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Dear John In this issue:
Happy New Year!I'd like to wish you all a Happy New Year and all the best for your endeavours in 2024. In the HouseWe kicked off our year with a caucus meeting in Christchurch. Parliament resumed last week and I'm energised by the work we have ahead, beginning with continuing to deliver on the coalition government's 100-day plan to get New Zealand back on track and ease the cost-of-living crisis. See my Facebook video. You can watch a segment of question time here.
I was pleased to see the Corrections (Victim Protection) Amendment Bill, drawn on Thursday, which would protect victims of crime by preventing their perpetrators from contacting them. It complements my Rights for Victims of Insane Offenders Bill and the Victims of Crime Reform Bill. Youth Advisory BoardIf you, or someone you know, would like to be involved in the Youth Advisory Board on 21 June this year, please email Jane Matthews [email protected] for further information. Minister's NewsThe start of 2024 has been busy with my ministerial duties. I have attended many meetings and visits around the country with organisations and partners to discuss pathways forward, and my expectations. It was great to see some new innovations like virtual reality enabling MSD job seekers to 'experience' different jobs before applying for roles or enrolling in further training.
It will be a tough job to refocus the welfare system and get people into work as seen with the release of the Stats NZ data this week. Read the breakdown here. I am determined to ensure that the efforts of Ministry of Social Development are driven to reduce the vicious cycle of welfare dependency and the affect this has on families and children. I made my annual pilgrimage to Ratana and last week the Government had a significant ministerial presence at Waitangi. It is always an honour to attend. There was a lot of debate, as well as a lot of positive discussion about the future. I took a lot of value from the meetings I had with Iwi Chairs and look forward to working together to improve outcomes for Māori and non-Māori. Have a look here. There seems to be some confusion about National’s stance on the Treaty of Waitangi. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has repeatedly made it clear that National has a record of delivering for Māori, and will continue to deliver for Māori and non-Māori by lowering the cost of living and providing better healthcare and education, for example. We will honour Treaty settlements and continue working to negotiate those not yet completed. Our coalition Government commitment is that National will support ACT’s Treaty Principles Bill to the first reading, but not beyond that. Electorate NewsWhakapapaI visited Whakapapa and the Chateau Tongariro Hotel in Whakapapa Village with neighbouring Rangatīkei MP Suze Redmayne and Minister for Conservation Tama Potaka. The Chateau is a Heritage New Zealand Category 1 Historic Place. It closed a year ago due to earthquake risk and is now in the hands of the Department of Conservation. DoC educated us on challenges faced by Ruapehu Alpine Lifts. What happens on the maunga has flow-on effects in Tūrangi and the Taupō electorate, especially for businesses reliant on tourism, as well as the Ruapehu District which is in the neighbouring Rangatīkei electorate. Despite this, it is heartening to see Taupō businesses reporting increases in tourism spend this season. Events like the Hydro Thunder racing and the Summer Concert Tour certainly boosted visitor numbers.
Waipā District CouncilIn January I met with Waipā District Mayor Susan O'Regan and Chief Executive Garry Dyet to discuss issues we can all work on for the benefit of the district.
New Roundabout at PiarereWhat a great way to start the year by joining five MPs (including Transport Minister Simeon Brown) and the Mayors of Waipā and Matamata Piako to 'turn the sod' at the site of the Piarere roundabout! I've fought long and hard for safety improvements on the notoriously dangerous section of SH1 between Cambridge and Piarere, so it is gratifying to see progress being made. The next step is extending the Waikato Expressway from Cambridge to the roundabout. Watch this space!
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