Dear John In this issue:
Minister's NewsAir New Zealand's First Electric PlaneIt was exciting to be at Hamilton Airport for the recent launch of Air New Zealand's first electric plane – a giant leap towards reducing emissions.  Checking out the new electric plane with new Air New Zealand Chief Executive Nikhil Ravishankar. |
The battery-electric BETA ALIA CX300 was manufactured by USA's BETA Technologies. It can carry two crew and up to 5.6 cubic metres of cargo for nearly 400km. Around 60 per cent of New Zealand's regional flights are less than 350kms. The plane is being leased for four months while it is trialled, first at Hamilton Airport, then between Wellington and Blenheim, to collect data on operation and performance. Great Rides – Ngā Haerenga New Zealand’s 23 Great Rides – Ngā Haerenga are pumping $1.28 billion a year into our local economies! A 2025 evaluation report shows visitor spending attributed to the Great Rides jumped 35 percent for the year ending June 2025, compared to the same period in 2021. The rides also provide social wellbeing and environmental awareness. The Great Rides are growing in popularity amongst domestic and international visitors with riders spending more on accommodation, food and hospitality.  General Manager of Waikato River Trails Trust Glyn Wooller and Mayor Petley joined me as I announced $7.5 million for the management and maintenance of our Great Rides. |
If you’re taking a staycation this summer, I encourage you to utilise one of our local trails – fantastic resources right on our doorstep! New Zealand Sign Language StrategyOur vision is: New Zealand Sign Language – everyone, everywhere, every day. We want to ensure Deaf people and New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) users are able to learn and use NZSL, and others understand and accept it as an essential part of our communication. The recently released New Zealand Sign Language Strategy 2026–2036 was developed by the NZSL Board alongside its Turi Māori (Māori Deaf) advisory group, Te Rōpū Kaitiaki. It aims to guide the work of government agencies, businesses, media and community organisations to make our sign language a more visible, valued part of everyday life. The more people who can understand and use NZSL, the better the access to public services or community events and the better the outcomes for Deaf people and other users. Parents, teachers, public servants, and business owners can all help to energise and integrate NZSL. World Children's DayA year ago, I launched our Child and Youth Strategy outlining the vision, outcomes and priorities driving government work to improve the lives of all young New Zealanders. We are continuing to take action on three key priorities in the strategy: supporting children and their families and whānau in the first 2000 days reducing child material hardship preventing harm against children.
International Tourist Numbers RiseThe number of overseas tourists rose to 3.43 million in the year ending September 2025, an increase of 6.1 per cent on the previous year, and 88 per cent of 2019 pre-pandemic levels. International Visitor Survey results released this week show that: Between July and September, international visitors spent $2.1 billion, up 9.3 per cent on the same period in 2024. For the year ending September 2025, total spend reached $12.3 billion, a 5.3 per cent increase.
Chinese Visitors Travel Visa-FreeChina is New Zealand’s third-largest tourism market with nearly 250,000 arrivals in the year ending July 2025. Chinese visitors can now travel visa-free from Australia to New Zealand. If they hold an eligible Australian visa, they will be able to request a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) and will no longer need certified translations for visitor visa documents. Visa processing now takes an average of four days. We anticipate as many as 50,000 more visitors arriving via Australia as a result, helping to boost visitor numbers to our regions and local businesses. Michelin GuideFrench tyre company Michelin started producing guides for motorists in the 1800s. The prestigious Michelin Guide is making its first foray into Oceania, and New Zealand is the country at the top of its list. Tourism NZ has supported Michelin's visit as its research shows 87 per cent of potential visitors rate ‘trying local cuisine’ as their top interest. It estimates the coverage will attract up to 36,000 more international visitors. Michelin staff are already anonymously testing for next year’s guide in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. New Zealand Certificate of Business EventsLast week, I announced Government is investing in the New Zealand Certificate in Business Events (Level 4) “Te Haeata”, a new industry-led qualification designed to build a skilled workforce for New Zealand’s business events sector. Business events play a critical role in our visitor economy, attracting people who tend to spend more and travel during the off-peak season. The qualification will be delivered online from next year, making it accessible nationwide. The first paper will also be available in high schools from 2027 as a ‘taster’ pathway into the sector.
