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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!!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 changeWhile 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?
Cost of living supportWe 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 healthcareHistoric 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. 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.
Local eventsLocal 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 lunchIt'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] or 027 302 1030. We will then let you know venue once confirmed. A day a the racesJoin us this Saturday at the Ōtaki Races. Details below, and contact Oliver for tickets: [email protected] or 021 064 3778. Last year was so much fun and this year will be just as good.
Upcoming eventsStill plenty to join in at:
That's it for this month. Best wishes,
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