On Wednesday, Auckland City Council's Finance and Strategy Committee considered the half-yearly reports of three important Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs): Metrowater; the Parking Board; and the Property Enterprise Board.

The government has finalised its plans for rural telecommunications with Cabinet yesterday signing off on proposals for the roll out of high speed broadband in rural areas and the reform of the Telecommunications Service Obligations (TSO).

Wellington, March 15 NZPA - Most New Zealanders want the Government to lower the drink drive limit for all adult drivers, according to a Motor Trade Association (MTA) poll.

It appears that the days of open entry to university and tertiary study in New Zealand are numbered.

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Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce has today released the Briefings to the Incoming Minister from the Ministry of Education, the Tertiary Education Commission and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.

These documents are available on the Beehive website: www.beehive.govt.nz

The opening of the new Bell Block bypass on State Highway 3, about 5 kilometres north of New Plymouth, will ease congestion and improve road safety, NZ Transport Agency regional director Jenny Chetwynd said.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce will attend the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Aviation Security on 13 March 2010 in Tokyo, Japan.

ARC Chairman Mike Lee said today that Transport Minister Steven Joyce's imposition of an Auckland Transport Council Controlled Organisation (CCO) is now seriously undermining the whole concept of unified and strengthened local government for Auckland.

Statements from opposition politicians claiming that the government plans to cut SuperGold Card public transport services is silly political scaremongering, says Transport Minister Steven Joyce.

Awarding a contract for route investigation work on the so-called Puhoi to Wellsford Road of National Significance is an example of pure 'road overkill', say Labour's transport spokesperson Darren Hughes and Mt Albert MP David Shearer.