In the HouseTwo Years of Fixing the Basics Being sworn in as a Crown Minister 27 November 2023. |
We promised to fix the basics in the economy, law and order, education, health, and infrastructure, and strengthen the foundations for a strong future with a growing economy, more jobs, and higher wages. Among other initiatives, we have: restored discipline to government spending more than halved inflation seen interest rates cut nine times boosted economic growth – exports increased nearly a billion in the last year cut red tape and fast-tracked major projects increased Police power introduced tougher sentencing cracked down on gangs and achieved 38,000 fewer victims of violent crime seen a 16 per cent drop in youth offending and an 85 per cent drop in ram raids banned phones in classrooms mandated an hour each of reading, writing and maths each day introduced structured literacy and numeracy hired more doctors and nurses delivered more surgeries and cancer treatments begun building 17 Roads of National Significance and 12 Roads of Regional Significance invested in more schools, hospitals, and houses.
Now we're focussing on delivering reforms including: implementing Fast Track to ensure housing, infrastructure and energy projects get consented sooner, creating more jobs and lifting incomes implementing new earthquake rules to revitalise buildings across the country reforming the electricity sector to ensure more abundant and affordable energy abolishing the Resource Management Act (in coming weeks).
Interest Rates Drop Again The Reserve Bank is forecasting falling inflation and rising growth, supporting the widespread consensus that the economy is strengthening. It has dropped the Official Cash Rate (OCR) another 25 basis points to 2.25 per cent. This is the ninth reduction since rates peaked at 5.5 per cent in July 2024. The average household is saving $10,758 on their mortgage since National took office. In the year to September, 23,600 households bought their first homes, the largest number since 2021. Rates CapsLocal Government rates have been a significant contributor to the cost of living. From 1 January 2027, Government is introducing a rates cap of a maximum 4 per cent increase per annum (excluding water charges and non-rates revenue like fees and charges). Councils still need to maintain essential services like rubbish collection, road maintenance and the management of parks and libraries. Rates increases beyond 4 per cent will need to be approved by a Government-approved regulator. Cost of LivingFamilyBoost has been expanded to help with the cost of living. Thousands more families are receiving fortnightly payments of $150 or more. Find out if your family is eligible here. Prescriptions CheaperFrom 1 February 2026, people on long-term medication for stable conditions will be able to get prescriptions for 12 months if their medical provider deems it appropriate, saving them time and money. Repeats will still be collected from the pharmacy, but patients won't need to visit a doctor for each renewal. Pharmacists can become prescribers while continuing to invest in, or own, pharmacies. Allowing pharmacist prescribers to work in community pharmacies will mean patients have more access to some prescription medicines. Prescribers will be responsible for determining the clinically appropriate prescription length and quantity for each patient. The 12-month prescription is a maximum, not a requirement. The maximum supply of medicine that may be dispensed by a pharmacy on any visit remains three months (and six months for an oral contraceptive). To manage supply, some medicines will have a maximum supply of one month. Patients will only be required to pay the $5 co-payment once when collecting their initial three-month supply. No further co-payments will be charged for the repeats.
The $5 co-payment fee for the first dispensing only applies to medicines prescribed by publicly funded health services (e.g. ones prescribed by a primary care provider). Prescription co-payments from private healthcare providers, such as private specialists or dentists in private practice, are up to $15. Lifting KiwiSaverUnder a new policy to boost individuals’ savings to supplement NZ Superannuation so that people have financial security in retirement, National is looking to phase in increased employer KiwiSaver contributions of up to 12 per cent. Employers will be required to match employee contributions up to the default contribution at a given time. For example, from 1 April 2030, employers will be required to match employee contributions up to 5 per cent. This figure would continue to rise to 12 per cent over several years, giving workers and employers time to plan ahead. The minimum contribution rate for those who participate in the KiwiSaver scheme will remain at 3 per cent, with employers required to match employee contributions. The higher default rate of 12 per cent will be a good incentive for employees to also contribute at the higher rate. As has always been the case with KiwiSaver, employer contributions may effectively form part of the wage negotiation process. Violent Crime DownThe latest New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey shows there were 147,000 victims of serious violent crime in the 12 months to August – 38,000 fewer victims than when we came into government. Gang members make up less than one quarter of one percent of the New Zealand adult population, yet they are linked to about 18 per cent of serious violent crime. A year ago, gangs were confronted with a harsh reality. They can no longer behave as if they’re above the law by taking over our streets, intimidating the public, and making a mockery of our criminal justice system. Drug Driving CrackdownAround 30 per cent of all New Zealand road deaths now involve an impairing drug. Government is cracking down