Hi,

Lots of local updates below, and a bit on healthcare and growth. Quickly
upfront, a reminder that our Annual Golf Classic is Monday April 7th. Details
below - we'd love you to join us!




IN THIS MONTH'S EDITION:

* The good news story: helping with health

* Going for growth

* Local events

* Quality Healthcare - Fast

* Save the date

* All the news


THE GOOD NEWS STORY

There is a lot to celebrate but we often miss the good news stories. It's hard
given the personal details of many I deal with, but one great story this month
was a gentleman who couldn't get a timely appointment with a specialist about a
potential cancer diagnosis. I was able to get involved, along with my local
team, and he was seen within a matter of days, not waiting three months. Health
is a big focus for me (see below) and I'm so pleased that we are able to help
people, one at a time.

It was also a huge highlight to hand-deliver three 100th birthday cards this
month. Did you know our electorate has the highest number of over-65s in NZ?




GOING FOR GROWTH

I want our local families to have a few more choices and a few more
opportunities. I want everyone to have a few more dollars at the end of the
week, to be able to take the kids to the beach for fish & chips or to save for a
summer holiday. I want our country to be able to afford better healthcare,
education, Police, and Defence. But for all of these things to happen we need to
go for growth. 

Going for growth means being ambitious for our country and our community. It
means we need to give our children top quality education in every sense, so we
develop a skilled workforce for the future.

Going for growth means cutting through bad regulation so we have competitive
business settings. It means letting Kiwi ingenuity do what it does best, and
ensuring we can leverage technology and innovation and not tie ourselves up in
red tape.

Going for growth means welcoming new investment, including that from overseas.
It means increasing the value of our exports through Free Trade Agreements and
reducing Non-Tariff Barriers so our exporters (like Alliance – see below) can
bring more money in to our local region.

Going for growth means quality infrastructure. Not just new roads like the Ō2NL
Expressway that starts construction this year (hooray!), but health and
education infrastructure, technology, data-centres and all that we need to be a
leading small economy in the world.

So when you read about our PM being in India this week with the biggest
delegation ever, that’s because we are hustling and trying to increase growth so
that local companies can earn more money from offshore to give local families
opportunity and choice. When you hear about the successful investment summit
last week, it’s about bringing new opportunities into our local region. Our
relentless focus on education outcomes is because we know we need a skilled
workforce to create the vibrant country we all want.

Going for growth is the ticket to our success, and it makes a huge difference
locally.




LOCAL EVENTS

It’s been another busy month. Here are a few highlights:

Community: I’ve been collecting for the Heart Foundation, I was at Waikanae
movies in the park, Purple Poppy Day in Levin, Vic Uni O-week, and I called in
to wish at least three local residents a happy 100th birthday!

Business: I was at the Ōtaki and Te Horo Business Association evening, I spoke
to the Kāpiti Chamber of Commerce, was at the business breakfast, the Sheffield
Street Block Party, and have visited businesses from Foxton to Paraparaumu.

Rural: I’ve been busy in the rural sector, visiting Alliance in Levin, the
Golden Shears in Masterton, the Rural Games and the Central District Field Days.
This week I’m learning to shear a sheep!!

If you don’t follow my Instagram [link removed] or
Facebook page [link removed] like it now and you can get
all the action first-hand. I’ve included a range of photos throughout the email
to give you a taste.




 QUALITY HEALTHCARE - FAST

After the terrible state of the economy we inherited, health is the biggest
issue I continually hear about in this area. I know it's not realistic to expect
a full hospital, but I'm fighting hard to get more services delivered locally,
and better transport links to hospitals like Palmerston North and Wellington
when we need them.

Our National-led Government is focused on fixing New Zealand’s healthcare system
and ensuring all Kiwis get timely, quality care.

To make this happen, we’re investing a record $16.68 billion extra into health
and making sure it’s focused on the frontline. Here’s what it means for you:

* More doctors, and faster access to doctors

* More New Zealand-trained doctors in primary care, so you can see a GP
faster.

