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Hi John, here’s your September update. Come join me and National’s leader, Rt Hon Christopher Luxon, for a cuppa and a chat in the Plimmerton/Whitby area!
This will be a relaxed, informal event where you’ll hear directly from the PM. He’ll be interviewed by local resident and veteran sports broadcaster Bryan Waddle. There’ll be time to mingle, ask questions, and have a yarn with both of us. Or you can submit questions in advance when you RSVP below: In this months update:
Don't miss the chance below to get involved in one of our special ethnic or special interest group events, or to become part of my team locally. I really would love some more help at volunteer events. Message me please if you're interested to know more. New electorate boundariesA quick reminder: The Kapiti Electorate now covers all of Kapiti and a bit more: from Ōtaki to Whitby and everywhere in between. All of Horowhenua shifts into the Rangitikei electorate. If you live in, or know anyone in, the new Kāpiti Electorate, I'd love to hear from you. Please reply to this email and let's connect. How you can helpWith new electorate boundaries comes new opportunity. First, I need to build a local team of supporters. You're not committed to anything, but it means we can let you know when events are coming up, you can contribute to policy, be part of little campaigns (like flyer deliveries) or fundraisers. If you would be willing to go on my supports list please reply to this email. If you want to pay the $5 required by law to join National, let me know that too. We need about another 100 local members to steer the local direction of National. If you want a say then sign up today. New trains for our regionHow good is this! I joined Transport Minister Chris Bishop at Wellington Station last Monday to announce the Government is investing $802.9m to purchase new battery-electric trains for our region! The 18 new trains will deliver faster and more frequent services for everyone from Wellington to Palmerston North, including off-peak and weekend services. This is a game changer for Kapiti and Horowhenua, and something we've promised for years we would do if elected to Government. I can't wait to jump onboard one when they arrive in 2029.
Learning support for our schoolsThe biggest thing that Principals and local schools have spoken to me about is learning support. Learning Support Coordinators, or LSCs, were introduced in 2019, and promised to be rolled out widely, but they never were. Only some schools ever got them, and in our region that means if you live south of Ōtaki then you’re probably out of luck, as principals have often reminded me. LSCs are qualified teachers who work with neurodiverse students and those with additional learning needs. They’re the ones who help navigate additional specialist support. They are highly valued, and we need more of them. We're fixing this. From day one of school next year, 11 extra schools across the Kapiti and Porirua regions will have new LSCs and then within two years every single school in our region and around the country will have access to their own dedicated LSC, and that will directly help our children, and schools, to be their very best. This is the support teachers and parents have been crying out for. It doesn’t really matter who promised it, we are delivering it because it will help our kids achieve their very best. As one local principal wrote to the Minister last week: I would also like to thank you for the recent allocation of a Learning Support Coordinator to our school. This will make a significant difference to our learners, staff, and whānau. Thank you for your support, the work you and your staff are doing for education, and for listening to the voices of school leaders. What's trending?Here are the three biggest things people have been following on my social media (click to watch):
In the newsHere's a few headlines you might have seen:
New weekly updatesHave you seen I'm putting out a weekly video update, explaining one current issue each week. They come out every Tuesday at 5pm, they're only two minutes, and you can find them on TikTok, Instagram or Facebook. Watch the first few here: I'm also keen to hear if you would like other weekly email updates, such as recent Government announcements, what I'm working on, or what's happening in different policy areas. Send me your feedback and let me know if you want more or if you're happy with one big monthly email.
Calling all Over 60sPlease join us for a special morning tea with Upper Harbour MP Cameron Brewer.
Local eventsIt's been a really busy month, but I guess it always is. Here's a wee taste of where I've been: Kāpiti Chocolate Factory, the blessing and then the first soil turning for Golf for Good, Primary School winter sports tournament, Stanmore Farm, a variety of local businesses, The Cultural Diversity Festival, Paraparaumu College supported learning team and dance troupe, Westpac Bank to meet the team, Kapiti Women in Business, Science Roadshow at Kapakapanui School, Carters' Tradie Breakfast, Mary Potter Fundraiser Dinner, KCDC Citizenship Ceremony, Birth Right Kāpiti, Raukawa Housing Charitable Trust, Filipino Salu-Salo celebration, Wellington on a Plate High Tea, the final Electra Business Breakfast, Birthright, Big Egg, Onam celebrations with our Indian community in Kapiti and Horowhenua (and Palmerston North too) Breakfast, and the Te Horo School Fair. I also held pop-up clinics in Ōtaki, Whitby and Plimmerton, and visited a wide range of businesses in my buddy electorate of Mana (also part of the new Kapiti electorate). I hosted Minister for Women, Horticulture and Trade Nicola Grigg, and we had a fantastic day meeting with women in business and in horticulture, and I also hosted Auckland MPs Rima Nahkle and Paulo Garcia. Thanks to all who attended these events. Celebrating our ethnic diversityPerhaps the most memorable night was the special Salu-Salo or Filipino celebration I ran, hosting New Zealand's first Filipino MP Paulo Garcia, and the Filipino Ambassador, HE Kira Christianne D. Azucena. It was an amazing night of celebration with food, dance and music, all made magic by our local Filipino community. I've run events for Filipino, South African, social services, seniors, youth and business, and this week I'm running a special morning tea for local JPs. The next one will be a cricket match for local Indian families. If you want to help organise something for one of our special communities, let me know!
Upcoming eventsStill plenty to join in at:
That's it for this month. Best wishes, Tim |
 41 Pipitea Street Authorised by Tim Costley, Parliament Buildings, Wellington |
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