NationBuilder

After a busy fortnight in October recess, the House was straight into a two-week sitting block as we make progress on our Quarter 4 commitments.

The Government’s Quarter 4 Action Plan is focused on making it easier and faster to build infrastructure in New Zealand as part of our wider plan to rebuild the economy.

Our final action plan for 2024 will build on our previous quarterly action plans and continue to deliver on the Government’s core priorities of rebuilding the economy, restoring law and order, and delivering better public services.

We are well on track to deliver these actions and I look forward to the outcomes of this quarter as we head into the Christmas period.

Minister's News

As usual, it has been a busy month across my portfolios. I spent the October recess travelling across the North Island for several meetings, events and engagements. Thank you to Dan Bidois, Ryan Hamilton, Tama Potaka and Katie Nimon for hosting me in their respective electorates.

I then visited my electorate of Taupō with my ministerial hat on. Highlights included:

People First New Zealand Birthday Party

People First New Zealand Ngā Tāngata Tuatahi recently celebrated 21 years in Hamilton! The organisation was created for people with learning disabilities, and it is run by them too.

Electorate News

It has been one year since you re-elected me as the MP for Taupō on 14 October! Thank you to everyone across Tūrangi, Taupō, South Waikato and Cambridge.

I am incredibly proud to serve as your MP, and as a Minister in our Government. We made three key promises to you – to rebuild the economy, restore law and order and deliver better public services. We’ve made good progress, but I know there’s still more to do to get New Zealand back on track.

Thank you for putting your faith in me. I’ll keep working hard to represent you to the best of my ability.

It was a pleasure to welcome around 120 national and overseas tutors, merchants and sponsors to the 2024 Waikato Quilt Symposium, this year hosted in Cambridge.

The Cambridge High School Kapa Haka Group welcomed our national and overseas visitors with a stunning performance.

About 625 quilters registered to attend some of the 100 classes in quilting techniques held at Cambridge High School.

Mammograms are essential to early detection of breast cancer which enables better treatment outcomes. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has extended free mammograms to women aged 70–74. I encourage you to attend regular checks.

The government has also boosted Pharmac's funding for life-changing medicines by $604 million – medicines like Keytruda for advanced triple negative breast cancer and Enhertu for HER2-positive advanced breast cancer.

The Resource Management Act has dampened housing development, inhibited infrastructure development and held back productivity and growth.

Government is amending the Act. The Fast-Track Approvals Bill will support economic growth by speeding up consenting. Nationally, 149 housing, infrastructure, renewable energy, mining, aquaculture, farming, and quarrying projects with significant regional or national benefits have been identified as benefitting immediately from this legislation.

The section of SH1 from Cambridge to Piarere is one such project that has been earmarked for Fast-Track Approval. I will bring you updates as the process progresses.

Local Electorate Visits

During the last month I've continued regular meetings with councils, community organisations and businesses. See some examples below.

Cambridge Community MenzShed

The Cambridge MenzShed is working hard to make the former Leamington Dairy Factory a workshop space.

It will be a fantastic place for guys to chew the fat while they work on their projects. I'm sure they'll have some good advice for me next time I visit!

It's great to see some practical solutions for affordable housing at Peake Mews in Cambridge.

Blocks of two- and three-bedroomed terraced houses, complete with landscaped gardens and outdoor living and active recreation areas, are being built by the Brian Perry Charitable Trust and sold to first-home buyers who pay the cost of construction. The trust retains ownership of the land and buyers purchase a 100-year lease to the land, set below market rates.

When the owner moves on, they sell the house back to the trust at the original price plus inflation.

The Department of Conservation’s $9.2 million Community Fund is available for community groups, iwi and private landowners New Zealand-wide for projects that protect and restore threatened species and ecosystems. Applications are open until 28 November.

Examples of previous initiatives include predator control and restoring habitats of threatened species.

For more details visit the website, email [email protected] or phone 0800 86 20 20.

Regional Infrastructure Fund

The Government's Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) will grow the economy by enabling regional prosperity and creating new jobs.

It will drive regional productivity, prosperity, and resilience by focusing on Resilience Infrastructure (to improve a region's ability to adapt and respond to stresses and shocks) and Enabling Infrastructure (to support growth by ensuring regions are well-connected and productive).

We encourage businesses, iwi, council, and community groups in the region to use the fund to build infrastructure for growth and resilience.

Waikato Regional Council | Te Kaunihera ā Rohe o Waikato, Waikato Pacific Business Network, Te Waka Waikato | Economic Development, Waikato Wellbeing Project | Hinonga toiora o Waikato, and Future Proof | Te Tau Tītoki have decided on some Waikato Regional priorities including:

logistics and distribution
sustainable food and agriculture/land use
high-value manufacturing
technology, digital, and I.C.T
energy and sustainability
tourism

Details about the eligibility and application process can be found on the Kānoa website.

Retirement Villages Act Review

Following 11,000 public submissions in 2023, the coalition Government is progressing the Retirement Villages Act 2003 review which will focus on three key areas:

maintenance and repairs of operator-owned chattels and fixtures
managing complaints and disputes
options for incentivising or requiring earlier capital repayments when residents move out of a village

The continuation of the Retirement Village Act review reflects the Government’s agreement to work with the sector and safeguard the interests of the residents living in retirement villages.

Ministers Potaka and Costello will receive a series of briefings next year on these priorities, before seeking Cabinet agreement for legislative change in 2026.

SH1/SH29 Roundabout

Work continues on the Piarere roundabout and queues are common on this section of SH1. Southbound Cambridge traffic needs to travel around the roundabout, double back, and negotiate a hairpin turn (as indicated by the black roads below), so please drive cautiously.

NZTA Waka Kotahi has begun intense maintenance and rehabilitation work on SH1 between Tīrau and Waiouru. Before Christmas 2024 work will only be carried out north of Taupō.

You will have noticed some smooth new sections of SH1 between Piarere roundabout and Putāruru. I’d like to give a shout out to the road workers who are completing some of this maintenance and repair overnight to cause minimal disruption to travellers.

Work is also being undertaken between SH32 Tokoroa to SH30 Ātiamuri until early November. A detour (an extra 47.4kms taking 34 minutes) is in place.

Consult NZTA’s Journey Planner to find out where roadworks will be and how much extra time to allow if necessary.

Central Plateau Dancing for Life Education

What an amazing night with 20 community champions who had trained and practised for 4 or 5 months before taking to the stage with fun, flair, style and sass to raise money for Life Education Trust Central Plateau.

The overall winner and people's choice dancers were Libby O'Brien and Mike Bennett. Congratulations!

Last time I was dancing in the Dancing for Life Education fundraiser. This time I was a judge. I don't know which was harder!

Taupō Mayoral Community Awards

Nominations for the 2024 Taupō Mayoral Community Awards are now open. The awards recognise volunteers who enhance community wellbeing.

Cambridge Friendly Forum

It was nice to catch up with some of you at the recent Friendly Forum in Cambridge. It was heartening to know that your concerns are also our concerns, and we're directing our energies into the areas that matter to you.

Upcoming Engagement Opportunities

Facebook Live

Join me online to discuss the issues that currently concern you on the second Tuesday of each month.

In this issue:

In the House

Minister's News