Dear John

In this issue:

* Minister's News

* In the House

* Electorate News

* Upcoming Engagement Opportunities

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MINISTER'S NEWS


BLIND AND LOW VISION'S ACCESSING THE ESSENTIALS BREAKFAST

Government is working to build digital accessibility into the everyday work of
ministries. In today’s interconnected world, digital information is a powerful
enabler. It opens doors to education, employment, social connection, and
essential public services. It is key to independence and consumer choice.

Chief Executive Blind Low Vision NZ Andrea Midgen, Chair of Blind Low Vision NZ
Clive Lansink, Lennox, and Access Advisor Dr Chandra Harrison

When we design websites, mobile apps, and digital services that everyone can
use, we signal that every person matters and that everyone deserves the
opportunity to participate fully in society.


THREE-DAY STAY BILL

Before becoming a Minister this Parliamentary term, my member's Pae Ora (Healthy
Futures)(3 Day Postnatal Stay) Amendment Bill was drawn out of the biscuit tin.
Upon becoming a Minister, MP for Tukituki Catherine Wedd took over shepherding
this Bill through Parliament.

This legislation ring-fences funding which entitles mothers to 72 hours of
postnatal hospital care. If one mother doesn't use her allocation, it can be
passed on to another one who needs more than the allotted 72 hours.

This will now be progressed as a Government Bill.


CRUISE SHIPS HOMEPORT IN NZ

Carnival line will homeport in Auckland again in the 2027 winter season after a
four-year hiatus.

Its ships will begin and end voyages in Auckland, making it a base for
passengers embarking and disembarking, provisioning and crew operations –
meaning more visitors, more jobs and more opportunities for local businesses in
the hospitality, retail and accommodation sectors.

Cruise tourism injected $1.37 billion into New Zealand's economy last financial
year. New Zealand will welcome an estimated 177,000 cruise visitors across
nearly 40 ships during the 2025–2026 season.  

We’ve worked hard to make the most of opportunities, remove barriers, provide
clarity on regulatory costs and support new ways to manage biofouling.

Government has also set up a Fast-Track Approvals process supporting efficient
consenting for much-needed infrastructure like Port of Auckland’s development of
a new wharf and passenger terminal for cruise vessels. And we’ve confirmed
ongoing cruise access to Milford Sound.


JIM BOLGER ONZ PC

Sadly, former Prime Minister and National Party Leader Jim Bolger was laid to
rest last week. My thoughts are with his wife, Joan, and his family as they come
to terms with his loss.



Jim played a pivotal role in the Waikato Tainui settlement law 30 years ago. It
was one of the earliest and most significant Treaty settlements in the country's
history.

Post-Parliament, he was Chancellor of Waikato University for 12 years.

Our paths crossed many times over the past two decades and I'll always be
grateful for the encouragement and advice he gave ne both as an MP and a
Minister.

His impact on the Waikato and New Zealand has been immeasurable.

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IN THE HOUSE


ECONOMY

Most economists expected inflation to peak in the third quarter, and the annual
Consumers Price Index (CPI) inflation did rise from 2.7 per cent in the year to
June, to 3 per cent in the year to September 2025, but it still remains in the
Reserve Bank's 1 to 3 percent target range.

The rate is expected to decline towards 2 per cent in the first half of next
year which will ease pressure on households and businesses.

Continued discipline will be needed by Government. Increases in local authority
rates and payments (8.8 per cent) and electricity (11.3 per cent) were major
contributors to inflation, highlighting the importance of councils sticking to
their core business and Government securing additional energy sources.

Encouragingly, domestic inflation continues to fall. It is down from 3.7 per
cent in the June quarter, to 3.5 per cent. This is the lowest rate since
mid-2021, and is down from a high of 6.8 per cent in the March quarter of 2023.


YOUTH OFFENDING

As a result of our tough-on-crime approach, the number of serious and persistent
child and youth offenders is trending downwards. It is 14.6 per cent lower than
in June 2023, indicating that we will reach our reduction target several years
earlier than planned, but there is still more work to do.

