Traffic lights, movement on MIQ and more

A tumultuous few days
Dear John,

It's been an interesting last 48 hours in the National Party! Judith Collins is no longer the Leader of National and we will meet as a caucus on Tuesday to elect a new Leader. Dr Shane Reti is the Acting Leader. Many people have been emailing me about what's happening (and about to happen) and I'm always keen to hear your views - so please feel free to drop me a message. (mailto:[email protected]?subject=National)

When I last wrote to you a couple of Fridays ago, the traffic light system had just been announced and was due to start when every DHB hit 90% full vaccination, vaccine certificates hadn't arrived, the government was contemplating state-allocated time slots for people to leave Auckland over summer, and there were no changes contemplated to the lottery of human misery that is MIQ.

The government has gone into panic mode since then and has been madly scrambling, making it up as they go along. Every day seems to bring a new announcement (sometimes announcements of announcements!). All of a sudden the 90% full vaccination target was dropped and New Zealand will enter the traffic light system in a week on Friday 3 December. Aucklanders can leave the region from December 17, and vaccine certificates have been rolled out (with quite a few teething problems ([link removed]) ). And there is finally some movement on MIQ (but not nearly enough).

The new Traffic Light System is very confusing. I can't tell you what "colour" Wellington and the Hutt will enter at, because the government hasn't said - even though it starts next week. There are big differences between 'red" and "orange" and "green". Auckland enters at "red" even though that is meant to be for when the hospital system can't cope, which the Prime Minister says is not the case in Auckland right now - so they are contradicting their own criteria. The policy advice won't be released until January ([link removed]) . The PM and the Ministry of Health disagree on whether ([link removed]) vaccine passes have to
be scanned when you visit a business that uses the vaccine passes.

The reason for the scramble of course is that sadly the government didn't do any planning ([link removed]) for this scenario. It assumed elimination would work, and that we could vaccine slowly, and not gear up the health system. Then delta arrived, we had the slowest vaccination roll-out in the developed world, and we had no back-up plan. Since then we've been in catch-up mode. Parliament passed the legislation for the traffic light framework in just 24 hours, with no select committee scrutiny (I criticised this constitutional disgrace ([link removed]) strongly in the House). The framework was only developed recently and the IT contract for the certificates was only signed on October 13. And add to that of course the slowness around rapid testing, saliva testing (more on that below), failure to boost contact tracing, ICU beds and more. It was pleasing to see Sir Brian Roche say
([link removed]) pretty much exactly this today - his comments back up what I've been saying for some time.

MIQ: My campaign to end MIQ ([link removed]) has been going great guns. Thanks for signing the petition, which is now approaching 100,000 people. If you haven't signed it, please do so. ([link removed]) The government panicked on Wednesday and announced that from January 17, 2022, Kiwis in Australia will be able to come home - but not before Christmas, and a week's self isolation will still be required. Incredibly, Aussies can't come until May - even though right now I can jump on a plane to Sydney and enter without MIQ ([link removed]) and without even self-isolating. The PM says overseas travellers are a "significant risk"
([link removed]) but I revealed this week ([link removed]) that the number of fully vaccinated travellers from Australia to New Zealand who have tested positive for Covid-19 since August 23 is………Zero. Yep, zero. It's just crazy. We need to end MIQ right now - for everyone.

A quick Hutt matter before I finish. I'm aware of quite a bit of concern out there about the government's "Three Waters" reform ([link removed]) , ([link removed]) which it intends to push on with. Upper Hutt Council is conducting a community feedback exercise, but Hutt City Council has decided not to. I've been asked to run my own survey, so here it is - please fill it out. ([link removed]) It won't take more than two minutes and it will allow Hutt residents to have their say on this very controversial proposal.

Finally, in December I will be distributing my annual community newsletter around the Hutt and I'm looking for volunteers ([link removed]) to help me deliver it! If you could spare an hour or two, please fill out this form ([link removed]) and one of my team will be in touch. We drop off the letters to you (or you can pick them up), you just walk the streets and pop them into letterboxes.

