Dear John
This month has been really busy for me as Minister of State for Trade with a number of trips to South East Asia. I had the opportunity to join Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on a trade delegation to Malaysia and Korea. Malaysia is our ninth-largest trading partner, and this trip helped us explore ways to boost trade and investment. Korea, which is our sixth-largest trading partner, is a key source of international students and technological innovation for New Zealand.
I then travelled to Laos for the ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meetings in Vientiane. With next year marking 50 years of New Zealand’s partnership with ASEAN, this was an important time to strengthen our trade and economic relationships. ASEAN is New Zealand’s third-largest trading partner, with exports exceeding $9 billion last year. Trade is key to growing our economy, and this upgrade will make a real difference for Kiwis across many industries.
On the local front, I have four more coffee catchups this month, and I’ll be attending the Ellesmere show. I will also be collecting for the annual Pink Ribbon Street Appeal as I do every year.
Suffrage Day
As the Minister for Women, it’s really important to me to celebrate New Zealand’s role as the first country in the world to give women the right to vote 131 years ago. While we’ve come a long way, there’s still more to do.
We're working to close the gender pay gap, get more women into leadership roles, and improve health outcomes, including extending free breast cancer screening. Supporting working parents with paid parental leave and FamilyBoost is also a priority. I believe the best way to honour the suffragists legacy is by carrying on their fight for true equality here in New Zealand.
You can view my Instagram clip here <[link removed]>
FamilyBoost Starting 1st October
Great news from 1st October for low to middle-income families with young children! The launch of the FamilyBoost package means more financial support for parents struggling with early childhood education (ECE) costs. Under this new scheme, families earning up to $180,000 can now claim up to 25% of their weekly ECE fees, capped at $975 every three months.
This is a practical way to ensure that parents, especially in today’s tough economic climate, have one less thing to worry about.
I’ve already reached out to all ECE providers in Selwyn to make sure they’re aware of the scheme and how families can apply. The process is simple: log in to myIR and follow the steps. Claims for the FamilyBoost payment can be made from 1 October for ECE fees invoiced between 1 July and 30 September 2024.
For more information on how to access this valuable support, visit www.ird.govt.nz/familyboost <[link removed]>. Let’s make the most of this opportunity and help our families thrive!
MSD Needs Local Businesses to Help
The Government is committed to getting more Kiwis into work and reducing benefit dependency. One of the key goals is to reduce the number of people on Jobseeker Support by 50,000 by 2030, with the Ministry for Social Development (MSD) leading the charge.
Work changes lives, strengthens communities, and boosts the economy. But MSD can’t do it alone – local representatives and businesses are essential in creating more prosperous communities.
For employers in Selwyn, the best way to contribute is by listing job vacancies with MSD. Across Canterbury, there are 18,114 people on Jobseeker Support, part of the 200,000 nationwide, many of whom bring valuable skills and experience. By giving local people the opportunity to work, businesses can make a real difference and help reduce benefit dependency.
If you're looking for a job, you can view listings here <[link removed]>. If you're an employer needing staff, please call 0800 778 008.
Revised Firearms rules for 'Clubs and Ranges'
Selwyn is home to a large number of firearms clubs and ranges and previous rules set by the Labour government have caused major problems for them. We are determined to cut red tape across all sectors of society so we have started work to make life easier for shooting clubs and ranges while still keeping safety front and centre.
Shooting clubs play a big role in keeping communities safe, but the rules brought in back in 2020 made things too complicated, and some ranges were at risk of closing. This new Bill looks to sort that out by making things simpler and clearer around how clubs are run and when inspections can happen.
The key changes are:
- Less paperwork for pistol clubs, but safety standards stay the same.
- A simpler system for non-pistol clubs and ranges to get up and running.
- Clear rules around selling ammo at the range.
- Allowing temporary ranges for events, as long as the authorities are given a heads-up.
These changes will help keep shooting clubs open and safe, so they can keep doing their important work in the community.
Upcoming Events
Coffee Catchups
It was wonderful to visit Lincoln and Tai Tapu recently for some coffee catch-ups.
With Selwyn being such a large electorate, it's important for me to take my office on the road and engage directly with the community. Hearing firsthand about the issues that matter to you is invaluable.
Thank you for the warm hospitality and the insightful conversations!
I'll be hosting four more sessions this month, and here are the details:
Monday 7th October 2024
Dunsandel Cafe & Store, 7 Kanes Road, Dunsandel
11:00am - 12:00pm
Suburban Eatery, 112 High Street, Leeston
12:30pm - 1:30pm
Tuesday 8th October 2024
Robert Harris, 76 Rolleston Drive, Rolleston
11:00pm - 12:00pm
Hartnell's, 597 Springs Road, Prebbleton
12:30pm - 1:30pm
Ellesmere A&P Show
The National Party team and I will have a stall at the Ellesmere A&P Show on 19 October. If you’re at any of these events, please do come up for a chat—we’d love to see you!
Ellesmere Showgorunds, 1650 Leeston Road, Leeston
9:00am - 3:00pm
In the news
Government to back women in the Horticulture sector will receive state funding
Click here to read <[link removed]>
No more tears for onion exporters to Indonesia
Click here to read <[link removed]>
Here to help
As always, my team and I are here and available to help.
You can get in touch with us by emailing
[email protected] <mailto:
[email protected]?subject=Nicola%20Grigg%20Office%20Enquiry>, phone 03 344 2800, or pop into the office in Rolleston Square between Monday and Fridays, 10:00am - 4:00pm.
Kind regards,
Hon Nicola Grigg
[link removed] <[link removed]>
<[link removed]> <[link removed]> <[link removed]>
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NZ National Party - 41 Pipitea St, Wellington 6011, New Zealand
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