Corrections Minister Louise Upston has welcomed nearly 60 new frontline Corrections officers from all over the world who graduated today.

The latest cohort includes officers from Sri Lanka, China, India, Tonga, South Africa, the Cook Islands, the Czech Republic and the UK.

“New Zealand is a culturally diverse nation and we are keen to have officers who also represent that diversity,” Ms Upston says.

“The priority of our Corrections staff is to keep the public safe but the life skills and work experience these officers bring will be hugely valuable in the rehabilitation and reintegration of our prisoners.

“Getting the right people is important to Corrections, which seeks people who will be role models and demonstrate the highest levels of integrity and credibility at all times.”

Upper Hutt woman Moana Fox was presented with the Minister’s Excellence Award for the all-round excellence she displayed throughout training.

Ms Fox has been actively involved in sports management and supporting youth in Upper Hutt. She is also a regional netball umpire and coached Wellington’s Under-15 and Under-17 teams for five years, as well as being coach of the New Zealand Deaf Women’s Netball team.

“Moana is described as a great team player who is calm, wise and inspires people to be better leaders,” Ms Upston says.

“As with Corrections’ other recruits, I am delighted Moana has brought her many skills and experience to the team.”

The new graduates will work at Northland, Mt Eden, Spring Hill, Waikeria, Rimutaka, Arohata, Christchurch Men’s and Christchurch Women’s Prisons.

The Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Paul Goldsmith and the Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Louise Upston today announced a further increase in funding over the next four years to support work-based training.

“With the real need for more skilled workers, approximately 38,000 through to 2020, I am pleased to announce a further $7 million investment in apprentices and industry training over the next four years,” says Mr Goldsmith.

“The Government is willing to put the resources in, but we also need the support of parents, teachers, careers advisors, and businesses if we are to get more young Kiwis into the trades.”

Mr Goldsmith says the Government is responding to the increase in demand for skills as employment opportunities increase, particularly in key sectors like construction.

“Industry trainees and apprenticeships are in high demand and supporting work-based training is a priority for this government. We are directly supporting employers to invest in recruiting and up-skilling their employees to meet the future demands of their business.”

The extra funding is in addition to the new funding for industry training of $14.4m over four years in Budget 2016 and will support over 2,000 apprenticeships over the next four years.

Associate Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Louise Upston says it is vital that industry training becomes an attractive option for more young New Zealanders.

“The numbers of learners enrolled in industry training is getting close to the numbers enrolled in universities and qualification completion rates are higher than they have ever been. With over 43,000 learners already in apprenticeships and apprentice-like training in 2016, we are on our way to achieving our target of 50,000 apprentices by 2020.

“Our continued investment in work-based training ensures New Zealanders have the skills they need to be successful at work, and New Zealand businesses have the skilled employees they need to grow,” Ms Upston says.

Corrections Minister Louise Upston is thanking the more than 2000 volunteers who give their time to help prisoners and offenders turn their lives around.

Today marks the beginning of National Volunteer Week, when the work of more than one million volunteers in New Zealand is recognised and celebrated.

“Volunteers are an essential part of Corrections’ work to support people to change their lives,” Ms Upston says.

“Whether it is helping to improve prisoners’ reading or writing, teaching an art class, sharing life skills such as cooking and budgeting or providing cultural and religious services, volunteers are vital to Corrections’ work.

“Helping offenders to move towards a crime-free future requires the support of many. It isn’t something Corrections can do alone. Volunteers bring diversity, community perspective and connection. They also support our goal of reducing reoffending by assisting offenders rehabilitate and transition back into the community.”

Ms Upston will be presenting awards to some of the volunteers who have won Corrections Volunteer Awards at Arohata Prison on Friday.

“These are committed Kiwis who give up their time and share their skills to make a positive impact on the lives of offenders,” Ms Upston says.

“National Volunteer Week is a great time to say a big thank you to the thousands of selfless people who volunteer for Corrections and recognise their commitment.”

More information on Corrections Volunteer Awards:

Brian Alexander

Howard League

Auckland Region Women’s Corrections Facility, Northern Region

Brian has 40 years’ experience as a commercial beekeeper and ran his own apiary/honey-making business for 35 years. Brian volunteers twice a week at Auckland Prison and Auckland Region Women’s Corrections Facility. Prisoners involved in beekeeping are completing level 3 NCEA papers by correspondence with Lincoln University, with Brian offering practical guidance, classroom tuition and supervision.

