Dear John,

As the two week parliamentary recess draws to a close we’ve seen one big win for New Zealanders locked out of their own country, shortly followed by one huge loss for democracy.

This week the High Court has found that the MIQ system did not sufficiently allow individual circumstances to be considered and prioritised where necessary -  and that it operated as an unjustified limit on the right of New Zealand citizens to enter their country.

Justice Mallon said there were other ways the MIQ system could have worked, such as a points system, as recommended by the National Party.

It remains a mystery why the government didn’t take this up and instead insisted on a largely one-size-fits-all system that didn’t prioritise people returning home, even those in desperate situations. I myself have fielded a number of enquiries from Selwyn residents in the most awful of circumstances, and couldn’t believe the cruelty of the system at times.

In news just out today, the Government has announced it plans to forge ahead with its Three Waters proposal, despite overwhelming public and local government opposition to it. Nania Mahuta has announced Cabinet has accepted recommendations made by a working group charged with looking into the overhaul of the country’s water infrastructure.

However, it’s National’s view that even with these superficial changes, Labour's agenda is still fatally flawed. According to the Government, local councils will still be the ‘owners’ of their assets – but they won’t actually have any control over them. Local councils and communities will still lose control of their assets, and the unproductive and divisive co-governance structure remains.

This is yet another slap in the face for the local voices who have again had their concerns disregarded by this Government that thinks it knows best.

Anzac Day 2022

It was a real privilege to represent the New Zealand Parliament and attend Anzac commemorations around the Selwyn district. I attended services at Dunsandel, West Melton, Rolleston and Lincoln and gather that others also drew big crowds. I think this speaks volumes for the high regard with which we here in Selwyn hold our servicemen and servicewomen – both past and present.

As some may know, my great Grandmother, Mary Grigg, was the former MP for Mid-Canterbury – what is now known as Selwyn. Mary was the first female MP for New Zealand National Party and the fourth woman to enter Parliament.

Read more about Anzac Day here

Local Visits

Did you know we have our very own, rather rare, truffiere right here in Selwyn?

I had a fascinating visit with Lisa Williams, who owns and operates Tresillian Truffles in West Melton with her family.

Tresillian Truffles is a large truffiere that was planted in 2003 with oaks, hazelnut and pine trees which are now producing the white Bianchetto truffle – also known as Selwyn’s white gold - and considered a delicacy around the world.

Read more about Tresillion Truffles here

Bellyful

Earlier in the month, I spent the morning in Lincoln with the ladies from the Selwyn branch of Bellyful.

Bellyful offers a helping hand to families with babies or young children in need of support with nourishing cooked food. Volunteers prepare meals in a monthly ‘Cookathon’, freeze them and then deliver them over the following few weeks to families who are referred by health professionals, family, and friends.

Kindly supported by organisations like Meat The Need NZ and other corporates, Bellyful could do with a helping hand itself every now and again. If you can make a donation – or just offer your time as a cook or a driver – check out their website: https://bellyful.org.nz/

Land Information New Zealand

Through a series of Parliamentary questions I have filed, it turns out the Government’s lead agency for managing land titles and overseas investment has seen record increases in staffing and spending but is delivering worse outcomes. This is symptomatic of government agencies across the board and speaks to Ministers not being across their portfolios or being exacting of their CEO’s and senior leadership teams.

Since 2017, Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) has increased staff numbers by 38% and now pays 44% of its staff over $100,000. Meanwhile, property title wait times increase by 81% and some categories of overseas investment consents now take 126 days to process.

Read more about LINZ here

Coffee Catch Up

Do you have an issue or topic you want to have a chat about? On Monday 16 May, I'll be at Robert Harris in Lincoln from 10:00am – 11:00am and The Store @ Tai Tapu from 11:15am – 12:15pm. Come and join me for a chat - no appointment needed.

Any questions? Please email [email protected] or phone 03 344 2800. 

Kind regards,

Nicola Grigg
http://nicolagrigg.national.org.nz/