We have had a busy couple of months since my last email newsletter, with the Government taking steps to deliver for New Zealanders. Already we are seeing success, with tax relief now arriving in the pockets of hardworking Kiwis, food prices dropping for the first time in six years, interest rates beginning to fall providing households with mortgage relief, and inflation stabilising, all of which are making life just a little easier for you and your family.

In this edition of my email newsletter, I will update you on a few key issues. If you would like to get in touch with me, please don't hesitate to contact my office by calling 09 572 0000 or emailing PakurangaMP@parliament.govt.nz.

Last week, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and I announced measures to ensure councils and regional authorities get back to basics to reduce the cost of living, focus on core services and infrastructure, and improve the efficiency of decision making.

One of the most common complaints I hear as a local Auckland MP is about the wasteful spending we've seen for over a decade by Auckland Council, with too much money spent on nice-to-haves, and not nearly enough on core services like picking up the rubbish, fixing the water pipes, and filling in potholes. Ratepayers rightly expect local government to focus on these basic tasks and to spend their rates money responsibly and efficiently. With an average rates rise of 15% across New Zealand this year, it's clear this isn't happening in most areas.

For more information on our plan to get councils back to basics, you can read my full press release by clicking here.

I have been hard at work on your behalf as a Minister in the Government and have made a few big announcements over the last month and a half.

We announced a crackdown on drunk and drugged drivers with our new $1.3 billion Road Policing Investment Programme over the next threes, which includes new targets for roadside testing to improve road safety. These targets include 3.3 million roadside alcohol breath tests and 50,000 roadside drug tests each year, to get impaired drivers off our roads and keep New Zealanders safer. We know that alcohol and drugs are the leading contributor to fatal crashes on our roads, with crashes involving drug drivers tragically claiming the lives of an average of 105 people each year between 2019-2022. You can read more about this announcement here.

We also announced several other measures to improve safety and efficiency on our roads, including the Government’s first seven Roads of National Significance that we’re starting in the next three years, including Mill Road in Auckland, the rollout of speed camera signs across the country to encourage drivers to check their speed, our plan to reduce the number of road cones and temporary traffic management on our roads, changes to the driver licencing system to tackle the unacceptable wait times facing Kiwis trying to sit their tests, and our commitment to fix potholes within 24 hours on state highways across the country! For more information about these transport announcements, click here.

We’ve also made significant progress on our Local Water Done Well plan, as we announced new water service delivery models to provide councils and regional authorities with improved access to finance for investment in water infrastructure. Kiwis made it clear at the election that they didn't want Labour's expensive and divisive Three Waters reforms, and we have moved quickly to repeal those policies and restore local control over water assets. Our plan is about giving local government the certainty it needs to deliver efficient and reliable water services, while minimising costs on ratepayers. Local Water Done Well will provide lower costs to Kiwis than could have been achieved under Labour’s Three Waters.  You can read more about our plan here.

On Wednesday 4 September, I will be hosting a free breakfast event for local tradies alongside Construction Spokesperson Chris Penk. Come along and hear about what the Government is doing for the building and construction sector, with the full details below. Please RSVP to pakuranga@national.org.nz.

Thanks for all your support, and please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns!

Member of Parliament for Pakuranga

P: (09) 572 0000 | E: PakurangaMP@parliament.govt.nz

Facebook  |  Twitter