Charlotte Millar

Howard League

Mt Eden Corrections Facility, Northern Region

Charlotte started volunteering at Mt Eden Corrections Facility in March 2014 as assistant librarian. Involved in all aspects of the operating mobile library across 10 units. She played a key role in trialling a new library system and inducted and trained a new volunteer in the system.

Caroline Keddie

Spring Hill Corrections Facility, Central Region

Caroline has volunteered at Spring Hill Corrections Facility since 2013, assisting prisoners with literacy. She has many years’ experience teaching people with learning difficulties and English as a second language. She has been working with one particular prisoner for an extended period of time. He had a very low level of literacy but can now read a book and has written his own booklet.

Charlie Van De Graaf

Spring Hill Corrections Facility, Central Region

Charlie has volunteered at Spring Hill Corrections Facility since 2013 teaching men how to knit, crochet and do origami. The knitted and crocheted items included booties, hats, blankets and mittens which were donated to Plunket for families in need.

Te Maari Gardiner

Yoga in Prisons Trust

Tongariro Prison, Central Region

Te Maari teaches two yoga classes a week at Tongariro Prison. Between six and 12 prisoners attend each class.

Kerryn Palmer, Perry Piercy, Liz Langham and Ryan Knighton

Arohata Prison, Lower North Region

The group runs a programme called Bedtime Stories which aims to strengthen the bond between mothers and children, but also aunties, grandmothers and others who want to record a story and send to a child on CD. Members visit the prison each month with books and recording equipment. The programme enables women to practise their storytelling and reading and assists their relationship with their children while they are in prison.

Martin Bosley

Rimutaka Prison, Lower North Region

Martin has been involved in the Rimutaka Prison Gate to Plate event at Rimutaka Prison since it began in 2013. Prisoners are trained by Martin and other chefs to produce a multi-course gourmet meal which they then serve to paying guests.

Karina Fraser

Rimutaka Prison, Lower North Region

Karina teaches weekly art classes in the Drug Treatment Unit, including sketching, painting, card-making and origami. Karina has sourced resources and materials from her church and through a grant from Upper Hutt City Council.

Beverly Iremonger

Howard League

Christchurch Men’s and Women’s prisons, Southern Region

Beverly supports two prisoners twice a week in the youth unit at Christchurch Men’s Prison. She works with some very difficult prisoners in challenging situations and builds up their confidence, encouraging them to want to learn.

Vanessa Clements

Christchurch Women’s Prison, Southern Region

A coffee machine was donated by Zonta Ashburton and Vanessa trains and delivers two NZQA unit standards and is a qualified assessor for the two unit standards. Eight prisoners have completed the two unit standards so far.

Teau Aiturau

Time to Thrive to Stay Alive, Community (Northern Region)

Teau Aiturau has set up the Time To Thrive Charitable Trust which encourages people to get active thought the Mangere BikeFit programme. At Te Whare Koa Mangere Community House he helps people learn to ride, maintain and own a donated bike.

Businesses from around the lower North Island will be urged to consider offenders as employees at a breakfast function hosted by Corrections Minister Louise Upston and the Corrections Department next week.

The event on Tuesday is part of a series being held around the country aimed at getting employers onboard with hiring people who have spent time in prison.

Two similar events, in Hamilton and Christchurch, proved successful with a number of businesses stepping up.

“Since the Hamilton and Christchurch breakfasts, 13 companies have either signed agreements with Corrections or have requested more information; eight businesses have listed more than 20 positions with Corrections and five people have been placed into employment,” Ms Upston says.

“More than 110 memorandums of understanding have been signed by Corrections and employers. I am also delighted to announce that Corrections has signed an agreement with New Zealand Labour Hire that has the potential to assist 150 former offenders into employment across the country. Already more than 70 people have been employed either casually or fulltime in the construction industry through the company.

“The commitment from employers is encouraging. Without their support, the task of helping to turn people away from a life of crime can be more difficult. Some prisoners have never had a job so finding them employment, getting them into a routine and earning money gives them a greater sense of self-worth.”

More than 100 employers and stakeholders have been invited to Tuesday’s Wellington event, where they will hear from an employer and from a former prisoner who has been employed. Similar events are planned for other centres around the country at a later date.

Strong demand from key markets is driving up export growth in forestry products, Associate Primary Industries Minister Louise Upston says.

The latest Ministry for Primary Industries’ Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries (SOPI) shows strong growth in the forestry sector.

“Forestry exports are expected to grow 6.4 per cent to $5.5 billion in 2017, before increasing further to $6.3 billion by 2021 as increased volumes of wood become available for harvest,” Ms Upston says.

Strong demand for logs and sawn timber from key markets such as China and the US are keeping prices high while favourable exchange rates are also contributing to strong returns for exporters, the SOPI shows.