on drugged drivers who put innocent lives at risk. Police will be able to stop drivers at any time to screen them for the presence of drugs. Roadside oral-fluid testing devices will be used to detect THC (cannabis), methamphetamine (meth), MDMA (ecstasy) and cocaine. If an initial tongue swipe tests positive, a saliva sample will be taken for laboratory analysis which can test for up to 25 substances. A second roadside test will then be conducted. If it is also positive, the driver will be prohibited from driving for 12 hours. If the laboratory result is positive, or the driver refuses to take the roadside tests, they will be issued an infringement notice. The rollout will begin in Wellington and be operational nationwide by mid-2026. Preventing Fraud and ScamsIn the last year, Kiwis have lost around $3 billion to scams. A ministerial exemption to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act 2009 allows several banks to share AML-related information with one another to prevent fraud and scams. School AttendanceGovernment is creating a culture where attending school is important. Parent and student attitudes to school attendance have improved measurably already. Students attending school regularly | Term 2 2022 | Term 2 2025 | 39.6% | 58.4% |
By introducing mandatory management plans under the Education Training Amendment Bill (No 2) from Term 1 next year, we expect attendance to increase further. School Maths and Literacy DataA recent Education Review Office’s (ERO) report shows early signs of improved achievement and engagement in English and maths in our schools. New data from a nationwide maths acceleration trial for Year 7 and 8 students who needed extra support shows that students made, on average, a year to two years of progress in just 12 weeks in developing fundamental maths skills. Even more encouraging, students not in the trial but learning under the new curriculum using high-quality resources for an hour each day also made, on average, a full year’s progress in just 12 weeks. Recent data also shows a significant boost in reading success using phonics right across the country. Term 3 phonics data taken at 20 weeks at school showed: 58 per cent of students were at or above expectations, up from 36 per cent in Term 1 43 per cent of students exceeded expectations in Term 3, more than double the Term 1 rate.
The increase in reading achievement has resulted in a reduction in the number of students that need targeted support, dropping from 52 per cent in Term 1 to 33 per cent in Term 3. Māori students performing at or above what is expected have increased from 25 per cent to 43 per cent in just two terms. Tamariki needing additional reading support fell from 62 per cent to 47 per cent over the same short period. These results are a significant step in raising Māori achievement and closing the equity gap. In high-equity (low-decile) schools, the proportion of children meeting expected reading levels has risen from 18 per cent to 35 per cent. Pacific students' levels have risen from 27 per cent to 43 per cent. This data confirms that the reforms are reversing years of decline and helping students reach their potential. Regional Council ResetGovernment is ensuring local authorities are run more efficiently and effectively. Before Christmas, Government will introduce to Parliament resource management reforms to cut duplication, standardise processes, and reduce complexity and compliance costs. We're proposing regional councils will have significantly reduced roles, and regional councillors will be replaced by Combined Territories Boards made up of mayors from regional city and district councils, and possibly Government-appointed Crown Commissioners which might also lead the Boards. Board decisions will be based on community votes. A dual threshold would apply to resource management decisions which would require both a majority of population-weighted votes and a majority of Board members' votes. Consultation on these proposals is open here until Friday 20 February 2026.
Electorate NewsSH1 Cambridge to PiarereNZTA rolled out 9m maps of the planned Cambridge to Piarere (C2P) Waikato Expressway extension at a community information event in the Cambridge Town Hall recently.  Image courtesy of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) |
The 16km 4-lane expressway, designed for a 110kmph speed limit, will begin at Cambridge and end at the Piarere roundabout at the intersection of SH1 and SH29. The route was confirmed and consents granted in September. Construction is expected to begin late 2026 or early 2027 and take five to six years. You can see an animated fly-over of the project here and subscribe to NZTA's C2P newsletter here. You will be consulted over whether it is appropriate to toll this road. Remembrance Day CambridgeRemembrance Day is always a time for reflection, and it was a privilege to join our returned and current service personnel at the recent commemoration. Former Cambridge Returned Services' Association president Tony Hill MBE JP (left of centre) was recently elected as National President of RNZRSA (Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association) and wears the Kākahu Maumahara. He took the mantle from former president Sir Wayne (Buck) Shelford. TreadliteCambridge business, Treadlite, recycles millions of tyres each year, refining them into rubber granules for use in equestrian arenas, playground mats, artificial sports fields and gym flooring, for example. The product is now being trialed on a road in the Selwyn district. Its potential is huge! Treadlite is proudly part of the Tyrewise scheme and has received a B Corporation certification. I applaud managers for employing potentially marginalised members of our community, and for their commitment to being good employers. It was a pleasure to be at the opening of Treadlite's