Dear John,

I held a Tech Summit this week and invited participation from a wide selection of people in the technology and business sectors to attend.

The group of experienced innovators and start up experts formed a panel and were given the opportunity to provide their advice and opinions to the creators of new technology initiatives and startups currently in the market.

We heard from tech enthusiasts, academics, business leaders and venture capitalists from all over New Zealand who generously provided their insights into taking seed capital and growing an international commercial success.

We then continued with my current project which is developing a “Product to Market” Road Map. Input from the experts is essential and I invited all the participants and panellists at the Tech Summit to discuss the concept and contribute their ideas. The outcome is that the Map will champion the successes and help to remove the barriers preventing new technological innovations from becoming global phenomena.

The tech sector employs over 100,000 New Zealanders, it generated $8.6b in export revenue last year and it has been growing 77% faster than the general economy since 2015. It is rapidly becoming the powerhouse of the New Zealand economy.

Over the next twenty years it could supply 151,000 extra jobs for women, 93,000 for Māori and 48,000 for Pacific people working in the digital industries.

The Product to Market Map will be a starting point for the next Government’s tech policies. It will provide support for encouraging and transforming the technology ecosystem in New Zealand because this is an area where there can be real growth and real economic returns for our country in the years ahead.

Cops and Collins at the Papakura Business Association meeting

In early November, the Electorate office team and I were invited to join the members of the Papakura Business Association for a Cops and Collins evening.

The first presentation was from Inspector Matt Hayes who outlined the situation for Police deployed in Counties Manukau South policing district.

Matt told us that area commander Inspector Joe Hunter oversees the huge Counties Manukau South catchment that extends from the Awhitu Peninsula across to Beachlands, Orere Point, Tuakau then out to Waiuku and includes Papakura, Clevedon, Drury, Tuakau and everywhere in between.

There are four Police Stations across the area. Papakura and Pukekohe are open 24 hours per day and the other two at Tuakau and Waiuku run a variety of shifts.

There are just over 172 police for Counties Manukau South and they include 21 Sergeants, 14 Detective Constables, 123 Constables and 6 Police employees. They are divided into three shifts daily and they are supported by the two inspectors, Detective Senior Sergeants and Senior Sergeants.

Inspector Hayes’ main function is monitoring the activity that requires police presence and deploying the staff to the areas of greatest need ie 111 emergencies and then any identified hotspots requiring high demand presence.

There are five different teams that all have a set of tasks, like burglary, car crime, prevention and public safety assigned to them every day and they attend to these as they are able. Importantly, cases from 111 calls take priority.

The takeaway from all this is that the Police are highly organised and their time is prioritised using very exact monitoring of situations across Counties Manukau South. The message Inspector Hayes gave was:

“If it is happening now call 111 and if it has already happened and there is no ongoing emergency response possible, call 105 or report online to 105.police.govt.nz”

With the close association I have had over the years, I have much respect for the New Zealand Police and I ask that we remember that they are always doing their best in some awful situations and they are only human. They need support from the government to do their jobs in safety which means more people and sufficient resources.

With best wishes,
Judith

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