of Transport Transport Minister Chris Bishop is encouraging New Zealanders to have their say in public consultation that begins today on increasing speed limits for SH1 Transmission Gully and Raumati Straights to 110km/h. 'Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government's plan to rebuild the economy and this proposal supports that outcome by reducing travel times and increasing efficiency on this vital route between Wellington and the lower and central North Island,' Mr Bishop says. 'With around 22,000 vehicles using the road daily, it provides important regional resilience and a safe, modern, reliable route for all road users. Transmission Gully is one of the first Roads of National Significance (RoNS) announced by the former National Government in 2009 and is the main gateway to Wellington. 'Transmission Gully was designed and constructed to a high safety standard. This is reflected in the low crash numbers on the road since opening in 2022. It has safety features that greatly reduce the risk of death or serious injury in a crash, like two lanes in each direction, and flexible median barrier between opposing lanes. Since opening, there have been over 150 barrier strikes but no deaths 'Along with Transmission Gully, the NZ Transport Agency will also be consulting on Raumati Straights, which connects Transmission Gully with Kāpiti Expressway. By consulting on this section now, we can finalise a decision on appropriate speed limits quicker, ahead of possible safety improvements on the section. 'This is all part of the Coalition Government's agenda to deliver the infrastructure needed to grow the economy, reduce travel times and increase the productivity of our transport network. We're committed to providing state highways that help people get where they need to go quickly and safely.' Consultation on raising the speed limit for SH1 Transmission Gully and Raumati Straights to 110km/h begins on Friday 30 May and will last six weeks. You can find more on the NZTA website here: Content Sourced from Original url
Scoop
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Scoop
110km/h Speed Limit Consultation Begins For SH1 Transmission Gully And Raumati Straights
Minister of Transport Transport Minister Chris Bishop is encouraging New Zealanders to have their say in public consultation that begins today on increasing speed limits for SH1 Transmission Gully and Raumati Straights to 110km/h. 'Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government's plan to rebuild the economy and this proposal supports that outcome by reducing travel times and increasing efficiency on this vital route between Wellington and the lower and central North Island,' Mr Bishop says. 'With around 22,000 vehicles using the road daily, it provides important regional resilience and a safe, modern, reliable route for all road users. Transmission Gully is one of the first Roads of National Significance (RoNS) announced by the former National Government in 2009 and is the main gateway to Wellington. 'Transmission Gully was designed and constructed to a high safety standard. This is reflected in the low crash numbers on the road since opening in 2022. It has safety features that greatly reduce the risk of death or serious injury in a crash, like two lanes in each direction, and flexible median barrier between opposing lanes. Since opening, there have been over 150 barrier strikes but no deaths 'Along with Transmission Gully, the NZ Transport Agency will also be consulting on Raumati Straights, which connects Transmission Gully with Kāpiti Expressway. By consulting on this section now, we can finalise a decision on appropriate speed limits quicker, ahead of possible safety improvements on the section. 'This is all part of the Coalition Government's agenda to deliver the infrastructure needed to grow the economy, reduce travel times and increase the productivity of our transport network. We're committed to providing state highways that help people get where they need to go quickly and safely.' Consultation on raising the speed limit for SH1 Transmission Gully and Raumati Straights to 110km/h begins on Friday 30 May and will last six weeks. You can find more on the NZTA website here: Using Scoop for work? Scoop is free for personal use, but you'll need a licence for work use. This is part of our Ethical Paywall and how we fund Scoop. Join today with plans starting from less than $3 per week, plus gain access to exclusive Pro features. Join Pro Individual Find out more
India Today
27-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Mails from Indians on immigration akin to spam: New Zealand minister sparks row
New Zealand's Immigration Minister. Eric Stanford, sparked an outrage after she revealed how she received heaps of emails from Indians seeking immigration advice. She also stated that she never responded to these emails. She received criticism for the insensitivity of her comments. An Indian-origin Labour MP, Priyanca Radhakrishnan, criticised Stanford for singling out an ethnic group and said it was careless at best and prejudiced at defending her use of her personal Gmail account for official correspondence during a session on May 6, Stanford said, "I receive a lot of unsolicited emails like, for example, things from people in India asking for immigration advice, which I never respond to. I almost regard those as being akin to spam."Defending her actions, she explained that she complied with the Official Information Act and made sure all relevant material was documented and sent to her parliamentary email. The parliamentary question posed to Stanford was not in connection with came up just a day after Stanford revealed she had utilised her personal email account for official purposes, including sending herself advance copies of budget announcements for MP RADHAKRISHNAN CALLS OUT REMARKLabour MP of Indian origin, Priyanca Radhakrishnan, criticised to The Indian Weekender, Radhakrishnan said, "Such comments reinforce negative stereotypes about an entire community." She also called it unacceptable for a minister to single out a specific ethnic a Chennai-born minister, expressed her outrage over the incident on Facebook, sharing her strong reaction to the statement."Earlier this week, in response to a question, the Immigration Minister felt the need to single out people from one country/ethnicity in a negative light. If you're from India, don't bother emailing her because it's automatically considered spam. So much for the National Government's all-of-government focus on strengthening the relationship between India & NZ and focus on people-to-people links," Radhakrishnan rejected Radhakrishnan's allegations, saying she did not say they were spam. "I said I almost regard those as being akin to spam.""While these people are attempting to contact me as the Minister of Immigration, I have no ministerial responsibility for providing non-citizens with immigration advice, nor do my officials at Immigration NZ have any responsibility," Radio New Zealand (RNZ) quoted her as saying.
Newsroom
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsroom
New Waikeria Prison to be quickly filled as prison muster hits record high
Next month, the Government will cut the ribbon on the new 600-bed prison at Waikeria – the prison system is preparing to reach a new population peak by the middle of next year. This new prison, commissioned under the previous National Government, downsized under the Labour-led coalition, then re-upped under this National-led coalition, has long been a focal point of the debate over what to do about the country's prison population.
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Govt Guts Emergency Housing While Need Increases
The National Government has cut $1 billion from the emergency housing budget on the false pretence that demand is reducing, while also ending contracted emergency housing from December this year. 'The Government promised New Zealanders that those in genuine need would get access to emergency housing but the Budget shows they simply have no intention of providing it,' Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. 'The Government is trying to kid the country in to thinking that this is an area they can save money because the need isn't there. 'It is a lie, borne out of the need to fill gaps in the Budget. 'Homelessness is increasing at unprecedented levels and frontline providers say things have never been so bad. Before this budget, homelessness had already grown by 40 percent in Wellington. Lord knows how high it is projected to grow, and how fast because of this budget. 'New Zealanders need to ask themselves a pretty simple question – do they trust the Government who need to make cuts to make their budget add up, or frontline providers who are seeing homelessness increase every day? 'Ending contracts without a clear alternative for where people will go is a disgrace. Housing is a human right. 'Make no mistake - families will be living on the street because of this decision today,' Kieran McAnulty said.
