Dear John,

Law and Order becomes the issue again.

I would like to thank the members of the public who intervened in a significant but pointless theft from a well-known supermarket in a coastal suburb of the Papakura Electorate during last week. It is good to know that thanks to the efforts of brave members of the public, the offenders have been apprehended by the Police.

I am sad and concerned that one or two people were injured during the events that unfolded and my thoughts are with them as they recover.

The police arrived as soon as they could after the incident it appears. The supermarket which was packed with shoppers was chaotic following the incident according to the accounts of witnesses who contacted my office.

Very often local supermarkets are staffed by local students and this is the case in many of Papakura’s great little communities. It will now be worrying for any parent whose child works, knowing this type of event can occur.

I was able to visit the store that was affected and I met with the store manager who like me was dismayed by the age of the offenders and the fact they were trying to steal a large amount of chocolate. For various reasons the supermarket appeared unable to make any attempt to protect itself from this type of incident and there are similar stories of stealing in other supermarkets across Auckland too.

The young offenders in this case were aged between 12 and 20 years and not only were they were trying to leave the supermarket with stolen goods but they were prepared to harm others to do so.

This incident is a sad shift in the mindset of some parts of the community about what is acceptable behaviour. It makes me think that some sort of intervention is required to ensure that children are educated that stealing is wrong and doing things that cause physical injury to other people is also very wrong. The Covid pandemic is not an excuse for stealing or harming others either.

Three Waters has become Five Waters

Last week the Select Committee considering Labour’s Three Waters Bill, allowed Three Waters to become five, with coastal and geothermal water now subject to ‘te mana o te wai’ statements from Iwi. The Bill now treats some public parks and reserves as storm water assets, lining them up for confiscation from communities.

This means that as well as taking the pipes, treatment plants and dams from Councils and ratepayers, the Three Waters Bill has now been changed to make dual-use assets like public parks eligible to be taken by Labour's mega-entities.

Labour has made it clear their priority is getting this Bill passed into law as soon as possible. They are not hearing what the 88,267 submitters on the Bill and every Kiwi who opposes these reforms has said to date.

The National Opposition members of Parliament agree that Labour may ram this Bill through as part of its goal to centralise and control, but under a National Government, it’ll be gone. A National-led Government will put assets like water infrastructure and public parks back in community hands and keep them there.

Update - extra mental health beds

Mental health patients in New Zealand are still struggling to secure a bed for acute treatment five years after Labour took office and promised big improvements.

Matt Doocey the National Opposition spokesperson for mental health, said this week “Data released to National shows that the number of contracted beds for acute mental health services is the same now as it was 2017.”

In 2019 Labour allotted $1.9 billion for New Zealand’s mental health sector and almost a billion of that has been spent but not on material improvements that result in more treatment being available for patients.

The Mental Health Commission, an independent watchdog, agrees this is the case and that mental health services are struggling to provide for individuals, and their families, who are desperately seeking help. No one wants to see over worked medical staff and people in deep need in the Health Sector. If you wish to write to the Minister his address is Hon Andrew Little, Minister of Health, Parliament Buildings, Wellington, 6106.

Christmas is upon us

It is not all doom and gloom - summer and Christmas are coming. The Hunua Christmas Market on the Village Green is on in Hunua this Saturday 26 November from 10am and the Papakura Santa Parade is on Sunday 3 December at 3pm at Central Park. The Parade goes down Great South Road and along Broadway and Railway Street. See you there!

With best wishes,
Judith

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