How about that weather yesterday?

Come along on Wednesday night for my public meeting

Dear John,

As I write this the wind is howling, the rain is pelting the windows and it's generally miserable. I hope you're wrapped up warm - it's chilly out there; and also a little dangerous. Stay safe.

I've spent the past couple of weeks on paternity leave looking after little Jeremy, who is just such a joy and a delight. It's been great to spend some quality time at home with him and Jenna - my nappy changing skills have certainly improved in the past three weeks although they still have a way to go! Parliament goes back on this coming Tuesday and I'm looking forward to being in the debating chamber for the first time in a while. There's certainly plenty to discuss - from the cost of living, interest rates, housing, a health system under significant pressure, ongoing law and order problems, and immigration.

Cost of Living Meeting: You may have seen the signs up around the Hutt for a public meeting I'm holding with Nicola Willis this coming Wednesday. Please come along - 7pm at the Ricoh Sports Centre. Inflation has just hit a 30 year high, rents are up $200 per week on average in the Hutt in the last five years and it's getting harder and harder to get ahead. Nicola is our Finance Spokesperson and will talk about National's ideas to get New Zealand back on track. See you there!

Local win: One of the most satisfying parts of my job is advocating hard for the Hutt and getting local projects over the line - so I was really pleased to see that after five years of work the government has confirmed installation of a new cell tower to improve broadband and mobile coverage on Coast Rd and in Catchpool Valley in Wainuiomata. The area gets thousands of tourists per year but wifi and mobile coverage is spotty at best. Switch on planned for September 2022, so not long to go now!

Housing: Housing is an area where the government made big promises, but where they've consistently failed to deliver. July 1 marked the fourth birthday of the ill-fated KiwiBuild scheme - the government programme that was due to build 100,000 houses. So far just 1366 have been delivered. Truly a fail of epic proportions. I celebrated KiwiBuild's birthday online - did you see the video? I've had very positive feedback. Sorry about the hat.

It's not just KiwiBuild though - the state house waiting list is over 27,000 people (it was 5000 when National left office), and I broke the news a couple of weeks ago that the government has now spent $1 billion (yes, a billion - not a typo) paying for people to live in motels, including thousands of children. It's a get-rich-quick scheme for motel owners - the government just writes a big cheque and walks away. Sadly it's not as if Kainga Ora is even building houses either - so far this year Kainga Ora (the old Housing NZ) has built just 21 net new houses around New Zealand and it's taking on so much debt it still won't be repaid by the year 2081! Kainga Ora is a basketcase, and despite hiring 1700 new staff in the last four years, they still haven't issued a "third strike" notice against antisocial tenants or even applied to terminate the tenancy of a single person. Things are so bad Megan Woods won't rule out cutting funding for disabled housing. Hopeless. National's proposed solutions are outlined here and I'll have more to say in the coming months.

Health: There's so many other things I could comment on, but just a quick comment on our health system, which is under significant pressure over this winter. Why the government thinks this is a good time to massively restructure the system at the cost of at least $1 billion is beyond me. Increasingly Andrew Little is at war with doctors, nurses and other workers on the frontline, and the government looks out of touch. 1000 consultants are working on the reforms - and that's all money that could actually improve resourcing. The government still refuses to allow overseas nurses fast-track residency into New Zealand - despite literally everyone in the sector, including Health NZ, calling for it! We won't let up on this issue - it's nuts that multimedia specialists tech workers get fast-track residency but nurses and midwives don't.

Finally this week - did you see the story about Kelson Four Square and the burger they've entered in the Wellington on a Plate Burger Wellington competition? It's called "Murg in a Burg" and I can't wait to try it. Great work by Falgoon, Pushpa and the team up the hill.

Have a great weekend. On Saturday I'll be supporting Petone at the Jubilee Cup Grand Final - go the blue team!

Chris

P.S Make sure you check out this new festival coming up on Jackson St at the end of July! Looks awesome.

Come along this Wednesday

Inflation is over 7 percent, a 30 year high. Rents are up $200 per week in the Hutt in the last five years. It's getting harder and harder to get ahead.

Please come along to my public meeting to discuss the Cost of Living Crisis with Nicola Willis MP, National's Finance Spokesperson and Deputy Leader. Plenty of time for Q and A.

Catchpool Valley Cell Tower Confirmed!

For the last five years I’ve worked on the issue of a cell tower to improve broadband and mobile coverage in the Coast Rd and Catchpool Valley. The area gets thousands of tourists per year but wifi and mobile coverage is spotty at best. The Wainuiomata Rural Residents Assn has lobbied hard and it has been great working with them.

After the change of government in 2017 I went and met with Clare Curran, the then Minister, to put it on her radar. Started a petition campaign which got thousands of signatures. Finally in late 2019 the proposal got the green light and now we have confirmation of installation. Switch on planned for September 2022, so not long to go now!

Residents and visitors can expect faster broadband and better mobile coverage. Great for people visiting Remutaka Forest Park and of course the businesses in the area as well.

The best part of being a MP is working hard for locals and delivering.

First walk with Jeremy :)

Monthly Waiwhetu Stream clean

Popped out to do my section of the Waiwhetu Stream for its monthly clean.

Thank you Mark Dunajtschik

Mark Dunajtschik announced a couple of weeks ago at the Wellington Gold Awards he is donating $40m towards a new Mental Heath Centre in Lower Hutt! Incredible generosity from an amazing Wellingtonian.

(Photo credit Cr Brady Dyer - Hutt City Council)

Bishmobile gets a service

Thanks to the team at Thomsen Automotive in Petone for the check-up and service of the Bishmobile this week. Great friendly service. Highly recommended!

Skills Shortages

We are critically short of workers across every sector of the economy. The shortages mean businesses are forced to reduce hours and increase prices driving inflation even higher. Far from a flood of working holiday makers we have only had a trickle. National released a plan back in March to deliver the workers we need. Labour have no plan.

#LoveTheHutt