Dear John,
If you're a regular Parliament watcher, you'll have noticed me absent for the last week - for the best reasons! Jenna and I welcomed Jeremy John Raeburn Bishop to the world on Sunday night (photo below). He's the most adorable little man and we are so excited about being his Mum and Dad. Jenna was an absolute champion and both Mum and Jeremy are doing well. A big thank you to the amazing team at Wellington Hospital - they were incredible.
I'm now taking a few weeks off on paternity leave, which neatly coincides with a three week Parliamentary recess for winter (it wasn't planned like that, honestly!). You'll see me around the Hutt a bit but my intention is to really spend some quality time with Jeremy and Jenna while I can. Both my offices remain open and Dawn and Tanya are available to help if you have constituency inquiries. But replies to emails may be a bit delayed - apologies in advance and I hope you understand.
Thank you to everyone who has seen the news on social media and reached out with lovely comments - much appreciated. I did enjoy shooting down this plonker on twitter who was wondering why I hadn't tweeted about Roe v Wade...
Onto politics - today is KiwiBuild's fourth birthday! Labour promised at the 2017 election they'd build 100,000 affordable homes... well four years on, the grand total is 1366. The level of failure is quite amazing... at the current rate, the 100,000 target will be achieved in... 2093!
The failure over KiwiBuild could perhaps be forgiven if the rest of the government's housing policies were working - but they aren't. Rents are up $150 per week in the last five years, and this week I revealed that New Zealand had hit the extraordinary milestone of $1 billion (yes, a BILLION) spent on emergency housing (mainly motels). The government has created a get-rich-quick scheme for motel owners (it's not their fault), written big cheques, and just left vulnerable people to it. It should be a massive scandal - emergency housing motels are hotbeds of crime and sadly 4500 kids wake up every morning in a motel room. Phil Twyford used to say back in 2017 he didn't want to be here in 6 months with people still living in motels. Well they do and the numbers are at record levels - just like the state house waiting list, which has grown 500% since Labour came to office. National's proposed solutions are outlined here and I'll have more to say in the coming months.
Check out my special KiwiBuild birthday video here and make sure you share it!
The other big news of the week just gone was the announcement (well, reannouncement) by the government of their "Let's Get Wellington Moving" package. If you got a sense of deja vu, it's not just you - three years have gone by since Phil Twyford, Julie Anne Genter and Justin Lester stood and announced the LGWM package at Wellington Railway station. In the meantime, nothing has happened, except millions have been spent on expensive talkfests and consultants reports. Oh sorry, I'm wrong - construction is about to begin on a pedestrian crossing on SH1 (Cobham Drive) on the way to the airport. So you'll forgive me for viewing the announcement of light rail to Island Bay and a 2nd Mt Vic Tunnel pretty cynically. Construction isn't even meant to begin until 2028, the plans for a second Terrace tunnel (critical for the Hutt) and undergrounding under Aro have disappeared, and reducing congestion isn't even really an aim of the programme anymore. In short, its a mess. Perhaps unsurprisingly given the last few years, Wellington has plummeted in the global "liveability" rankings.
Finally this week, our health system continues to be under significant strain, despite what Andrew Little says. New Zealand is desperately short of nurses and midwives, but Government instead seems to be focused on restructuring the health system instead. National has launched a petition to get nurses and midwives to the list which allows fast-tracked pathway to New Zealand residency. Get this - this fast-track list currently includes doctors, vets and multimedia specialists – but not nurses and midwives! Crazy. Please sign our petition to boost New Zealand’s health system and get more nurses and midwives working in our hospitals.
Have a great weekend and I'll see you soon.
Chris
P.S Did you see the news that the Airport Flyer is back up and running? Sadly, it's only from Wellington Railway station to the airport, not to and from the Hutt as well. This is a real missed opportunity and I will continue to push hard for the Hutt to be included in the future.
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Born 8.39pm on Sunday 26 June. Weighs 8 pounds exactly :)
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$1 billion spent on emergency housing
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Crazy numbers and we can and should do so much better.
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March for Action on Maternity Care
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Sadly I was at the hospital myself so couldn't make the big march to Hutt Hospital last Saturday led by the brilliant Hutt Families for Midwives group, but I was there in spirit! Please sign my petition to get the DHB to use the Te Awakairangi Birthing Centre. Sign here.
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Petone wins the Swindale Shield
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Petone Rugby's first Swindale Shield win since 2009! Well done. Their 15th overall. Hutt Old Boys' also made it through to the Jubilee Cup round - best of luck to both teams.
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Let's Get Wellington.... Moving?
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Says it all really doesn't it - three years on and no progress.
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Calling for an apology for MIQ
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The government can apologise to Charlotte Bellis for breaching her privacy - with the High Court having issued damning declarations against the government, they should apologise for the operation of MIQ as well.
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I snapped this photo on Friday morning (Matariki) as we headed to the hospital...
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