Anecdotal evidence suggests repeat young offenders are less likely to re-offend
because they know Courts, Oranga Tamariki, and Police are working together more
closely and that there will be consequences for their actions – and communities
are feeling safer.


COURT SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS

Improvements in the court system mean victims, families, and businesses are
getting faster justice and closure.

Courts are completing cases faster and reducing the backlog.

Safety is essential to trust in the justice system. A recent survey showed:

* 91 percent of respondents felt safe or very safe entering a courthouse

* 95 per cent felt safe in a courtroom

* 89 per cent felt safe while giving evidence.

We're expanding the use of audio-visual links in court, allowing participants to
attend remotely so victims feel safer and court processes are accelerated.


NEW RESCUE HELICOPTERS

Government and ACC are funding new air ambulance helicopters to replace the
oldest of our ageing fleet, providing improved safety, more reliable service, a
better capacity to respond in bad weather conditions, reduced maintenance costs,
greater fuel efficiency and better operational performance.

That means that 16 new or near-new helicopters will be operational across the
country, most of them by mid-2026.


BOWEL SCREENING

Bowel cancer is New Zealand’s second-deadliest cancer (after lung cancer).

Free bowel screening for 58–60-year-olds is being rolled out across the country,
bringing New Zealand in line with Australia. Some 122,000 people will become
eligible in the first year.

Waikato people already have access to the Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) for
Symptomatic home test (which identifies traces of blood in a stool sample). It
is expected to reduce colonoscopy referrals by 30–60 per cent. People turning
58, 59 or 60 will now be mailed a test kit or be contacted by their health
provider around their birthday.

An extra 7,100 colonoscopies will be delivered before July 2026. Colonoscopies
will be prioritised for those at highest risk, reducing wait times, speeding up
diagnoses and freeing resources to expand screening.

Around $19 million will be invested in lifting screening rates in populations
with low participation.

Since 2017, more than 2.53 million home test kits have been sent out and nearly
3,000 cancers have been detected. At least 40 per cent of them were found early
when they are more treatable.

Screening is expected to prevent more than 30 cancers and save around 23 lives
on average per year.


BREAST SCREENING

Breast cancer is the most common cancer for NZ women. Every day, another nine
New Zealanders learn they have breast cancer – around 3,400 each year. On
average, 25 of them are men.

Free breast screening has been extended to women aged 70–74. Each October for
the next three years, eligibility will extend to include women aged 71, 72, and
73, making around 130,000 additional women eligible for screening every two
years

Health New Zealand is also recruiting and training more staff, investing in
mammography and ultrasound machines, opening new screening and assessment
facilities, and building four new mobile screening units.


AGED-CARE REFORM

Government wants better health outcomes for the 900,000 New Zealanders who are
over 65, and a better, fit-for-purpose aged-care system.

The current funding model is outdated and does not recognise the connection
between the various parts of the system or the future investment required.

We want a system that provides the right type of care in the right place (and
allows people to transition between types of care), that’s easier to navigate
and access, that’s fair, and that's sustainable and will endure as our
population ages.

We need long-term thinking and a bipartisan approach to solutions. An expert
Ministerial Advisory Group will provide an independent report and a set of
recommendations around three areas:

* The funding model needed to support sustainable services, particularly a
sustainable supply of aged-care beds

* How the costs of providing aged care could be reasonably shared between those
receiving care and the Government

* The changes needed to support cohesion and integration between aged-care
services and health services, and between aged-care and disability support
services.

We also need a system that recognises most people want to stay at home if they
can, and allows them to access and move between the different levels of care
they might need.


GRANNY FLAT RULE CHANGE

Recently passed legislation will soon allow Kiwis to build granny flats up to 70
square metres in their backyards without a building consent, unlocking more
housing choices.

Granny flats can be great for grandparents, disabled people, young adults, and
rural-sector workers.

To support this change to the Building Act, an updated National Direction under
the Resource Management Act (RMA) will remove the need for resource consents for
granny flats and is expected to be in place by the end of the year. The
exemption will come into effect in early 2026.

