Dear John,

Rebuild Papakura High School Petition

Last week I was asked by the Parliamentary Petitions Committee to make a presentation to them on my 2021 petition to Rebuild Papakura High School in 2024.

Previously we had submitted a full report on the history of the school and its growth since 1947 when it opened in the American-built hospital on the site in Willis Road. Over the years several million dollars have been spent on improving the facilities at the school and trying to keep its buildings in a proper state of repair.

The most recent maintenance report released by the School’s building consultants last year, shows the fabric of the earliest buildings and some built in more recent times are failing. There are roofs and walls and interiors that need lots of money spent on them to make them worthy for the use of today’s students. The configuration of many of the facilities do not comply with the expectations of today’s curriculum delivery and use of technology. Technology’s wide usage is a major change in the way school buildings are used and way beyond what was envisaged in 1947 or even in the early 1980’s.

Around 2011 the Board of Trustees was excited that a rebuild of the school was envisaged and by 2013 it was approved by the Ministry of Education. But due to the extraordinary need for building in Christchurch following the devastating earthquakes in 2011 and after, the rebuilding of the school was put on hold. It was meant to be for a short period but it has not been revisited by the Ministry under the current government even though the need for concentrated rebuilding in Christchurch has ended.

The current Government has been in power for five years and has spent an extra $5 billion on education but recent reports reveal that just 2 per cent of decile one students could pass a basic writing test. This is a national outrage as well as a local one.

Across New Zealand, attendance levels are shocking, with more than 100,000 students chronically absent, and just one-third of students able to meet the new minimum literacy and numeracy standards for NCEA.

A rebuild of Papakura High School at this time would signal to students, their families and the community in general that the Ministry of Education cares about education in Papakura.

The National-led government undertook the rebuild of Red Hill School in Papakura and this is now a model for the community it serves. It would be sensible to continue this good work and rebuild the Papakura High School which many of the pupils at Red Hill will enrol at in the future.

Papakura is a growing community at a time when other parts of Auckland are slowing or reducing. It really needs to be served by a school that has buildings that are fit for purpose and cater to the needs of the teachers, the curriculum and most importantly the school’s students and their families.

For this rebuild not to happen soon is not just a social failure but a future economic crisis for a generation of young people in Papakura.

Groundswell

In mid-October we saw another Groundswell protest from farmers following the Pricing Agricultural Emissions plan released by the Labour-led government the previous week.

This plan originated with the Emissions tax first mooted by the Helen Clark-led Labour government in the early 2000’s.

Now that the Government has promised a 10% reduction in methane emissions from agriculture and landfills by 2030. It sees this going up to a 24-47% reduction by 2050, (compared to 2017 levels), alongside a net-zero emissions target for 2050.

This is the basis for the Pricing Agricultural Emissions scheme that puts prices on both emissions of methane (mainly from cow and sheep burps) and emissions of nitrous oxide (mainly from fertiliser-enriched livestock urine), while allowing farmers rebates according to the benefits they offer for the climate. It suggests for example husbanding sheep that are bred to be low methane emitters, feeding lower methane producing foods to animals and additional planting of carbon dioxide absorbing trees. Many farmers fear that measures like these will threaten the food supply which the international Paris Agreement specifically mentions has to be protected.

The Government says a “calculator” is to be created that farmers will use to input factors like their farm area, livestock numbers, how much meat or milk they produce, and how much fertiliser they use on their paddocks. The Government will levy emission payments on the results from the calculator from 2025.

There is a consultation available on the Pricing Agricultural Emissions Scheme until 18 November. After this consultation there must be a public report back and then the Government plans to sign it off early next year.

Please take the time to have your say on the Pricing Agricultural Emission Scheme by contacting your Member of Parliament.

Farmers and growers are positive people, and always looking forward, but this Labour Government treats them like villains.

Spring is A&P show season so I hope you will go and look at these showcases for the rural and farming sector that produce so much in the way of export dollars for the New Zealand economy and provide us with our everyday food too.

Papakura Electorate Events Coming up

Hunua Village Christmas Market on the Green on Saturday 26th November -  at 10am until 2pm

Papakura Santa Parade on Sunday 4^th December at 3pm followed by Chilling in the Park at 4pm

Best wishes,
Judith

Hon Judith Collins
http://judithcollins.national.org.nz/