Dear John,
As I write, Parliament is in urgency following the delivery of the 2022 government Budget yesterday. What did you think of it? National has dubbed it the "Backwards Budget" because it takes New Zealand backwards at a time of a cost of living crisis - inflation is nearly 7% and so many Kiwis are finding it hard to get ahead.
I was in the Budget "lock-up" with Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis and National's team (we get just one hour with the document before having to talk to media). A couple of comments. First, inflation isn't going anyway time soon. It's 6.9% currently and it will be above 3% until 2025. That's the highest inflation in 30 years - there's an entire generation of Kiwis (including my own) who haven't known inflation like that. It's going to be painful and it will flow through to interest rates.
Second, Grant Robertson is utterly addicted to spending. Since 2017 government spending has gone up by over $51 billion and this year's new operating spending is the biggest increase in government spending in New Zealand history - and even then he hasn't stuck to the $6 billion he said he'd spend; he's robbed the allowance from 2023 and 2024 as well. The big increase in government spending and the big increase in waste is putting pressure on inflation and we're all paying for it. Third, the big spending isn't delivering better results - think mental health, health generally, education results (particularly truancy), etc. There's of lot of waste (one example here!). You can watch Christopher Luxon's reply to the Budget here and I also made a contribution here too which is getting some good feedback.
The big local news of the week was the awful news about Hutt Hospital's Heretaunga Block being deemed earthquake prone. This is obviously really concerning. I found out on Tuesday after it hit the media and I revealed on Wednesday morning on Morning Report that the block is just 15% of code - why the DHB didn't front up with that, I don't know. Overall there has been an information vacuum. Under recent legislation the DHB had to supply the Hutt Council with an assessment of the state of its buildings. It supplied a 2011 assessment showing it was 43% of NBS which the Council accepted in May 2021. Two obvious questions are: why did the DHB supply an assessment that was 10 years old; and why did the Council accept it? I have asked both the DHB and Council and will report back.
I met with Andrew Little, the Minister of Health, in his office with other local representatives on Wednesday night. A few things are clear to me from the meeting. First, I worry greatly about what will happen once the new Health NZ entity starts on July 1. The DHB just won't exist from that date - the Board is dissolved and senior leadership disappear. So will the needs of the Hutt disappear into a bureaucratic ether? I hope not and I will be working hard to make sure that doesn't happen.
Second, we need some clarity, quite quickly, as to what the "decanting" (moving out) plan is. The Minister is quoted as saying it could be within weeks. The DHB seems to think it will take longer. And where will staff and patients go? The Wellington region is under strain as it is. One obvious solution is to use the Birthing Centre down the road for maternity care (more on this from me soon!), but what about other services and needs? Third, what is the timeframe for decisions around remediation and replacement? Remediation seems unlikely given the expense required to bring the building up to scratch; but we will need answers sooner rather than later.
Finally, there is talk of "master-planning" service provision in the region, as part of the new Health NZ reforms. I worry about what this will actually mean in practice, and it will be important we don't lose services from the Hutt. I will be watching this extremely closely and I know the Mayor is of the same view. The good news is there is political consensus that it is imperative that the Hutt retains a well-resourced hospital with at least as many beds in the block as there are now.
My commitment as a MP who hopes to serve the Hutt again as your local representative is this: I will work as hard as I can to ask the questions we need asking, to get the answers we need, to stand up for the Hutt with government and decision-makers, and to try and get the best outcomes possible in this worrying time. Please contact me if you would like to discuss or have any questions.
COVID-19: A couple of quick things on COVID. Chris Hipkins told me at select committee on Wednesday that the government was "unlikely" to appeal the Grounded Kiwis High Court case, which they lost. This is good news. An appeal would be expensive and it's hard to see why they would do so. What they should do is apologise! I also asked him about pre-departure testing. He told me that "pre-departure testing days are numbered", the "utility is much less than it once was", and it "isn't making a significant contribution to reducing hospitalisation". Again good news - National reckons, just get rid rid of them now. The costs vastly outweigh the benefits. Finally, he said he is open to an independent review of the response - again, good news. If he doesn't deliver National will establish a Royal Commission within 100 days of taking office.
Finally for this newsletter - not sure if you managed to see the Hutt Old Boys v Petone game on Saturday for the McBain Shield - what a cracker! Final two minutes captured by me here.
Have a great weekend and if I can be of assistance, let me know.
Chris
P.S DId you see the video of the big digger ram-raiding the Wainuiomata BP? Shocking stuff.
P.P.S I got pretty fired up in the General Debate this week. Have a watch here.
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Incredibly exciting end to McBain 2022. Petone v Hutt Old Boys Marist. Scores locked 20 all. 80th minute. Final play of day. Here's the video - wait for it! And then watch the crowd. Club Rugby is alive and well.
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Very well deserved! Congrats Teresea! She has done an amazing job helping vaccinate so many people.
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New restaurant in Wellington
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Opening Spice Traders on Courtenay Place on Monday night - on the site of the old Burger King. Well done Arvind Shetty and team. Looks fantastic!
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Feeling for the team at BP in Wainuiomata who were ram raided on Sunday night/Monday morning.
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Back on the Jackson St Project
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On the Jackson St Project last week - we’re trying every restaurant on Jackson St from west to east. Last time we tried Chili N Spice they had a power cut halfway through our meal, so we had an entree there and then a main across the road!
Chilli N Spice is the sister restaurant to the well known Chilli Masala in Lower Hutt and the food is just as good. Jenna loves the lamb saagwalla. Normally I get chicken pasanda or tikka masala but this time I pushed the boat out with w Bagara Baigan - eggplant, green chilli, peanuts, coconut and sesame. Superb! Excellent service and food. Make sure you check it out.
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Accompanied Christopher Luxon out to Mana SuperBlues a couple of weeks ago. SuperBlues is a special club inside National for seniors to get together for morning tea and a chat about the issues of the day. Great turn-out! I run one in the Hutt too - if you're keen to join, let me know!
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Available at WildKiwi Distillery in Upper Hutt.
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Thanks to Kerry from Hamilton who sent Jenna and me this lovely card about our happy family news. Not long to go now!
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Visit to Queen St Pharmacy
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Queen St Pharmacy does a great job serving the Upper Hutt community. Called into say hello to Brooke and Doug last week. Keep up the great work!
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