Exemptions will only apply if granny flats are simple in design, meet the
Building Code and building work is carried out by authorised building
professionals.

Homeowners will also need to notify their local council before they begin
building and once their granny flat is completed.

Changes have also been made to the rules around building garages and garden
sheds
[link removed]


ROOFTOP SOLAR PANELS

A new building consent exemption for rooftop solar panels (on all buildings)
came into force last week.

Installations still need to be carefully managed and comply with the Building
Code, but this exemption will help avoid unnecessary delays and save Kiwis
around $1,200 per consent. 

For rooftop installations over 40 square metres in total area per roof, or in
very high wind speed areas, a chartered professional engineer must provide or
review the design of the structural fixings for the exemption to apply. 


ROADS OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE



While the Cambridge to Piarere Waikato Expressway extension is progressing, the
New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) Board has endorsed investment cases for all
of the Roads of National Significance (RoNS), including the Hamilton Southern
Links.

Funding of $100m has been allocated to progress design, consenting and
significant site investigation work.

Approved RoNS property funding will be used to enable land acquisition to get
the project underway.

This endorsement and approval of funding ensures progress on these projects
continues at pace.

The Waikato region’s productivity and central location make it a vital freight
and distribution hub. By 2048, an extra 224,000 people are forecast to be living
in the Waikato and we need transport networks that can keep the region moving.

The Links is expected to reduce travel times between Tamahere and western
Hamilton by 14 minutes. By 2055, it will also support access to 17,300 new
houses and 7,100 new jobs.

Hamilton Southern Links will be built in stages, spreading the construction and
cost over multiple National Land Transport Programme periods as funding becomes
available.


TRANSPORT REFORMS

Government is working on modernising New Zealand’s land transport rules, with
public consultation beginning on three significant areas of work including the
frequency of WoFs. You can have your say here
[link removed]
17 December 2025.

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ELECTORATE NEWS


LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS

I’d like to acknowledge the work the outgoing Mayors, Councillors and Community
Board members across the electorate have dedicated to their communities over the
last term.

I congratulate Mayor Gary Petley who retained his seat at South Waikato District
Council, and I look forward to working with new Waipā District Mayor Mike Pettit
and new Taupō District Mayor John Funnell and their teams for the betterment of
our communities.


NEW SCHOOL BOARD OF TRUSTEES

I would also like to congratulate the recently elected school boards of
trustees. Your responsibilities are not insignificant, and I wish you all the
best for your tenure in this exciting phase of education.


PRIDE IN PUTĀRURU BUSINESS AWARDS

Congratulations to all the winners of the Putāruru Business and Community
Awards, especially the Supreme Business of the Year, Strong By Blood, (which
also received the Innovation Leader Award).

It's fantastic to have your hard work, customer service, and entrepreneurship
recognised.



I popped in to congratulate Shane, The Baker Tirau (pictured), winner of the
Workplace Culture Award and the Marketing Excellence Award, and I hope to visit
other winners over the coming months to congratulate you in person.


100% NEW ZEALAND MURAL

Taupō artist Gemma Clough's new mural really brightens the Taupō lakefront
hospitality precinct. It features Tourism New Zealand's 100% Pure New Zealand
branding – the first and only permanent physical use of the branding.

It's a fantastic way to draw attention to all the beautiful landscapes and
wildlife in the area. Some of the motifs also appear in the carved pou nearby.

Destination Great Lake Taupō General Manager Patrick Dault arranged the artwork.


PROJECT PHOENIX

Project Phoenix, a collaboration between me as your MP, South Waikato District
Council, agencies including the South Waikato Investment Trust Fund (SWIFT),
Government, Ministry of Social Development, and South Waikato community
organisations, businesses and educational and training institutes was set up
after the closure of the PM6 paper machine at Kinleith Mill to help employees
and contractors transition to new employment.

Following the end of plywood production at Carter Holt Harvey's Tokoroa plant, I
have participated in the South Waikato Equip Jobs and Wellbeing Forum for former
workers from Kinleith and Carter Holt Harvey and their families. Ministry of
Social Development staff and local support groups were there to provide options
for employment and support moving forward.


