Dear John,

Local Roads

Recently I received a complaint from a constituent about the state of the roads in Clevedon and Ardmore and the number of potholes in them. The constituent said that she has sustained many damaged wheels due to unavoidably hitting potholes. I replied in agreement as I travel North Road, with its potholes, most weekends, as it is near my home. I am also sick of trying to avoid them and very concerned about causing an accident if I try to. As the roads in these areas are classed as ‘local ‘ roads they are the responsibility of Auckland Transport.

Recently, I heard Auckland Councillor Andy Baker, who is the Ward Councillor for the Clevedon area and also a Board member of Auckland Transport, speak about this widely - experienced issue of potholes. Andy explained to the audience that the New Zealand National Policy Statement is set by the government, and as part of that, around 51 per cent of the Auckland Transport funding comes from NZTA or Waka Kotahi. This government’s priorities are all about walking, cycling and lowering speed limits. Current government policy has nothing to do with productivity or making sure everyone who uses our roads gets to their destination without having an accident or incurring damage to their mode of transport. There is a real shortfall in the money available for road repairs according to Andy.

For the people on the Coromandel and in Hawkes Bay this must be even worse as they have waited for almost four months for work to start on restoring their local roads. A promise to spend a billion dollars by this current government has just been included in the May 2023 annual budget but that has to be turned into actual physical improvements.

A one-lane Bailey Bridge has just opened for some stranded communities in the Gisborne area – three months after Cyclone Gabrielle. As some of you will know, my late father was a Sapper with the Royal New Zealand Engineers in World War Two. He and his colleagues were able to build Bailey Bridges, under enemy fire, in just hours. Now it takes three months. No wonder productivity continues to plummet and costs continue to rise.

I’m sorry to say that until there is a National-led government, I doubt that much will change in relation to road maintenance and improving infrastructure so that they become resilient to future storms and cyclones.

New Zealand is one country

National has ruled out coming to any arrangement with Te Pāti Māori in forming a National-led government after the 2023 election, National Leader Christopher Luxon said recently.

National is focused on making life better for all New Zealanders. Like Christopher, I believe New Zealand is one country with one standard of citizenship, meaning one person, one vote.

The gap between the differing aspirations and goals of National and Te Pāti Māori is too wide to allow a coalition between us at this point in time.

Te Pāti Māori of 2023 is a very different party to the Maori Party that National signed a confidence and supply agreement with three times from 2008.

I am making it clear today, that a vote for Te Pāti Māori will be a vote for the Labour/Greens/Māori Party Coalition of continued economic mis-management and poor outcomes. The cost of living is out of hand and despite what the Government says, the country is suffering under the ever-higher interest rates and ever-higher food prices.

Recently we spoke to a superannuitant who wants it known that his super payments are going up $66.08 per fortnight but then he received notice that his rent paid to Kainga Ora, is going up $38.00 per fortnight. This means he is only $28.00 a fortnight better off. He reckons he can manage but he asked what would this mean for solo parent families - how can they cope in a situation like this?

Recently Christopher Luxon announced that a National-led government would provide New Zealanders with "more literacy about where Government spending goes" and what their taxes were spent on. “This focus will give people a sense of how we are going to manage in Government," he said.

A National government’s focus will always be on strong economic management to address the cost-of-living crisis, raising productivity and increasing incomes so all Kiwis can get ahead.

As part of this, National is deeply committed to improving outcomes for Māori through the stable democratic government that New Zealand needs to maintain.

New Zealand does not elect its Prime Minister

I just need to reinforce with all of you that a general election is all about voting for a party and your local Member of Parliament. In New Zealand we do not elect a Prime Minister. New Zealand Prime Ministers are elected by either their peers in caucus or their party but not by voters in the General Election.

Best wishes to all,
Judith