Meager Matters

Welcome to my latest newsletter.

It’s just over a week since the announcement of the likely closure of the Alliance Smithfield freezing works. As one of the biggest private employers in the Timaru District this closure will have a massive impact on workers, their families and the wider community. My team and offices are working closely with local agencies and organisations to plan a coordinated support effort for those affected. We are here to help, please reach out and get support if you, or someone you know needs it. I trust our community will rally together and get through this. Looking to the big picture, the Government will continue to support farmers and the agricultural sector to drive down costs, simplify regulations and build trust as we get Wellington out of farming.

The Family Boost childcare payment opened for registration in mid-September, with claims able to be submitted from 1 October. This will give eligible low to middle income families the opportunity to claim up to 25 per cent of their weekly childcare fees up to a maximum of $975 every three months, deposited directly into their bank accounts. By making ECE more affordable, we're investing in our children's futures and supporting the backbone of our community – hardworking families!

There has been a surge in online scams involving deepfake videos of political figures, including Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, falsely claiming that pensions are being cut and encouraging people to invest in fraudulent schemes. These scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated. The Financial Markets Authority (FMA) has issued a public warning and has a dedicated page with more information about these scams and a checklist of actions to take if you think you’ve been affected, and you can contact my offices for help too. You can also report it to Netsafe.

This month I handed over the responsibility of sitting on the Regulations Review Committee to my colleague David Macleod. I have very much enjoyed working on this committee but am happy to focus on my role as Chair for the busy Justice Select Committee. In September four new justice bills were introduced and referred to the committee, with more to come this quarter. These bills are now open for submissions during October and are open for you to have your say. These additional pieces of legislation will mean a busy period for the Justice Committee into the lead up to Christmas.

This Government is coming up to 12 months in office and I am proud of our track record. Our successful Q3 Action Plan shows the Government has continued to build on the momentum of its first two quarters. The Government's latest Action Plan will continue to deliver on the core priorities of rebuilding the economy, restoring law and order, and delivering better public services, with a particular focus on infrastructure.

FamilyBoost childcare payment registrations open: Low-to-middle-income families with young children can register for the new FamilyBoost payment, to help them meet early childhood education costs. (Beehive PR) 

New Zealand concludes trade agreement with the UAE:  New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates have concluded negotiations on a trade agreement, which will unlock economic opportunities for Kiwi exporters and create stronger supply chains with one of our most important trading partners in the Gulf region. (Beehive PR)

Tough laws pass to make gang life uncomfortable: Government passes gang legislation to give police and the courts additional tools to crack down on gangs. (Beehive PR)

Getting the healthcare you need, when you need it: The path to faster cancer treatment, an increase in immunisation rates, shorter stays in emergency departments and quick assessment and treatments when you are sick has been laid out. (Beehive PR) 

Reforming the building consent system: The Government is investigating options to reform the Building Consent Authority system, to help lower high building costs and slash arduous red tape. (Beehive PR)

SuperGold Information Hub live: The SuperGold Hub is an online portal offering up-to-date information on all the offers available to SuperGold cardholders. (Beehive PR)

Record investment to get transport back on track: A record $32.9 billion investment in New Zealand’s transport network through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more reliable and efficient transport network that boosts economic growth and productivity. (Beehive PR) 

Government confirms RMA reforms to drive primary sector efficiency: The Government is moving to review and update national level policy directives that impact the primary sector, as part of its work to get Wellington out of farming. (Beehive PR) 

Urgent action taken to bolster energy security: Cabinet has moved quickly to approve a raft of actions to address the serious risk to New Zealand’s energy security and affordability. (Beehive PR) 

Tougher sentences on the horizon for criminals: Sentencing reforms that will ensure criminals face tougher consequences and victims are prioritised have passed first reading in Parliament. (Beehive PR) 

National Infrastructure Plan to provide a 30-year roadmap: The 30-year National Infrastructure Plan will ensure greater stability of infrastructure priorities to help New Zealand plan for, fund and deliver important projects. (Beehive PR)

Each year there are hundreds of White Ribbon events that take place all over New Zealand.  This is to raise awareness and funds for the campaign to end violence against women. My team attended the recent Ashburton fundraiser, Handbags and Gladrags hosted by Safe Families Mid Canterbury. We donated a handbag fill of treats for their auction and I’m pleased to say it fetched $570, the top price for the night! Well done to Anna Arrowsmith and the organising committee, and to all who attended and contributed on the night. An amazing cause to support with over $17,000 raised in total for the night. What an amazing accomplishment!

Applications for the Hubbard Churcher Scholarship closed in September. Set up by the late Allan and Margaret Hubbard in 2004, there have been 62 recipients since its inception. This year, two scholarships will be awarded with the candidates to receive a three-year $2500 per year scholarship for tertiary education. The Aoraki Foundation manages and awards the scholarships, having taken over from accounting firm HC Partners last year. I was fortunate to be awarded one of these scholarships to help with my fees at Selwyn College. I’d encourage any young person to take up any opportunity they can to gain additional support. If you’d like to learn more about the Aoraki Foundation and the great work they do in our community visit their website.

I had the honour of officially opening Ashburton’s new Library and Civic Centre, on behalf of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, on Friday 27 September. It was great to see so many there to celebrate this occasion. Anyone who has visited Te Whare Whakatere would agree that it is a fantastic asset for the community. It is the result of what can be achieved when Councils do the core work well and gain the confidence of the community to invest in assets like this. Libraries are centres of knowledge and learning, but also provide important public facilities and access to resources. I would argue this one is now one of the best in the country and would note it is magnitudes better than our previous library.

Fraser Park was officially opened on Saturday 28 September by Mayor Nigel Bowen and businessman Gary Rooney. This is an amazing asset for the region that was made possible by generous support from our community. I’d like to give a big shout to Phillipa Guerin, who’s incredible perseverance, passion, and hard work no doubt got this project over the line and completed. We now have a top-class facility for our community to enjoy. I was very lucky to get the opportunity to play the first game on the new pitch in the president’s invitational tournament that was the curtain raiser for the South Canterbury Heartland team’s winning game against East Coast. It’s a moment I’ll remember for a while mainly because of the sore muscles and body aches. #rugbyover35ouch!

I had an interesting couple of evenings at The Y Central South Island NZ in both Ashburton and Timaru to hear about the results from the 2024 Youth Survey. The Y continue to do amazing, grassroots led work in our community, so I was pleased to be there in support both evenings. You can read the survey results here.

Congratulations to Mazaiah Isaako Tuala from Timaru Girls’ High School on being accepted for the upcoming UN Youth NZ Global Development Tour in 2025. She’ll visit Boston, New York, London, Brussels, and Paris. She is currently fundraising for her trip costs, please contact Timaru Girls’ High School if you’d like to help her.

Timaru Office Hours: Monday to Friday 10am - 4pm.

Ashburton Office Hours: Monday 9am - 12pm, Tuesday and Thursday 9am - 2pm.

Email:  james.meagerMP@parliament.govt.nz

Call: South Canterbury 03 683 2009 or Mid Canterbury 03 307 1729.

Take care,

James