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Dear John, ANZAC Day 2022 It was great to attend the Dawn Service at the Papakura Cenotaph with over 700 other people who gathered to remember our ANZACs. In spite of the cold and damp morning, it was attended by many from the Papakura RSA. I went to the Drury Community ANZAC Service and the centennial commemoration of the unveiling of the Drury-Runciman Cenotaph, later in the morning. It was attended by hundreds of others including school children and service organisations like cubs, scouts, Papakura Crimewatch Patrol, Drury Rotary and Drury Indoor Bowls. The numbers of people at both of the events were remarkable because the current Service men and women stationed in the Papakura Camp and others nearby, were not permitted to attend due to the risk of Covid being spread. They were missed and we hope they will return to swell the numbers even more next year. I would like to acknowledge the speakers at both events who thanked our current armed forces for the work they did during their Covid-19 mission at MIQ facilities and at the Auckland Borders during the relevant Covid-19 level 3 and 4 lockdowns. Thank you to the Papakura City Brass Band who played beautifully and also Marian Burns, Felicity Auva’a and Riet van der Gulik who sang for the occasion at Drury. In addition, I wish to thank the Drury Community Committee led by Reit, who with their expert helpers have renovated the Cenotaph to a high standard that should mean it will last another 100 years or more. The organisers of both ANZAC Day events and the many participants both young and older, provided memorable occasions for us, the public. Visit to Europe I am excited that National leader Christopher Luxon has endorsed me going on a European Parliamentary trip that he said is "really important" and will help politicians rebuild international relationships with New Zealand as our borders re-open. Speaker Trevor Mallard and I will be leading a delegation of MPs who are travelling to Europe to help smooth the path for New Zealand's free trade agreement with the European Union. We will be leaving for our trip in mid-May and we will visit Crete, Athens, Rome, Warsaw, Brussels and Dublin. While away, the other MPs and I will receive security briefings on the Ukraine invasion. Politicians need to be out and about showing that New Zealand is open for business and that for our visa waiver partners, travel by private citizens to our shores is again possible and welcomed. I hope it is possible to encourage young people to come here from Europe for working holidays and for education in our universities and with other education providers too. We need businesses and organisations to see that New Zealand is open for all sorts of business, education and tourism and that we will welcome people for all the reasons that were here before the Covid-19 pandemic. Mill Road As we know the Government cancelled the planned Mill Road upgrade to four lanes in June last year. The reason given was the increased cost of the work needed to turn it into an alternate route to State Highway 1, between Manukau and Drury. Instead Minister Michael Wood promised safety upgrades and investment in walkways, cycleways and public transport. To date there has been no progress except that a business case is expected at the end of this year. Local Councillor Daniel Newman has said he is concerned by the lack of progress on a road that already serves sufficient traffic for a four lane highway as was first planned almost 10 years ago. Existing safety issues need to be addressed to cater for a growing population now. At the moment only improvements to a two lane road are being considered by Minister Wood and progress of any sort seems to be a long way into the future. I am certainly hoping for a much better option for our local communities than this. Best wishes to all, Judith Hon Judith Collins
Hon Judith
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