Held to account 

Rt Hon Winston Peters was weighing in on the issues of the week, bringing experience and commonsense to the forefront as always. 

He made it abundantly clear that the public have a right to know where their money is going, including when it pays for an inquiry into a parliamentarian. Here’s what Winston had to say about it on The Platform.

• Acting Prime Minister Winston Peters on Darleen Tana

The irony is not lost on us; the same party who called the Waka Jumping Legislation a ‘dead rat’, now need to swallow that so-called rat, and enact the legislation.

Keeping the truth afloat

New Zealand First also led the charge to ensure the truth surfaced quickly over the Interislander running aground.  

As confirmed in an interview on RNZ, Winston stated that we don’t need a month-long inquiry to get to the bottom of what happened, the taxpayer deserves the truth, right here, right now. 

New Zealand First will always ensure that public-owned entities are accountable to the right place – to the public. You can count on us to call out the cover ups and get the truth revealed.  

Aged Care Sector Inquiry

Throughout our party’s history, New Zealand First has always advocated and delivered for our seniors. 

We welcome the Health Select Committee’s latest update, that they have agreed upon the terms of reference for the inquiry into aged care provision announced six weeks ago. 

With a shortage of aged care services and facilities in New Zealand, and an increasingly ageing population, this inquiry cannot come soon enough. 

Terms of reference will investigate areas such as funding models, application processes, care services for people with neurological cognitive disorders, and the process and effects of diagnosis for neurological cognitive disorders.   

This inquiry commitment was part of a range of policies secured in New Zealand First’s coalition agreement dedicated to the wellbeing of seniors, and we look forward to progressing the findings to improve outcomes for Kiwi seniors. 

Team coverage 

Internationally, our Wellington-based MP Andy Foster has been part of a Speaker’s delegation trip to Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka. And New Zealand industry champion, Shane Jones, has been in Western Australia advocating for New Zealand’s resources sector. Hear more from Shane here.

Back on home soil, our other MPs have been on the road talking with more community and business groups. Casey Costello was out on the beat with the Auckland Central Community Patrol and then meeting with Papakura Police Station Victim Support. 

Tanya Unkovich ventured into the Waikato area to meet with local Hospice and Community Living groups. And Jenny Marcroft travelled to the sunny Hawke’s Bay to talk with local women’s support centres and Hawke’s Bay innovation.