Welcome to Wedd’s Weekly. This is my weekly newsletter to let you know what’s happening in the Tukituki electorate and the wider region.
As we head into the long Easter weekend, I would like to wish you all a Happy Easter and look forward to keeping you all updated.
FIRST 100 DAYS' HIGHLIGHTS:
Celebrating the women of the coalition government on International Women's Day
March 8th marked 100 days of our government getting New Zealand back on track.
As promised, the Government has delivered on all 49 actions within its 100-day plan, focused on initiatives to help rebuild the economy, ease the cost of living, restore law and order, and deliver better health and education.
New Zealanders voted not only for a change of government, but for a change of policies and a change of approach. The coalition Government has started to deliver that change. While we have delivered dozens of changes already, we’re only getting started.
We are a government of action, focused on strengthening the economy and supporting provincial New Zealand.
Below are the highlights:
- We’ve abolished the Ute Tax, to finally deliver farmers and tradies relief after years of disrespect.
- We’ve started cancelling the blanket speed limit reductions which are slowing Kiwis down.
- We’ve cancelled the planned hikes to fuel tax which would have taken motorists further backwards. We don’t believe in more taxes in a cost-of-living crisis.
- We’ve abolished Fair Pay Agreements and brought back 90-day trials – giving businesses the confidence to hire someone who needs a fresh start instead of letting so many Kiwis spend their life on a benefit.
- We’ve returned the Reserve Bank to a single focus on price stability, after years of rampant inflation and hopeless economic management.
- We’ve delivered more than $7billion in savings, so we can deliver Kiwis tax relief they desperately deserve – not more wasteful spending.
- We’ve repealed Labour’s broken RMA reforms that made it harder and more expensive to build anything, just at a time that we need to get our economy moving again.
- We’ve banned cellphones in schools – and we can already see the impact that’s having to keep kids focused and reduce online bullying.
- We’ve made sure every kid in every school gets an hour a day of reading, an hour of writing and an hour of maths – and appointed an expert group to redesign the maths and english curriculum by the end of the year so we can teach the basics brilliantly.
- We’ve begun disestablishing Te Pukenga – after the last government spent hundreds of millions of dollars even while staff morale collapsed, and regional needs suffered.
- We’ve commissioned an independent review into the woeful state of Kainga Ora led by Sir Bill English. Our Social housing system has been a disgrace, and we need to change this.
- We are shaking up our welfare system to ensure we get away from a welfare dependant state. It's time for people to take responsibility. If a person can work, they should work and be rewarded if they do, but if they fail to do so their benefit will be sanctioned.
- We’ve taken the first steps to extend free breast cancer screening up to age 74.
- We’ve started to bring in new laws going after gangs and illegal firearms, so we can keep our communities safe and restore law and order.
- We’ve abolished Labour’s prisoner reduction target.
- And we repealed Labour’s undemocratic and unaccountable Three Waters reforms. Our government will restore local control of water after Labour tried so hard to take it away.
- It was exciting to see the Fast track legislation have its first reading. This will create huge opportunities for Hawke’s Bay.
- We announced 15 roads of national significance. The transport government policy for land transport has the four-lane expressway as a priority.
We are only just getting started. We will continue to be a Government that delivers for all New Zealanders.
HAWKE'S BAY FOCUS
Ministers Flock to Our Region:
Education Minister Stanford and I at Frimley School and visiting RSE workers in the region.
Apple harvest well and truly underway in the fruitbowl of Aotearoa, New Zealand
Prime Minister addresses Cyclone recovery:
The Hawke’s Bay community must also be acknowledged for rallying around to support one another through the first-year commemorations of Cyclone Gabrielle, while that was more than a week ago, the impact of it will be felt for many months to come.
Our Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, emergency management Minister Mark Mitchell addressed and thanked the hundreds of volunteers who were celebrated at the Tomoana Showgrounds in Hastings for Volunteer Appreciation Day.
I am also thrilled to announce that I have been made Cyclone Recovery Parliamentary Private Secretary.
This means we can act on the Minister's behalf on the ground here in Hawke's Bay and feed back to the Minister on issues that need to be addressed.
