Dear John.



The recent National Party conference in Wellington was a great opportunity to consolidate policies and chart National’s course to October 14. Apart from the conference, I have been busy getting out around the South with constituent clinics and local meetings, along with select committee business and questions in the house in Wellington.











At the National Party conference with colleagues as we work towards election day.







New Invercargill Electorate Brochure



In the next few weeks, you will receive a brochure from me, outlining my work in the electorate, action for the future, National policies and how they relate to Invercargill. Look out for it in your mailbox and please keep it on hand at home to spread the word with friends and family.







Law and order



Law and order’s a big concern in Southland and around the country. In the past five years violent crime has increased 33 percent, retail crime has doubled, and gangs are growing faster than police. A National Government will ensure the justice system holds offenders accountable through sentences that reflect the seriousness of a crime and give Police the tools they need to tackle crime.







Getting Back to Farming 







It was excellent to have National’s Agriculture spokesperson Todd McClay MP join Joseph Mooney MP for Southland and myself, to talk all things farming and outline National’s policies in the South. Todd will be back down South on Wednesday 20 July with a meeting in my office for anglers, hunters and gun club members at 11.30am and then a public meeting for Farmers at the Federated Farmers Building at 3pm. Please contact my office for further details.







Farming Policy announced



National’s farming policies are great news for Southland farmers. National will give farmers the tools to reduce emissions, keep agriculture out of the ETS, but implement a fair pricing system for on-farm agricultural emissions by 2030 and limit the conversion of productive farmland to forestry for carbon farming purposes.







Te Pūkenga’s budget blows out again



Mega-polytechnic Te Pūkenga is now expected to report an $86 million deficit, up $23m on the previous forecast. This is an unbelievable waste of taxpayer money on top of the $200 million set up costs – with the Labour Government ignoring the warning signs and failing to rein in spending.











I was delighted to meet the Indian High Commissioner Her Excellency Neeta Bhushan, and members of the Invercargill community, during her first visit to Invercargill recently.







Support for SIT staff



I am devastated for the SIT staff, and other polytechnic staff around the country, who now face redundancy as the Government’s polytechnic mega-merger deficit grows. After three years Te Pukenga still has no operating budget, a top heavy and expensive head office, and falling student enrolments. Now staff are paying with their jobs.











Great to catch up with Invercargill businesswoman Joc O’Donnell and former Invercargill MP Eric Roy at the recent Southland party at Parliament. It was a chance to showcase local produce, businesses and enterprises, and it made me very proud to be a Southlander.







SAVE THE DATE : Deputy Leader of the National Party Nicola Willis will be in Invercargill Friday 4 August. A public meeting will be held in the afternoon – time and venue to be confirmed. Please contact my office on 03 2185060. For further details.



In the media:



Te Pukenga deficit up by $23 million <[link removed]>



Govt university bailout band-aid economics <[link removed]>



Labour’s reworked Early Childhood Education policy still ineffective <[link removed]>



Te Pukenga cuts see SIT staff treated badly <[link removed]>







My Diary







4 July: Drop in clinic at Nichol’s Greenworld







6 July: Chris Penk MP Invercargill visit







7 July: SuperBlues Chris Penk MP







20 July: Todd McLay Invercargill farmer meeting 3pm







4 August: Nicola Willis Invercargill visit







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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