TOI-OHOMAI

A Project Phoenix taskforce has worked to ensure South Waikato retains its
critical education provider. Toi-Ohomai has confirmed it will continue to offer
face-to-face training in Tokoroa and Taupō and it will continue to work with
stakeholders to ensure the needs of learners and employers are the focus. This
is a real win for the community.

The taskforce is looking at future labour needs of the district and how training
programmes can meet the demand from employers and companies looking to grow in
the area.


HUKA LODGE

It was fabulous to see the recently renovated Huka Lodge ("New Zealand's oldest
luxury retreat") being listed in 88th place in the inaugural 51–100 list of “The
World’s 50 Best Hotels” 2025 – the first and only New Zealand accommodation to
receive this recognition.


MOTUTERE SH1 SPEED CONSULTATION

A speed limit change to 60km/h on the 0.85km section of SH1 alongside the
Motutere Holiday Park (south of Taupo) is being proposed for pedestrian safety.
Public consultation is open until 17 November. Go to the NZTA website
[link removed]


2026 ITM TAUPŌ SUPER 440

Taupō International Motorsport Park is hosting the first round of The NZ Double
Header, 10–12 April 2026. Only 157 more sleeps! Tickets are already on sale.


NEW ZEALAND GRADUATE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE CURRICULUM COLLABORATION

An innovative, digital-first medical curriculum for the University of
Waikato-based New Zealand Graduate School of Medicine will be developed in
collaboration with experts in rural and regional health education at the
University of Wollongong (UoW).

Over the last nearly 20 years, UoW has trained doctors to meet the shortfall in
rural areas and primary care.

This work brings the 2028 opening of the Waikato-based medical school one step
closer!


TAUPŌ HARCOURTS GOOD SORT

It was a privilege to celebrate Harcourts October Good Sort award winner Jilly
Stanaway. Jilly is the heart behind the Harcourts Taupō Pink Walk, bringing our
community together to support Breast Cancer Foundation New Zealand. Her energy,
kindness, and tireless work make the event so special. Thank you, Jilly. You
truly are a Good Sort!




SOUTH WAIKATO STUDENTS' WORK PUBLISHED

Tokoroa student and author Rutendo Shadaya recently published a book showcasing
South Waikato students' work. The Creative Currents: Tales and Art by South
Waikato Tamariki featured work from seven visual artists and 10 writers aged
8–14 years old.

Knowing from experience how hard it is for young people to get their work
published, Rutendo applied for a CreativeNZ grant and used it to help others
following in her creative footsteps. A fantastic gift to her community!




TOKOROA HIGH SCHOOL BREAKFAST CLUB

I'd like to acknowledge my Youth MP Ryder Miller and Donovan Booyse for their
leadership of Tokoroa High School’s 15–30 volunteers who run the KickStart
Breakfast club, an initiative of Fonterra, Sanitarium and the Ministry of Social
Development.


TŪRANGI FIRE BRIGADE AWARDS

It was an honour to attend the Turangi Fire Brigade Annual Honours Evening and
25-Year Gold Star Presentation recently. Tangonui Kingi was presented with a
well-deserved Gold Star for 25 years' service. Congratulations also to the
recipients of the Long Service Good Conduct Medals.

Thank you for all that you do for your community!


BLUE SPRINGS TE WAIHOU WALKWAY

I urge you all to take care when travelling past the carpark entrances to the
Blue Springs Te Waihou Walkway (Whites Road SH28 and Leslie Road) as the summer
tourism season builds.

Not everyone parks considerately, and a moment's lapse of attention by parents
could result in children running out onto the road.


ROADWORKS

Work continues on SH1 as the weather improves. For updates about what's
happening in your area, sign up to NZTA's newsletter here
[link removed]

Overnight work (between 7pm and 6am) between Putāruru and Tokoroa continues
Sunday to Thursday nights under stop/go management. Temporary speed limits will
apply during the day.