Demand is expected to remain strong, as increased construction activity in China and the US, combined with China’s bans on harvesting native forest should ensure continued demand for New Zealand logs and sawn timber.

“With a bright outlook for forestry production and exports, the Government continues to invest in improved harvesting techniques. This investment is primarily through the Steepland Harvesting Primary Growth Partnership programme, which also encourages afforestation by allowing previously unsuitable land to be planted with production forestry,” Ms Upston says.

Planting is encouraged through other programmes such as the Afforestation Grants Scheme, the Erosion Control Funding Programme and the Sustainable Land Management and Climate Change research programme.

More than 500 students will be offered advice on careers in the primary industries as they pass through the Careers and Education Hub at Fieldays this week.

Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Louise Upston says that with strong growth in the primary sector anticipated over the next few years, the Government was encouraging more young people to consider careers in primary industries.

A number of schools, totalling more than 500 students, have registered to visit the Careers and Education Hub at Fieldays at Mystery Creek. Careers NZ will be among those offering advice to young people considering such a career.

“There is no shortage of opportunities in the primary industries. The sector currently employs 350,000 people and accounts for one in six jobs nationwide. This is expected to grow to 400,000 by 2025,” Ms Upston says. 

“We need to attract, train and retain talented, motivated and innovative people. Successful people in the primary industries will include those with a very diverse range of skills from critical expertise in the primary industries through to areas such as design, engineering, science, ICT and marketing.

The Government continues to bring together employers and educators to support and build primary industry vocation pathways.

“A key part of this work is to provide high-quality career information and advice to young people to help them to work towards developing a fulfilling career which suits their skills, interests and strengths,” Ms Upston says.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Associate Minister Louise Upston have tonight celebrated the 1000th Sustainable Farming Fund project, and awarded two Emerging Leaders scholarships at an event kicking off National Fieldays.

“The Sustainable Farming Fund supports the primary sector’s own forward thinking and kiwi ingenuity - which in turn helps keeps New Zealand ahead of the game,” says Mr Guy. 

“1000 projects have now been funded since the fund was initiated in 2000. This represents around $150 million in government funding alongside a significant level of sector support.

“The fund has supported projects as diverse as reducing nutrient run off on lowland farms, reducing use of antimicrobials when managing mastitis, and increasing the market share for New Zealand olive oil,” Mr Guy says.

Ms Upston says much of the success of the fund is due to its grass-roots nature.

“Each project brings together farmers, growers and foresters to work alongside scientists and researchers to solve a problem or seize an opportunity. The fund recognises that those closest to the problem or opportunity have a unique insight into how it could be addressed and how to best influence their peers’ behaviour.”

Alongside the announcement was the launch of a commemorative booklet which spotlights 33 projects from across all 17 years of the fund - available on the MPI website. 

Ministers also announced the announced the winners of this year’s Emerging Primary Industries Leaders Scholarship - Julia Jones of KPMG and Jason Te Brake of Miraka.

“This scholarship recognises the importance of promoting strong leadership within the primary industries. It encourages those who have shown a commitment to the primary industries and have the potential to help guide the sector in the future,” Mr Guy says.

The winners will attend the Te Hono Stanford Bootcamp - a week-long programme held at Stanford University in California, USA. The boot camp is mainly for chief executives or people who hold senior governance roles within the primary sector.

Ms Upston says Te Hono Stanford Bootcamp is an opportunity for primary industry leaders to think about and test various ways to build the sector.

“For the scholarship recipients, the boot camp will be a unique chance to build networks with sector leaders and contribute to the future direction of New Zealand’s primary industries,” she says.

The Emerging Primary Industries Leaders Scholarship is now in its second year, and is supported by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), AGMARDT (the Agricultural and Marketing Research and Development Trust) and Te Hono.

Note for Editors

Biography of each winner:

Julia Jones is a farm enterprise specialist at KPMG.

In her role, she combines her practical knowledge of farming and business to help clients across the primary industries. In 2007, Julia completed an agriculture programme through Harvard Business School in China. In 2012, she graduated from the Agri Women’s Development Trust Escalator Governance programme.

Jason Te Brake is a key account manager at Miraka.

He is a chartered accountant and has held a range of finance and sales/marketing roles. In his current role, he has worked on brand and channel development, including being involved in the launch of Miraka’s first two consumer brands in New Zealand and offshore. For the last two years he has served as Chair of New Zealand Young Farmers. 