Enjoy the weekend.

Chris

P.S If you'd like to support the work I'm doing in Parliament and the Hutt, I'm hosting a wee fundraiser with Nicola Willis and Erica Stanford in early December - details below if you'd like to come along ([link removed]) . We still have a few tickets left but they're selling fast.
[link removed]
In December I will be distributing my annual community newsletter around the Hutt and I'm looking for volunteers ([link removed]) to help me deliver it! If you could spare an hour or two, please fill out this form ([link removed]) and one of my team will be in touch. We drop off the letters to you (or you can pick them up), you just walk the streets and pop them into letterboxes. Thank you!
MIQ is a lottery of human misery. The government's changes are a small step but don't go far enough. Please sign our petition ([link removed]) - we're almost at 100,000 people!
Christmas Drinks
If you'd like to come along to Christmas Cocktails with Erica, Nicola and I next week then please head here. ([link removed]) Would be great to see you.
Save the Birthing Centre
The Hutt Families for Midwives group have submitted their petition to Parliament to keep a Birthing Centre in the Hutt. I was meant to be there to accept it in person but I was stuck in our caucus meeting on Thursday - I'm so sorry!
Hutt Valley Women's Refuge Fundraiser
At the Hutt Valley Women's Refuge fundraiser a couple of weeks ago I caught up with Ashley, who I am helping with her petition to make it easier for victims of family violence to divorce their partners. Ashley gave a really inspiring and moving speech and I was so proud of her.
Wainuiomata Girls' Brigade
On Tuesday night last week at the Wainuiomata Girls Brigade prize giving it was my huge pleasure to award Marianne Dobie with a National Executive Award for her 35 years of service to Girls Brigade. A remarkable contribution and the number of lives she will have positively impacted in that time is astounding. Thank you Marianne for all you do for our community.
Saliva Testing
I was in Auckland last weekend and to return to Wellington I had to get a Covid test. So I went and got a saliva test provided by Rako Science. Did the test at 2.30; result came through at 945pm that night. Took two minutes. Simply line up, drool into a little spoon and then put into a capsule. It goes off to a lab and they check for Covid.

Saliva testing is just as accurate as nasal PCR testing but it takes less time and it’s much more pleasant to do obviously.

Get this though - Rako Science can do 10,000 Covid tests per day and want to help with the current outbreak but they’ve been rebuffed at every turn by the government. Simply unbelievable. While people were lining up for 10 hours back in August Rako was told by the government they weren’t interested in using them. And then the government passed a Bill to nationalise the company! ([link removed])
Visiting Auckland Hospo
I spent last Sunday in Auckland talking to hospitality owners with Erica Stanford and Christopher Luxon. The PM came to Auckland via airforce jet and visited a business that never had to close during lockdown. Hospitality in Auckland - and elsewhere - is doing it very tough and they need clarity and certainty about what the rules will be, and when they come into effect. One of the bar owners said to me they felt like they were "collateral damage in the PM's vanity project". ([link removed])
State House Evictions
Unbelievable isn't it? Have dealt with a number of constituency cases in my time as an MP where it was very clear the best thing to do was just to evict the abusive tenant. I've dealt with some absolutely shocking stories.
Poto Williams, the Minister in charge of state housing told Parliament this week that “We do not have a no-evictions policy”. And yet… the numbers tell a different story. 🤔 Labour’s state house eviction ban is resulting in the ongoing victimisation of innocent people, whose abusive neighbours know they can get away with just about anything without fear of consequence from the Government landlord. It’s a disgrace.
You don't see this every day
Bus heading the wrong way on the Ngauranga Gorge.
Beers at the Basin
Turns out Beers at the Basin almost certainly could have gone ahead on December 11 in Wellington. Another event postponed!
It's been a big year
Wouldn't have seen this a year ago
Flying over Auckland on Sunday. ‘We don’t love you anymore Jacinda’

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