Between Taupō and Tūrangi stop/go management will be in place at the southern
end of Motuoapa during the day (between 7am and 6pm) Monday to Friday until
around Friday 7 November. Speed restrictions will be in place at other times.

Overnight work at Hatepe Hill continues Sunday to Thursday under stop/go
management.

If you are planning a trip, check out NZTA's Journey Planner
[link removed] to find where likely delays
will occur.


ARAPUNI HYDRO DAM

Mercury has large-scale remediation work planned for 2026 – 18–26 months’ work.

In preparation, it is doing relief drainage work at the bottom of the dam from
October 2025–March 2026.

The road will be closed and traffic will be diverted for 18–26 months from early
next year. It is likely the diversion will follow Powerhouse Road, connecting to
Arapuni Road. One section will be single-laned and managed by traffic lights.

Powerhouse Road and the western end of the swing bridge will likely be closed to
walkers and cyclists during that time.


35TH WAIKATO DIWALI MELA



It was a pleasure to speak at the recent Waikato Diwali Mela. It is always great
to see so many people coming together to celebrate light over darkness; good
over evil; knowledge over ignorance; hope and renewal in this positive and
vibrant ancient tradition.


STARBUCKS AND BURGER KING TĪRAU

Despite opposition, two independent commissioners granted Tahua Properties
Limited resource consent to operate a drive-through Burger King and Starbucks in
Tīrau, with some conditions attached (for example, trading hours being between 5
a.m. and 11 p.m., lit signs being turned off at 11 p.m., and landscaping and
waste management stipulations). People have had a chance to appeal to the
Environment Court. A final decision will be delivered in due course.


UCI PARA-CYCLING TRACK WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS SUCCESS

Cambridge cyclist 21-year-old Devon Briggs won his second gold medal at Rio de
Janeiro, winning the MC3 10km race on the final day of the UCI Para-Cycling
Track World Championships recently.

Nicole Murray also claimed a bronze medal in the C5 10,000m, one of her four
medals for the week.

Congratulations to you both!


STUDENT EXAMS

Best of luck to senior school students and university students who are sitting
their exams in coming weeks.


SAUSAGE AWARDS

Congratulations to Moos Baas & Oinks of Putāruru which won silver with their hot
Mexican lamb sausage at the Great New Zealand Sausage competition recently,
followed closely by Heritage Meats in Taupō which won bronze for their lamb,
rosemary and garlic recipe.


ATTENDING EVENTS

I'm always keen to meet with local groups and organisations. Last week, for
example, I spoke to the SuperBlues in Hamilton who raised lots of great
questions!

If you are organising an event that you would like me to attend or speak at,
please contact my office well in advance (details below). My calendar fills up
quickly!

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UPCOMING ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES


FACEBOOK LIVE

You can join me online to discuss the issues that currently concern you on the
second Tuesday of each month. 

To join my next live chat, head to Louise Upston MP | Facebook
[link removed] on Tuesday, 11 November 2025 at 8
p.m. and type your questions or comments.

You can watch the last Facebook Live here
[link removed]

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CLINICS AND FRIENDLY FORUMS

Note: Dates are subject to change.


SOUTH WAIKATO FRIENDLY FORUM - TOKOROA

Friday, 7 November, 10:00–11.30a.m.

Tokoroa Club Inc., 38/58 Chambers Street, Tokoroa

Please call 07 8865554 or email [email protected]
[email protected] to RSVP.


CAMBRIDGE CLINIC

Friday, 7 November, 2:30–4.00p.m.

Please call 07 8275572 or email [email protected]
[email protected] for an appointment.


TAUPŌ CLINIC

Friday, 21 November, 11:30–1.00p.m.

Please call 07 3765563 or email [email protected]
[email protected] for an appointment.

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ELECTORATE ASSISTANCE

Cambridge Office:

Phone 07 8275572 or email [email protected]
[email protected]

South Waikato:

Phone 07 8865554 or email [email protected]
[email protected]

Taupō Office:

Phone 07 3765563 or email [email protected]
[email protected]

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Kind regards

Louise Upston
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