Last year’s winners were Bruce Hunter from Landcorp New Zealand and Daniel Boulton from Sealord.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Associate Minister Louise Upston have tonight celebrated the 1000th Sustainable Farming Fund project, and awarded two Emerging Leaders scholarships at an event kicking off National Fieldays.

“The Sustainable Farming Fund supports the primary sector’s own forward thinking and kiwi ingenuity - which in turn helps keeps New Zealand ahead of the game,” says Mr Guy. 

“1000 projects have now been funded since the fund was initiated in 2000. This represents around $150 million in government funding alongside a significant level of sector support.

“The fund has supported projects as diverse as reducing nutrient run off on lowland farms, reducing use of antimicrobials when managing mastitis, and increasing the market share for New Zealand olive oil,” Mr Guy says.

Ms Upston says much of the success of the fund is due to its grass-roots nature.

“Each project brings together farmers, growers and foresters to work alongside scientists and researchers to solve a problem or seize an opportunity. The fund recognises that those closest to the problem or opportunity have a unique insight into how it could be addressed and how to best influence their peers’ behaviour.”

Alongside the announcement was the launch of a commemorative booklet which spotlights 33 projects from across all 17 years of the fund - available on the MPI website. 

Ministers also announced the announced the winners of this year’s Emerging Primary Industries Leaders Scholarship - Julia Jones of KPMG and Jason Te Brake of Miraka.

“This scholarship recognises the importance of promoting strong leadership within the primary industries. It encourages those who have shown a commitment to the primary industries and have the potential to help guide the sector in the future,” Mr Guy says.

The winners will attend the Te Hono Stanford Bootcamp - a week-long programme held at Stanford University in California, USA. The boot camp is mainly for chief executives or people who hold senior governance roles within the primary sector.

Ms Upston says Te Hono Stanford Bootcamp is an opportunity for primary industry leaders to think about and test various ways to build the sector.

“For the scholarship recipients, the boot camp will be a unique chance to build networks with sector leaders and contribute to the future direction of New Zealand’s primary industries,” she says.

The Emerging Primary Industries Leaders Scholarship is now in its second year, and is supported by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), AGMARDT (the Agricultural and Marketing Research and Development Trust) and Te Hono.

Associate Minister of Education Louise Upston today opened a new learning space at Waimate High School.

The school prioritised funding to upgrade one of its buildings to create three collaborative teaching spaces and modernise its infrastructure and information and communication technology (ICT).

“It’s fantastic to see Waimate High School’s staff and board of trustees rising to the challenge of modern learning by improving its physical and ICT environment for its students and the wider community,” Ms Upston says.

The school participated in the Government’s subsidised initiatives to connect to fibre and upgrade its ICT infrastructure. It is connected to the Managed Network which provides online educational content, and will soon participate in a programme to install wireless technology.

“The Government has made a significant investment in the roll-out of ultra-fast broadband and prioritisation of school connectivity and ICT infrastructure. It’s great to see these initiatives support the steps schools are taking to deliver innovative teaching and learning, enhance collaboration and extend learning opportunities beyond the classroom” Ms Upston says. 

Waimate High School is a member of the Waimate Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako, along with Makikihi School, Waihao Downs School, Waimate Centennial School, Waimate Main School, Waituna Creek School and Makikihi School.

The school is partnering with The Community Wireless Trust to create the Waimate District Digital Development Project, which aims to provide low cost access to high speed internet services in homes throughout the Waimate district.

Corrections Minister Louise Upston has welcomed more than 80 new frontline officers from all walks of life to Corrections following their graduation today.

The recruits, 54 men and 30 women, completed a 12-week training course to graduate at a ceremony in Wellington.

“I am grateful these men and women from all backgrounds, ethnicities and walks of life, have chosen to work with Corrections,” Ms Upston says.

“This latest cohort includes a nurse, a chef, a competitive hockey player, a physiotherapist and a Hawaiian tour guide. The graduates have a range of skills from dealing with youth and people with mental health issues and disabilities to graphic design, hospitality, banking, carpentry, boat-building, psychology and criminology.

“It is great they’ve brought their experiences and skills to Corrections. As frontline officers, they can be positive role models for prisoners to help motivate them away from a life of crime,” Ms Upston says

Former British Army Captain Thomas Platt, of Mt Eden Corrections Facility, was presented with the Minister’s Excellence Award to acknowledge the all-round excellence he displayed throughout training.

“As a member of the armed forces, Thomas completed tours in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. He stood out as a leader and strategic thinker during his Corrections training,” Ms Upston says.

“As with Corrections’ other recruits, I am delighted Thomas has brought his many skills to Corrections and I welcome these excellent, well-trained graduates to the team.”