Hello Friend, 

The threat of COVID-19 is at the fore front of everything we do.

Many of us may have been greatly inconvenienced by the alert level 4 lockdown. Though we must recognize that taking such measures is necessary to preserve the health and livelihoods of New Zealanders.

New Zealand may be in self-isolation but your New Zealand First MPs have not stopped working. Every day we continue our hard work to get our country out of this crisis.

Here’s what we’ve been doing recently.

Watch our Party Leader Rt. Hon. Winston Peters recap recent events while under self-isolation

We’re supporting Kiwi workers

Through our support package, we have provided important initiatives to keep as many Kiwis in jobs as possible.

The wage subsidy scheme will pay employers to keep their employees working. There are now over 1 million workers directly helped by this initiative.

A $100 million redeployment fund will also help ensure displaced workers continue to find work. Through this, we have already helped redeploy 300 displaced forestry workers in Gisborne.

Money from the Provincial Growth Fund, our flagship policy, has been re-purposed into initiatives deemed more critical in fighting the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones says: “We need to be throwing everything we have at our disposal at keeping Kiwi businesses going, workers in jobs and regional economies afloat and viable.”

We’re helping Kiwis get home

The COVID-19 pandemic has cut off world wide connections. Flights are being cancelled and this has seen many travelling New Zealanders stuck overseas.

As Foreign Minister, the Rt. Hon. Winston Peters has worked hard to ensure Kiwis stranded overseas are able to return home.

New Zealand has entered into transit arrangements with a range of countries to make it easier for each other’s citizens to get home.

The Minister announced that the Government has made arrangements to charter a flight for New Zealanders stranded in Peru to depart Chile, following agreement with the Chilean government to allow the necessary transit through their country.

As always our commitment is to look after the best interests of all New Zealanders. We want to help Kiwis get home and be reunited with their families.

We support initiatives to take care of Kiwis’ mental health

Our MPs gave a video message to encourage people to support Gumboot Friday. Click here to watch their message.

Mental health advocate Mike King’s Gumboot Friday is an important day to bring awareness to our country’s mental health crisis and raise funds for counselling.

The alert level 4 lockdown may be putting many of us under severe mental stress. It is important to ensure that we take care of our mental health during these tough times.

Gumboot Friday fund raised for young New Zealanders aged 5-25yrs to receive free counseling. All donations went towards providing this vital mental health service to young people who need them.

We thank those who leave their homes to ensure life goes on as normal

As most of New Zealand self-isolate in the comfort of their own homes, there are many who have to leave their homes to work in essential services. These individuals deserve our utmost gratitude.

Our frontline health workers ensure that our health services are property staffed to deal with those sick with COVID-19 or any other illness.

Our supermarket workers continue to stock our shelves to ensure we are able to buy food and other essentials we need every day.

Our rubbish collectors continue their work to ensure our streets are clean and our rubbish bins are empty.

Our distribution workers ensure our supply chain remains robust and that vital supplies like food and fuel are delivered on time.

Our farmers continue their work to ensure that New Zealand never runs out of food. Our agriculture industry continues to keep the wheels of our economy going.

These Kiwi workers have to leave their homes to ensure that life goes on as normal for the rest of us.

We thank them for their work and give them a massive thumbs up!

Watch Mark Patterson MP give a shout out to our farmers for the pivotal work they are doing.

As part of the Coalition Government we are working hard to ensure that we help New Zealanders get through these tough times.

We want to help Kiwis keep their jobs, keep Kiwi businesses going, support our essential workers, help Kiwis overseas get home, and help look after the mental health of every New Zealander.

For more resources on the COVID-19 pandemic and what Alert level 4 means for you, visit: https://covid19.govt.nz/

If you are feeling symptoms and seek medical advice, call Healthline free on 0800 611 116.

Authorised by Rt Hon Winston Peters, Parliament Buildings, Molesworth Street, Pipitea, Wellington 6011