Dear John,
I hope you had a great long weekend. After a big few days of "Scrutiny Week" at Parliament it was good to have a nice weekend with Jenna, Jeremy and Matilda. Straight back into it today with Cabinet meeting and then lots of things happening at Parliament this week.
Before I give you a run-down of some major announcements I've made this week, I just wanted to make sure you saw the news about the Hutt After Hours. First, it is now officially moving to the old Melling Birthing Centre - it has ten consultant rooms (not three and a bit), and much better facilities. Second, thanks to government funding in Budget 2025, the hours are expanding to offer daytime urgent care as well. From late this year or early next year it’ll open at 8am every day (currently, its hours are limited to 5.30-10pm, Monday to Friday, and 8-10pm on weekends and public holidays). Until now, the Hutt Valley has been the only metropolitan area without daytime urgent care - it's great that this is changing.
I’m still annoyed that the birthing centre closed in the first place and I’m frustrated that the transitional care unit Health NZ announced with great fanfare in 2022 never happened. But this is good news for the Hutt. I can’t wait for the opening!
As I say, a big week last week for announcements from me. Probably the one that got the most attention was about the Gordon Wilson Flats in Wellington. The building is unsafe and has been derelict since 2012. Since then they’ve been an eyesore and an ugly scar on the Wellington skyline, an emblem of a failed planning system. The flats are heritage listed and there have been multiple attempts to get them demolished but all have failed. The current owner (Vic Uni) wants them gone, the council wants them gone, the people of Wellington want them gone - and so does the government. We're therefore going to amend a RMA Amendment Bill currently before Parliament to remove the flats’ heritage status and make their demolition a permitted activity under the RMA. This will allow Vic Uni to move to demolish them and I understand they have plans for new student accommodation on the site. A win-win!
I also announced this week that that the government will be inserting a new regulation making power into the RMA, allowing us to modify or remove provisions in local council plans if they negatively impact economic growth, development capacity, or employment. We know that this is a significant step. But the RMA’s devolution of ultimate power to local authorities just has not worked. New Zealanders elected us with a mandate to deliver economic growth and rebuild our economy, and that’s exactly what this new power will help do. We aren’t willing to let a single line in a district plan hold back millions or billions in economic potential. If local councillors don’t have the courage to make the tough decisions, we will do it for them.
Oh and just in case you missed it, last week Kainga Ora announced it will use wool carpet in all new state homes from July, following a directive that government agencies use wool in the construction and refurbishment of their buildings. Great news for our farmers!
A bit of transport news this week as well. It was awesome to see the NZTA Board confirm the scope of the new Otaki to north Levin highway on Thursday last week. They were consulting on removing a couple of interchanges, but have ultimately made the call to build it as consented and originally designed. As a result of the Board decision the new highway connection with Tararua Road will be a grade-separated interchange, the southern connection, near Taylors Road, will include a southbound onramp, and the local road at Manakau Heights will be connected across the new highway via a bridge.
I am really pleased with this outcome and I hope you are too. Otaki to Levin is a critical project for the government and reflects our strong focus on infrastructure investment to drive economic growth. Construction will start later this year. Can't wait!
And just in case you missed it - the new Manawatu Tararua highway is now open! The new11.5km highway connects Ashhurst to Woodville, replacing the old Manawatū Gorge Road, which closed in 2017 due to slips. It was a pleasure to open it a couple of weeks ago as Minister of Transport. I've been on it from start to finish and let me tell you, you’re going to be blown away. Incredible road. Which reminds me - consultation is still open on Transmission Gully and the Raumati Straights going to 110 km/h. Make a submission here.
Have a great week.
Chris
P.S BusinessDesk did one of their "My Net Worth" interviews with me if you're interested.
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Can't wait until this eyesore of a building is demolished!
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Manawatu Tararua Highway is now open!
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It was a pleasure to officially open the new Manawatu Tararua highway with local MPs Mike Butterick and Suze Redmayne. I’ve now been on it from start to finish and let me tell you, you’re going to be blown away. Incredible.
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New and Better Hutt After Hours
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The Lower Hutt After Hours is moving to the old Birthing Centre site. 10 consultant rooms (not three and a bit), and much better facilities. Second, thanks to government funding in Budget 2025, the hours are expanding to offer daytime urgent care as well. From late this year or early next year it’ll open at 8am every day.
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Progress on RiverLink and Melling
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Good to see demolition underway for Melling and RiverLink, a hugely important project for the Hutt. Most recently, buildings on High Street, Rutherford Street and Queens Drive have been cleared. This will be where the new Riverlink interchange and bridge over the Hutt River joins local roads.
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Good to see some positive news coming through about lower rents.
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Our fantastic Hutt Chamber of Commerce hosted a wonderful Careers Day in the Hutt last week - over 1500 Hutt secondary school students went through. I took the chance to stop in for an hour or so.
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Not something I've done before - I hosted more than 200 people, including MPs, parliamentary staff and yoga enthusiasts, in Parliament’s banquet hall last week, for a special yoga and breathwork session led by the Art of Living Foundation, marking the seventh year of the event.
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I had a chuckle at this...
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Murdoch cartoon from a couple of weeks ago post my comments at the NZ Music Awards.
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