Dear John, September arrives with a sharp, sweet scent of change, snapping us out of the winter daze as the first true pulses of spring take hold. Days are stretching out, gardens are waking up, and the momentum of the year is beginning to pull us forward. There is an eager, restless energy that comes with this month. As spring officially takes root, it invites us to fling open the windows, shake off our indoor habits, and refocus our ambitions. It is a brilliant vantage point, the exact threshold where we can look ahead with sharp intention, leaving behind the final chilly remnants of winter while pouring our energy into everything we want to grow and achieve in the months ahead.
The Heartland Is Humming Up Many Hands Make Light Work! Recently I spent the morning community tree planting in Inglewood. Thanks to the local residents, community organisations & school students who all made their contribution. By Barbara Kuriger, MP for Taranaki-King Country. Can you hear it? There’s a real buzz in rural New Zealand. In our towns, villages, farms, and schools, people are talking, sharing stories, and feeling the energy. There is optimism—a sense that things are coming right. There is hope. And there’s good reason to feel hopeful. Even with challenges overseas and tough tariffs, our rural sector is holding strong. Prices are up, Fieldays was bustling, and farming is still the engine room of New Zealand. But that buzz comes from something deeper. It is not new—it is you, the people who make these communities strong. Rural New Zealand is at the heart of who we are and keeps our economy ticking. Farming, horticulture, forestry, fishing, tourism, and food production all depend on the land and the people who work it. So much of what we eat, export, and celebrate starts right here. One of rural life’s greatest strengths is the way people look out for each other. In small towns and on farms, neighbours know when someone needs a hand. Schools, sports clubs, fire brigades, marae, churches, halls, markets, and agricultural events bring us together. Out here, you are not just another face. You are part of the family. Rural life also keeps us close to the land. We notice the seasons: spring lambs, summer haymaking, misty winter mornings, and autumn colours. Rivers, hills, coastlines, dark skies, birds, and wide-open views are part of daily life and good for the soul. For us, life isn’t always easy. Getting to a doctor, catching a bus, finding a school, or even getting decent internet can be a challenge. But for most of us, the good far outweighs the tough bits: open spaces, strong friendships, hard work, and pride in where we live. There’s still work to do. Rural communities need good roads, reliable internet, practical health services, and policies that understand distance, weather, and what it really takes to run a business on the land. When decision-makers listen to the people who live here, rural New Zealand doesn’t just get by—it leads. So yes, the heartland really is humming. It’s humming with resilience, opportunity, and people who believe in their place and their future. If we keep backing them, that buzz will only get stronger—for our regions, our economy, and for all of New Zealand. Can you hear it?
I recently had the opportunity to visit Mike Casey’s farm and get a hands-on look at some of the innovative work happening there. I even got stuck in and helped cut holes for planting wildflowers, before taking a look at some of the electric machinery being used around the farm. It was great to see practical examples of innovation, sustainability and biodiversity working together on-farm. Thanks to Mike for showing me around and letting me get involved! Watch the video to see what we got up to on the farm: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1535339597753202
More than $1.2 million for conservation across Taranaki-King Country Two community-led projects protecting threatened species across Taranaki-King Country have been selected to share $1,210,345 through the DOC Community Fund, local MP Barbara Kuriger says. The Government funding is expected to leverage a further $1,385,000 in cash and in-kind co-investment from the projects and their partners. “For every $1 our Government invests, more than $1.14 is expected in co-investment, supporting almost $2.6 million of conservation work across our region,” Mrs Kuriger says. Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust has been selected to receive $606,585 to help maintain Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari’s predator-free status through fence maintenance and habitat restoration. “Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari is home to several threatened species, including Nationally Critical kākāpō. This funding will help protect the huge conservation gains already made there,” Mrs Kuriger says. East Taranaki Environment Trust has been selected to receive $603,760 for predator control and monitoring across 46,000 hectares through its North-East Taranaki Kōkako Landscape Project. “This is conservation on a massive scale. The project is co-led with iwi, strongly supported by volunteers and will protect our recovering kōkako population while benefiting many other native species. “Both projects are building on years of local effort. Our Government is backing the people doing the hard work to protect our native wildlife and ensure these special places continue to thrive,” Mrs Kuriger says. The funding forms part of our Government’s $9.2 million investment in 20 community-led conservation projects through the DOC Community Fund. Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust has been selected for $606,585, with expected co-investment of $300,000. East Taranaki Environment Trust has been selected for $603,760, with expected co-investment of $1,085,000. Expected co-investment comprises cash and in-kind contributions and excludes co-funding classed as pending. Successful applicants will work with DOC to finalise funding agreements, with payments linked to project delivery and expenditure milestones.
Big Announcements from the month: No new taxes under National: National is committing to no new taxes if re-elected on November 7. (National PR) Government to cap rates: Council rates increases will be capped at 4 per cent as the Government moves to help keep rates affordable for households and businesses. (Beehive PR) Government moves to ban U16s from social media: The Government has introduced the Online Safety Bill which will ban under-16s from social media and put greater responsibilities on technology companies to protect children online. (Beehive PR) UAE trade agreement delivering the goods: New Zealand goods exports to the UAE are already up seven per cent, to $1.4 billion, in the first year of the New Zealand-United Arab Emirates Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). (Beehive PR)
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