Government increases tsunami aid package

The Government has increased its tsunami aid package to $68 million.

The package includes $20 million for the United Nations Tsunami Relief Effort and $20 million for the New Zealand Aid bilateral programme in Indonesia, one of the worst hit areas.

Another $19 million will go towards the dollar-for-dollar matching of public donations.

Specific requests will get $4 million and $5 million will cover the costs of departments working over there.

It is New Zealand's biggest ever disaster relief package.

Prime Minister Helen Clark said the package reflects both the magnitude of the disaster and its impact on a number of nations in our region with which we have important bilateral relationships.

Helen Clark said it has been a huge "whole-of-Government" operation, involving many departments, which has been going since the tsunami struck on Boxing Day.

- NEWSTALK ZB