new Cambridge factory. Work and Income Office TokoroaSouth Waikato people will now be able to visit the new Tokoroa Work and Income office at 30 Logan Street. Clements Hotel CambridgeIt was an honour to attend the opening of Clements Hotel in Cambridge. Congratulations to owners Gerry Westenberg and Jo Pannell on this outstanding labour of love! It bears little resemblance to the former Masonic Hotel. It is a welcome addition to dining and conference options for locals, and accommodation options for out-of-town visitors looking for a high-end experience. Asian Clams: Check Clean DryAs boaties and swimmers take to the lakes and rivers for fishing and summer water sports, the risk of spreading Asian clams rises. The clams are really taking hold in the Waikato River and the lakes along it with thousands of them per square metre in places. A single clam can produce 70,000–100,000 offspring each year! Their larvae are microscopic.  Photo courtesy of NIWA. |
If moving between waterways, remember to check (and remove visible plant material, mud or clams and leave them where you collected them or put them in the rubbish), clean (blast with tap water onto grass – not into stormwater or drains, soak in HOT tap water for at least 5 minutes or in 5% bleach solution for an hour, freeze until solid, or soak in salt solution for four hours), and dry (dry all gear and watercraft – inside and out – to touch, then leave for 48 hours before re-using – even togs and towels or buckets and spades can carry larvae. Road SafetyRoad safety is extra important during the summer holidays. 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 could result in children running out onto the road. Work continues on SH1 as the weather improves. For updates about what's happening in your area, sign up to NZTA's newsletter here. Road widening to allow for wide centrelines between SH28 Whites Road and Waimakariri Road on SH5 southeast of Tīrau will continue until 15 December. Traffic is being managed with speed restrictions and some stop/go signage. While construction of a roundabout at the SH5/SH28 Harwoods Road intersection southeast of Tīrau continues, traffic is being managed with speed restrictions. Note that SH28 will be closed at the worksite until Wednesday 17 December. The detour route is via SH27 and SH29. The roundabout will be usable in March 2026. Streetlight ducting will be installed at the Piarere roundabout (at the intersection of SH1 and SH29) requiring shoulder closures and a 60km/hr speed limit between 7a.m. and 6p.m. from 4–18 December. Shoulder widening work on the northbound lane of SH1 north of the Piarere roundabout will take place between 7a.m. and 6p.m. from 12–26 January. Lane shifts and30km/h speed limits will be in place. Night works SH1 Tokoroa to Ātiamuri mean the road between SH1 and SH32, and SH1 and SH30, will be closed from 7p.m. to 6a.m. Sunday to Thursday. The detour will add 33.6km and 27 minutes to your journey. Work is ongoing on SH1 at Waitahanui with overnight stop/go controls in place and temporary daytime speed limits. Delays are likely. If you are planning a trip, check out NZTA's Journey Planner to find where likely delays will occur. Arapuni Hydro DamMercury has large-scale remediation work planned for the Arapuni Hydro Dam beginning next year. In preparation, it is completing relief drainage work at the bottom of the dam until 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. Tongariro FiresI’d like to thank the firefighters for the incredible work they did to control the devastating fire in Tongariro National Park. It will take decades for this scar to heal. Please follow council guidelines on lighting fires this summer. Cambridge Fire Brigade AwardsAs always, it was an honour to attend the recent Cambridge Fire Brigade awards. We seldom get an opportunity to acknowledge these volunteers who risk life and limb on our behalf, and their employers who support them in their voluntary roles. 2025 Waikato Business AwardsCongratulations to Tokoroa business Satco® which manufactures logging attachments and took out the International Trade Award at the recent Waikato Business Awards. Woolly Nightshade Image courtesy of Waikato Regional Council |
Woolly nightshade is an invasive shrub/small tree which can grow up to 10 metres tall with a 20cm diameter trunk. A single plant can produce thousands of seeds which are spread by birds and can remain dormant in the soil for 20–30 years. Its berries are moderately toxic to humans – especially children – and can be poisonous to livestock. If you have seen this plant, call the Waikato Regional Council (WRC) on 0800 800 401. It is responsible for controlling this pest on private rateable land within the Taupō and Rotorua districts in the Waikato region. All other landowners are required to control this pest. Visit WRC's website for advice on how to eradicate it. Attending Events I'm always keen to meet with local groups and organisations. 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!
Upcoming Engagement OpportunitiesFacebook LiveYou 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 on Tuesday, 9 December 2025 at 8 p.m. and type your questions or comments. You can watch the last Facebook Live here.
Christmas and January Office Hours and Electorate AssistanceTaupō The Taupō office will close from the 25 December until 19 January. For urgent constituent queries, please call 07 376 5563 or email [email protected] South WaikatoPlease call 07 886 5554 or email [email protected] CambridgeThe Cambridge office will close from the 25 December until 8 January. It will close again from 19 January until 2 February. For urgent constituent queries, please call 07 827 5572 or email [email protected]
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Kind regards Louise Upston
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