Hi John --

More cost-of-living relief kicks in from Tuesday, targeted at parents and caregivers with young kids in childcare.

FamilyBoost lets eligible families claim back up to 25 per cent of their childcare costs, to a maximum of $975 every three months. The first quarterly payments can start being claimed from October 1.

We know it’s tough for Kiwis right now and National is proud to be delivering relief for childcare costs, on top of the tax relief that started landing in Kiwis’ pockets from the end of July.

So if you or someone you know has young kids in childcare, make sure you check out the IRD website for details about eligibility and how to make a claim.

But we also know the only way we can afford to support Kiwis with the cost of living is by rebuilding the economy – with more opportunities for growth and investment.

That’s why it was so exciting that, after just four months of negotiations, National Party Minister Todd McClay signed the dotted line this week on a new trade agreement with the United Arab Emirates.

It’s a perfect example of what can be achieved when we go out and hustle on the world stage – unleashing new markets for trade and investment so Kiwis can do the business.

It’s awesome news for farmers and growers – the agreement will scrap duties on 98.5 per cent of our exports to the UAE immediately when it comes into effect: meaning more cash in their pocket, when their product moves offshore.

Federated Farmers summed it up well by saying "This agreement will take millions of dollars that would have been charged in tariffs and pump them directly into our rural communities.”

We promised to work at pace to rebuild our economy and completing New Zealand’s fastest-ever trade agreement negotiations is a great example of how we’re doing exactly that.

Thank you,
Christopher