* More doctor training places at medical school every year to boost the
workforce.

* Overseas-trained doctors will be allowed to work in GP practices in your
communities.

* Additional funding for GP practices to take on more patients.

* More Nurses, More Training, Better Care

* Hiring more nurses - more than 2000 have been added to the frontline since
taking office.

* Increasing nurse practitioner training places to 120 by 2026, providing
faster, better care.

* Fast-tracking tertiary education for 120 primary care nurses annually,
easing pressure on hospitals.

* Incentives for GP practices to recruit and support 400 graduate registered
nurses annually to help reduce hospital pressures and improve access to
care.

* Multi-Million Boost for Cancer Treatments and Medicines

* $604 million boost to Pharmac to improve access to life-saving treatments.

* This has already delivered 27 new cancer treatments and 23 additional
medicines, helping Kiwis access cutting-edge therapies.

* Better Digital Access to Healthcare

* A new 24/7 digital health service giving you video consultations with a GP
over your phone or laptop from anywhere in New Zealand.

* This means you can get prescriptions, lab test referrals and radiology
online, making healthcare easier and more convenient to get when you need
it.

* Lowering the Bowel Cancer Screening Age

* Dropping the screening age from 60 to 58, giving 122,000 Kiwis access to
life-saving early detection – the first step to aligning with Australia.

* This will prevent 771 bowel cancers and 556 deaths over the next 25 years.

* Lower screening ages will be announced as we boost our frontline team to
deliver more services.

* More Elective Surgeries

* Delivering more elective surgeries like hip and knee operations by
partnering with private providers.

* This will see more than 10,000 extra procedures carried out by June to help
reduce the waiting list and get people the care they deserve

New Zealand needs a health system that puts patients first, and is relentlessly
focused on delivering the care Kiwis need when they need it. Making that happen
is a top priority for our Government.




SAVE THE DATE

It's a busy year so let's just get a few markers in the diary nice and early.

Our Annual Golf Tournament is back at Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club. We've got a
few great initiatives like auctioning some super-stars to join your foursome.
More to follow but you can register now. Details below.

* April

* 7 - Annual Golf Tournament, Paraparaumu Beach, 12pm fro 12.30pm. $100 per
player. Email Sam [email protected] to register.

* Special under 60s drinks fundraiser

* May

* 1 - Levin movie night

* 9-11 - LNI regional conference (Rotorua)

* 12 - Super Blues (over 60s) morning tea

* June

* 6 - Ōtaki Mid-winter dinner

* 8 - Lower North Island (LNI) regional meeting (Wellington)

* Special dinner club fundraiser

* July

* 26 - Annual Day at the races, Ōtaki Maori Racing Club

* August

* 1-3 - National conference, Christchurch

* 15 - Annual soup and buns lunch, Waikanae

* Special under 60s drinks fundraiser

* September

* 20 - Levin dessert evening

* October

* 6 - Quiz night, Kāpiti 

* 10 - Possible event with Nicola Willis

* Special dinner club fundraiser

* November

* 7 - Super blues morning tea

* 23 - LNI Christmas lunch, Palmerston North

* 29 - Levin Christmas lunch

* Special under 60s drinks fundraiser

* December

* 6 - Kāpiti Food Fair - join us at our stall




ALL THE NEWS...

Politics Thursday on Newstalk ZB political chat with Nick Mills: the latest
edition is here
[link removed]

Coast Access monthly chat: latest episode.
[link removed]

Beach FM: not currently online but you can listen live.

That's it for this month.

Next month I'll include all the Easter and Anzac events coming up. this Anzac
Day I'll be in Foxton, Waitarere, Levin, Manakau and Paraparaumu. If you'd like
me to speak to your local group about my military service and what Anzac Day
means, please just reach out; I'm very happy to.

Best wishes,




[link removed]

www.national.org.nz [link removed]

41 Pipitea Street
Thorndon, Wellington 6011
New Zealand

Authorised by Tim Costley, Parliament Buildings, Wellington

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