Dear John,
Simply shocking and horrifying scenes yesterday in Auckland with the shootings in the Auckland CBD. Like all Kiwis, I've been thinking about the families of the victims, the Police and the first responders on the scene yesterday. Our brave Police did an outstanding job - literally running into the line of fire - and we owe them our grateful thanks.
I led off for National in Parliament yesterday in the statements on the tragedy (Christopher and Nicola were both in Auckland). There are many questions that need to be answered about this awful event, and no doubt they will be asked in the coming days. One obvious one is how the offender was able to be out on home detention - and how he had access to a gun.
Turning to other matters, Parliament is back after the school holiday recess and the government is ramming through as much legislation as they can before the election, including the contentious Resource Management Act reforms. I call it the RMA 2.0 because the Bills won't improve the RMA but actually make it harder to get things done. National supports genuine, substantive RMA reform but the government's package is disastrous, and we will repeal both Bills before Christmas if they are passed into law before the election.
WEALTH TAX: The other big news of the last week was the stunning revelation that despite promising to not introduce a wealth tax at the 2020 election, Labour have been secretly cooking one up for months. Finally the Budget 2023 documents have been made public and they show Grant Robertson was working on a wealth tax for this year's Budget. As Nicola Willis said, it would be a giant wrecking ball through the economy at a time when we're in recession and inflation is at 6 percent. The last thing we need is complicated and experimental taxes. The plain reality is that a wealth tax will be back on the agenda if the government is returned - the Greens are desperate for one and Labour can't govern without them.
CAMPAIGN: The election campaign is gathering steam - on Monday we had a wonderful public meeting with Christopher Luxon at Knox Church. The hall was overflowing. I hope you enjoyed it if you came along. We're now starting to think about election signs, which can go up from Saturday 12 August. I'm on the hunt for good sites around the Hutt - can you help? We've created a handy form for people to fill if they can host a sign on a fence - please fill it out here. We just need your address and what type of sign you want and we will do the rest over the weekend of 12/13 August (not far away). Our aim is to turn the Hutt Valley blue!
How you can help in the Hutt: The campaign in the Hutt is ramping up, and I get lots of people asking me how they can help in the campaign. There's heaps of ways to help - everything from letter and leaflet deliveries, door-knocking, hosting a sign, and more. if you're keen to assist, then please fill out this form and indicate how.
Have a great weekend and enjoy the football!
Chris
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Christopher Luxon Back on Track Public Meeting
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A truly outstanding meeting on Monday at Knox Church with National Leader Christopher Luxon. Part of our ‘Get NZ Back on Track’ tour. Thanks to everyone who came along.
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BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
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Such an honour on Sunday last week. Attended the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Taita to celebrate Guru Purnima. In the joy of others lies our own. Thank you for the privilege.
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Great morning at the Riverbank Markets last Saturday - thank you to everyone who came along and said hello.
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Election signs can go up from Saturday 12 August and so I'm on the hunt for good sites around the Hutt - can you help? We've created a handy form for people to fill if they can host a sign on a fence - please fill it out here. We just need your address and what type of sign you want and we will do the rest over the weekend of 12/13 August (not far away). Our aim is to turn the Hutt Valley blue!
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We're starting our phone calling for the campaign - Nicola and I hit the tools this week. Let me know if you can help!
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On Wednesday last week it was a real pleasure to speak at a ‘Pathways to Pacific Prosperity’ event in the Hutt organised by my friend John Fiso and the National Party Pacific Blues. Great to have Emma Chatterton there too alongside Agnes Loheni.
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NEW POLICY: National will let people under 30 use their KiwiSaver to pay for bonds for rental accommodation. A sensible policy pushed by our excellent youth wing the NZ Young Nats. Will help students in particular who have some money saved in KiwiSaver but don’t have a lot of cash. Getting together four weeks rent for a bond payment can be a massive hassle. This policy will help.
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Up at Vic with the Young Nats for Re-O week last week.
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Auckland Property Investors Meeting
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Good fun at the APIA forum on Tuesday night in Auckland last week.
We’re committed to
- restoring full interest deductibility for rental properties
- taking the brightline test back to two years
- reinstating the ability to issue 90 day notices
- ending the near-automatic roll over of fixed term tenancies to periodic tenancies.
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Jeremy rocking out! Like father like son...
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