Hi John, here’s your July update.

It might be the middle of winter but there are a few rays of sunshine below to
keep you warm.


THIS MONTH:

* Ō2NL has officially begun

* Transmission Gully speed change

* What have we done this month

* Cost of living support

* Better healthcare

* Local events

* Join us for lunch

* A day at the races

* Upcoming events




Ō2NL HAS OFFICIALLY BEGUN!!

We promised and we're delivering.

Ever since Labour cancelled our new road in 2018, National have promised we
would build it. Last Monday, it officially started.

I went to the new site office on Tararua Road, along with Rangitikei MP Suze
Redmayne, to welcome the team, to thank them for all the work that has happened
to date, and to celebrate the first official day of the build. Current work
focuses on "site establishment," which means building haul roads, clearing
vacant homes, constructing reservoirs, vegetation clearance, and fencing work.
When spring arrives you'll see all the diggers and trucks going flat out to
build the road we have waited so long for. How exciting!!

And remember, thanks to our big campaign, we're getting the full interchanges at
both the Levin and Ōtaki ends and the over-bridge at Manakau Heights. How good.




TRANSMISSION GULLY SPEED CHANGE

While we're on roads, the results are in from the petition I ran on both
Transmission Gully and Raumati Straights about changing the speed to 110km/hr.
Over 98% of people supported the change on TG and 97% along the Straights.

That is overwhelming. I have passed this on to NZTA and I expect them to release
their final decision very soon, and I will update everyone as soon as the
decision comes out.


WHAT HAVE WE DONE THIS MONTH?

1. Cost of living:

1. Refocusing local government to deliver for Kiwis. Read more
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2. Electricity sector changes create more ways to save. Read more
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3. Unlocking economic growth without compromising conservation values. Read
more
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4. New Zealand launches Anti-Scam Alliance to fight online financial scams.
Read more
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2. Law and order: Government on track to deliver on law and order targets ahead
of schedule. Read more
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3. Health:

1. Encouraging signs for mental health workforce. Read more
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2. Childhood immunisation rates continue to climb. Read more
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3. We're building a new medical school in Hamilton to train more doctors for
rural NZ!

4. Education:

1. Government calls time on open-plan classrooms. Read more
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2. Surge in NCEA numeracy and literacy results. Read more
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COST OF LIVING SUPPORT

We know it's tough for some families and we want to help. Thousands of
households across the country will now receive larger FamilyBoost rebates on the
early childhood education fees they pay. From the start of this month rebates
will increase from 25 per cent to 40 per cent of weekly fees, up to a maximum of
$120 per week. This is equivalent to $1,560 per quarter, up from $975. Families
with household incomes right up to $229,000 are now eligible to apply,
effectively extending the scheme to thousands of families that were previously
ineligible for it.

Mortgages are also getting much cheaper, and local families, real estate agents,
and mortgage brokers, tell me this is translating to more first home buyers in
the market. I'm so pleased for them. There has been a 2.25% deduction in the
Official Cash Rate (interest rates) since August last year. That means the
average mortgage is a couple of hundred bucks cheaper each week! Lower mortgage
rates mean more money in the household budget, and relief for interest-rate
sensitive sectors of the economy, including building and construction.

We're also working on legislation to help reduce the cost of your local Council
Rates. They were the biggest contributor to cost of living increases over the
last few months according to Stats NZ so we can't do nothing; we have to act.

Fixing years of high inflation, high interest rates, and high cost of living
takes time, but we are making progress.




BETTER HEALTHCARE

Historic funding boost for GPs. Local GPs are the cornerstone of our community
but for too long, getting an appointment has been just so hard. Our National
Government is working to change this and recently confirmed the largest funding
boost for general practice in our country’s history: $175 million this year
alone. This is part of a $1.37 billion package for Health New Zealand through
Budget 2025 and will mean more appointments, shorter waits, and stronger fee
support for families doing it tough.

While there is more work to do, this investment helps make progress by focusing
on patients and supporting frontline care.

Read more about the record funding boost for GPs.
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Elective Boost Programme

If you’ve ever waited too long for an elective surgery, you’re not alone. That’s
why National is boosting elective procedures to deliver over 215,000 procedures
– over 21,000 extra than previously planned – including knees, hips, cataracts,
and tonsils, by using both public and private hospitals through the Elective
Boost programme.

Read more about the boost to elective surgeries here
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LOCAL EVENTS

Local events and visits in the last month include the Matariki Ceramics Festival
in Ōtaki, Ōtaki Maori Racing Club, visits to the Ō2NL project office, the
Tara-Ika development, Partners Porirua, Levin Work and Income Office working
with local employers to open up more jobs locally, Manakau School, Carters
Levin, The 502 Youth Service in Porirua, Speldhurst, Kāpiti Deerstalkers,
celebrated 50 years of the Waikanae Chartered Club, Kāpiti Airport with Merlin
Aviation, the Wellington Gold Business Awards, The Farm Track in Levin, an
over-60s morning tea, L'Arche in Kāpiti, and Woodhaven Gardens.

I also ran and/or visited community events at South African Pantry and at The
Waterfront Raumati and Relish Café with local business owners. And one of those
really sweet things I get to do: I got to wish a happy 70th wedding anniversary
to Elsie and Allen Bramley of Levin.


JOIN US FOR LUNCH

It's our annual Soup and Buns lunch in Waikanae, this year with a very special
guest, Rima Nahkle, MP for Takanini. You will love Rima. She's half Lebanese,
half Australian, and 100% Kiwi. I'll send out final details soon, but it will be
12pm for lunch and venue confirmed in a week or two. You can RSVP now to
Lorraine [email protected] [email protected] or 027 302 1030‬. We will
then let you know venue once confirmed.


A DAY A THE RACES

Join us this Saturday at the Ōtaki Races. Details below, and contact Oliver for
tickets: [email protected] [email protected] or ‭021 064 3778‬. Last
year was so much fun and this year will be just as good.




UPCOMING EVENTS

Still plenty to join in at:

* July

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

* August

* 1-3 - National conference, Christchurch

* 15 - Annual soup and buns lunch with Rima Nahkle, Waikanae

* Special under 60s drinks fundraiser

* September

* 20 - Levin dessert evening

* October

* 6 - Quiz night, Kāpiti 

* 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

That's it for this month.

Best wishes,




[link removed]

www.national.org.nz [link removed]

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New Zealand

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