Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith made his first visit to Massey University’s Manawatū campus today.
Mr Goldsmith visited the School of Aviation, the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and New Zealand’s only dedicated wildlife hospital, Wildbase Hospital, and received a briefing from the heads of the Massey-hosted, Government-funded centre of research excellence, the Riddet Institute.
He also met with Vice-Chancellor Professor Jan Thomas, who accompanied him on the visits to the Veterinary School and the Riddet Institute, which specialises in food and nutrition science.
At the School of Aviation’s Milson Flight Systems Centre at Palmerston North Airport Mr Goldsmith sat in the cockpit of one of the Diamond aircraft used for pilot training and tested out a flight simulator.
At Wildbase he saw technicians operate on an injured kingfisher and met a Veterinary Teaching Hospital outpatient of the four-legged variety, Collie Travis.
Mr Goldsmith took over the portfolio late last year after Bill English became Prime Minister and previous minister Steven Joyce became Minister of Finance. He is also Minister of Science and Innovation, Minister for Regulatory Reform and a list MP for Epsom.