Hi John,

There is only five weeks to go! We need your support now more than ever before.

In this update: 

• Upcoming debates and events
• Cost of living crisis
• Our local commitment to you

Public debates

We've had amazing crowds for our recent public meetings; now I'm inviting you to join me for one of the local 'Meet The Candidate' debates in our region. I'd love a big warm support crowd at each one. Please join us.

• Sep 10, 3pm. Horowhenua Rate Payers, Freemasons Centre, Levin
• Sep 12, 2pm. Speldhurst
• Sep 14, 2pm. Kapiti Retirement Trust, Midlands Gardens Village
• Sep 20, 4pm. KYS Pizza and Politics (youth event)
• Sep 22, 1.30pm. Horowhenua Grey Power, Levin Cossie Club
• Sep 27, 6pm. Kapiti Grey Power, Southwards Car Museum
• Sep 28, 6pm. Kapiti Rotary (members event).

Cost of living

The top four things people talk to me about on the door-step are:

• The cost of living crisis
• Rising crime rates in our towns
• A lack of decent healthcare available locally
• The need for the expressway to Levin

The biggest issue is always the cost of living crisis. New Zealand is in recession, the cost-of-living continues to rise faster than wages, and mortgages are unaffordable. The economy isn’t working, and too many Kiwis are struggling. National will get the economy working for all New Zealanders. A rebuilt, working economy means better jobs, higher incomes, a lower cost-of-living, affordable mortgages and the ability to afford the quality public services we all rely on – like more resources to crack down on crime and make our communities safe; reliable healthcare when you need it, and a better education for all children.

To help meet the immediate needs, National has announced its 'Back Pocket Boost' policy, giving tax relief to hard-working Kiwis. The average family with two parents and two kids gets around $250 in the hand extra per pay. You can visit our online calculator here to see how much you would get in the hand.

On top of tax relief, we've guaranteed to keep the winter energy payment, lunches in schools, increase the pension every year, and we'll increase health and education spending every year we're in Government.

Get involved!

Only five weeks to go and we need a strong team to get over the line. 

We have a special sign-waving session on Monday lunch-time and we're hoping to get 50 volunteers to join us along with some special guests. If you can make it, please contact Lorraine.

If you have any time to help over the next month, can you please help me with one of these?

• Sign waving (on the side of the road - it's more fun than you might think!)
• Morning sign checks (checking on the ones in your area for damage)
• Knocking on doors one day
• Attending debates (see the details above)
• Polling booth scrutineers (we need a bright friendly face in each polling booth)

Contact our amazing volunteer coordinator Lorraine if you can help.

Ōtaki to Levin Expressway and our local pledge to you

You might have seen Simeon Brown was with me to re-confirm our commitment to building the Ōtaki to North of Levin (Ō2NL) Expressway as soon as we can, starting in the next term. This was one point of our 8-point plan for our region:

• Lower inflation and grow the economy, so that we ease the cost of living and create better-paying jobs.  
• Let you keep more of what you earn. We will provide tax relief of around $100 a fortnight  for a couple without kids who have the average household income of $120,000.  
• Build infrastructure. We will build the Ōtaki to North of Levin Expressway and upgrade public rail through our region. 
• Restore law & order. We’ll back Police to tackle gangs and establish boot camps for serious young offenders. We need to end the stream of crime that's built up in our region.
• Lift educational achievement because right now, fewer than half of Year 8s are ready for high school and half our 15-year-olds fail the most basic maths, reading and writing test.  
• Cut waiting times in the health system by training and retaining more doctors, nurses and midwives. I'll be fighting hard to get more health services delivered closer to home in Horowhenua and Kāpiti.
• Support seniors. We’ll increase New Zealand Superannuation every year and boost it with our tax relief plan which will see a superannuitant couple get an additional $26 per fortnight.
• Deliver Net Zero by 2050 and we’ll do it by doubling New Zealand’s renewable electricity generation, and by giving our local farmers the tools they need to reduce agricultural emissions.

Finally, here are a few photos from the last week, ranging from Foxton to Paraparaumu. I'm working really hard every minute of the day, but we'll only win this for National with a strong team effort for one last month.

Thank you for all the support. If you were ever thinking of getting involved, now is the time! I'm really grateful.

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