The new $40 million for silt clean up announced by our government has been welcomed and will ensure we are getting much of our productive land back into productivity.
I have also ensured that I have been meeting with the Cyclone Taskforce to ensure these taxpayer dollars are spent well.
And I'm pleased to see that for the first time a procurement process has taken place to ensure the best value and outcomes.
Our National Government is focused on getting people off welfare and into work and it’s amazing to see Hastings businesses like Topline Contracting Limited running programmes to turn lives around and encourage a lifetime of work and self responsibility.
It was wonderful to visit with Finance Minister Nicola Willis.
Making inroads on the Four-lane expressway:
I have been a strong supporter of the four-lane expressway between Hastings and Napier.
I met with our Transport Minister Simeon Brown finding out more about the plans for our Four Lane Expressway and the other roads of National Significance announced in our Government Policy Statement for Land Transport.
The Hawke’s Bay Four Lane Expressway is part of our Roads of National Significance programme.
We advocated strongly to have the Hawke’s Bay Expressway on the priority list and it’s great to see it part of our Government Policy Statement on Land Transport.
The Minister of Transport today released the draft Government Policy Statement on land transport (GPS) 2024 for feedback.
The draft GPS outlines the Government’s plan for investing in land transport over the next 10 years by directing $7 billion per year in expenditure from the National Land Transport Fund.
It prioritises economic growth and productivity, increased maintenance and resilience, safety, and value for money from transport expenditure. It also reintroduces the Roads of National Significance programme that was started under the previous National Government in 2009.
This draft GPS replaces the GPS that the former Government consulted on in August 2023.
Following consultation, the Ministry of Transport will use the feedback to provide advice to the Minister of Transport on the final GPS 2024. The final GPS will into effect by July 2024.
We welcome your feedback on this document. You can email us at GPS@transport.govt.nz.
Consultation will close on April 2, 2024.
My first Members Bill pulled from the Ballot:
Me with my firstborn
It's very exciting to have my first Members bill pulled from the biscuit tin. This is a bill I am personally very passionate about.
The Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) (3 Day Postnatal Stay) Amendment Bill, pulled from the ballot on March 21 will offer greater protection and support to new mothers, says National MP for Tukituki.
One of the most stressful experiences for a new mum is making sure that you can care for your newborn while also processing all the information being given to you by your midwife and nurses.
My Bill will offer new mums greater protection and wrap-around support – by enabling them, to receive a minimum of 72 hours post-natal care if desired.
It also requires the Lead Maternity Carer to let the mother know what she is eligible for and lets them stay for longer than 72 hours if the need arises.
The funding will be ring fenced for post-natal care so that when one mother may choose not to take up the full 72 hours the funding is retained and available for another mum who may need more time.
I want women to be making informed choices about post-natal care and the first 48 to 72 hours are critical to ensure that mothers form a loving attachment with their newborn baby.
Women are currently entitled to up to 48 hours of funded inpatient post-natal care, but many don’t realise this and are pressured to leave early.
OUT & ABOUT
It was great to be out and about in the community and supporting our locals.
Here’s a quick look at what I have been up to-
BMX Champs:
Hundreds of people flocked to Havelock North for the BMX Race National Series. It was great to see the talent on display.
Nourished for Nil social supermarket:
We visited the Nourished for Nil Social Supermarket with the Prime Minister, where those in need can choose food off the shelves rather than relying on a traditional food bank where food parcels are handed out.
It's a great initiative and Christina McBeth and the team are doing a fabulous job of helping those who need it.
Hosting United Nations Family planning association:
As Chair of the NZ Parliamentary Population and Development Committee it was an honour to host the United Nations Family Planning Association delegation and Executive Director of the UNFPA, Dr Natalia Kanem at Parliament.
Rockit Apple Global tour:
It was great to get a tour with Commerce Minister Andrew Bayly and understand the challenges and opportunity facing our exporters. We took a tour of the world leading Rockit Apple Global.
Maiden speech
For those who missed out on my maiden speech you can listen to it and watch it on the link below: