While in Christchurch yesterday I visited Allenvale Special School where I was warmly welcomed with a waiata from the students and a presentation of artwork by two of the students.

As a Minister my days consist of appointments following briefings, following meetings and more. The engagements I've had this week include attending a special reception to celebrate the United States' 233rd anniversary of independence, and tomorrow night I am giving a speech to the opening of the New Zealand Model United Nations 2009 - a youth forum where each delegate represents a nation state and debates topical issues.

More details to come

Mecca Café,Cnr Nuffield St and Remuera Rd,Newmarket

Special Guest Speaker: Alan Peachey,National MP for Tamaki

Theme - “Sweating the Small Stuff; Fixing a broken school system"-
Alan is the former headmaster of Rangitoto College.

Bunnythorpe Methodist Church Hall, Baring Street. Bunnythorpe.

Speakers: Hon Heather Roy MP, John Boscawen MP,

There has been much media interest in Green Party Co-Leader Metiria Turei's Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Bill, which was considered in Parliament today.

Speech To Federated Farmers Plenary Day, Auckland

As if yesterday's news of yet another Student Association executive member being jailed for misappropriation of funds wasn't enough I discovered today that Canterbury University Students Assn has a

As part of the public consultation phase for Defence Review 2009, the Ministry of Defence has developed a number of informative tools to help people understand more about the Review and the New Zea