Dear John



It’s been a busy few weeks with lots of new policy announcements and opportunities to show voters National’s positive plans for the country. Three weeks of recess has also allowed me to get around the electorate - from the opening of the 202 (NZ) Lions Clubs Convention in Invercargill, to attending SIT’s Certified Builders Apprentice Challenge - it’s reaffirmed for me, what a great place Southland really is.



National is getting back to farming 







National’s Getting back to Farming package will cut the red tape and allow Southland farmers to get on with what they do best. Last year agriculture exports totalled $41 billion or 63 percent of our goods exports. When farmers succeed, New Zealand succeeds – that is something that the Labour Government fails to understand at its peril. Check out our policy here: Getting Back to Farming <[link removed]>



National backs nurses and midwives



To address Southland and New Zealand’s chronic nursing shortage, a National government would pay nurses’ and midwives’ student loan repayments, up to $4,500 a year, for the first five years of their careers - in return for them committing to work in New Zealand for at least five years after they graduate.We’ll also make New Zealand more attractive by offering a relocation grant of up to $10,000 for 1000 qualified overseas nurses or midwives who move here for work.













I enjoyed an excellent visit to the Fonterra Edendale site recently, with Plant Manager Julie Walkinshaw (right) and GM NZ Government Affairs Fiona Hutchinson. 441 dairy farms in the Invercargill electorate supply Fonterra, while the Edendale site employs 630 people. The site is also industry leader in water reduction and reuse practices.







It was a privilege to have National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti in Invercargill recently. To address the current health crisis, he said National would focus on expanding the health workforce, cutting bureaucracy, and focussing support on aged residential care, emergency departments, women’s health and cancer rates.



National to deliver on Mental Health



There’s growing concern about the lack of support for people struggling with mental health issues. National wants to deliver faster access to mental health services by boosting resources for community providers and non-Government agencies. National will do this through the Mental Health Innovation Fund, which will initially see up to $20 million in matching funds distributed. Check out our policy here: National to Fund Community Health NGOs <[link removed]>







I was honoured to be involved in Invercargill’s Dawn Service on Anzac Day, and to speak at the Invercargill Workingmen’s Club later. I also marched in Bluff’s annual parade and laid a wreath. What a wonderful way to join with the people of the South and acknowledge the great sacrifice that our troops made at Gallipoli.







Interest rate pressure mounts in Southland 



I’m very concerned about how some Southland families will pay their mortgages in the wake of a 50-point lift in the Official Cash Rate in April. I already know of at least one young family, who’ve had to sell their first home because they couldn’t afford their mortgage repayments.  Southlanders are now having to pay, on average, an extra $267 each week in interest costs.







I saw such huge progress on my recent visit to the Ocean Beach Aquaculture Hub, near Bluff. It was so exciting to see the paua, whitebait and seaweed developments – demonstrating great work by the dedicated team down there.







The problems with Te Pukenga – the Government’s polytechnic mega-merger – continue to mount. 







Staff suffer with failing polytechnic mega-merger



Hard-working staff are now becoming casualties of the Government’s disastrous polytechnic mega-merger. We need these staff to remain in education - not be driven out by stress and a lack of support. Three years on, $200m in costs, no direction and no operating model, has failed staff and taxpayers. The Government’s polytechnic mega-merger is a mess that continues to deteriorate.







In the news:



Mega-merger failure impacting polytech staff <[link removed]>



Te Pukenga failure hits Whananui <[link removed]>







My Diary



5 May - Hamilton East MP Tama Potaka in Invercargill



6 May – Special Olympics Southland Powerlifting Competition



6 May – Queens Park tree planting for King’s Coronation



9 May – Parliament sitting







As always, I’m here to help. Please contact me at my Invercargill office on Ph- 03 218 5060, or email me at: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>







Thank you for your support



Penny Simmonds

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National Party Invercargill - New Zealand

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