Tom Rutherford - The Week That Was - 31 January

 

We celebrated Auckland Anniversary Day by supporting local businesses with a dinner at Pap House, making the most of the sunny public holiday.

 

Hope you enjoyed the extra day off and the fantastic Bay of Plenty weather!

 

Being a ‘Local, just like You’  I’m very aware that the smallest changes can make the biggest difference around our neighbourhood. Last week, Salome reached out about cars using their cul-de-sac as a u-turn spot, putting local kids at risk while they play, bike, and scoot around.

Just 7 days later... New safety signs are up!

I contacted the Council and with some quick action, our littlest residents can play more safely. Special thanks to Salome for speaking up about this issue.

 

If you see something in our community that needs attention, don't hesitate to reach out.

 

 

 

Our refreshed team – relentlessly focussing on economic growth and delivery in New Zealand in 2025, so you can be better off. 

So, we can strengthen local businesses and lift incomes. 

So, we can afford outstanding public services, like health and education. 

 

So, you and your family can get ahead

 

 

Pāpāmoa is leading the race for NZ's Choicest Suburb award!

 

Show your support by casting your vote here: 
www.trademe.co.nz/c/promo/peoples-choicest-voting

 

Voting is open until February 14th, 2025.

 

As the 2025 school year kicks off, we’re starting an exciting new chapter for education in New Zealand and right here in the Bay of Plenty.

All 0–8-year state schools will benefit from a detailed, knowledge-rich curriculum and explicit teaching through structured literacy and structured maths, National MP Tom Rutherford for Bay of Plenty says.

“We are focusing on teaching the basics brilliantly, so our children grow up confident and capable in literacy and numeracy. Whether they dream of becoming a playwright, electrician, doctor, or engineer, a strong foundation in these essential skills is vital,” Mr Rutherford says.

“I’m proud to see our government investing over $30 million in curriculum-aligned maths resources that will directly benefit 433,000 students.

 

“131 schools - 36,201 schoolchildren - across the Bay of Plenty have received new resources to empower teachers and students with their mathematics.

“From maths workbooks and tactile learning tools to online support, these resources will help students thrive and give parents greater visibility of their child’s progress.

We are also ensuring teachers get the professional learning and development they need to teach the new curriculum confidently.

 “As this rolls out, other 2025 plans include updating all curricula to Year 13, revitalising NCEA, and addressing property equity to support schools nationwide.

“Parents can have confidence this Government is putting the foundations in place so their child can strive to do their best at school. We are committed to lifting achievement and closing the equity gap in our education system, so all Kiwi kids have the best opportunities to thrive.”

 

 

Last week saw the redistribution of some important portfolios between National’s cabinet ministers. The two most important changes were the shift of Dr Shane Reti’s Health portfolio to Simeon Brown and Nicola Willis’ adoption of the new Minister for Economic Growth. 

In Luxon’s State of the Nation speech he spoke about the future of the country and promoting economic growth. He also spoke about his concern about New Zealanders heading overseas to see big name artists perform. 

In our weekly catchup with National’s Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor asked about each of these issues, starting with the National Party reshuffle.

Full Interview:  Cabinet reshuffles and the State of the Nation w/ the National Party’s Tom Rutherford: 28th January, 2025 | 95bFM

 

The past few years have been tough for our communities in the Bay of Plenty. Rising costs, high interest rates, and financial uncertainty have affected families and businesses alike. But as we head into 2025, there are clear signs of recovery – confidence is growing, wages are outpacing inflation, and interest rates are dropping.

This year is about driving economic growth that lifts incomes, creates jobs, and strengthens communities across the Bay of Plenty.

For local businesses, cutting through red tape will make it easier to hire, expand, or launch new ventures. If you’ve ever felt like bureaucracy was holding you back, this shift from “no” to “yes” will make a real difference.

More affordable homes will be built, planning rules simplified, and major projects fast-tracked. These changes won’t just create jobs in the Bay of Plenty they’ll also improve transport connections, support renewable energy, and help our region thrive.

Families are already feeling relief. Tax cuts are putting more money in pockets, wages are rising faster than costs, and social housing reforms have helped thousands of families move from motels into stable homes. These changes are setting the stage for even better outcomes this year.

There’s also a strong focus on futureproofing. New trade deals are opening markets for New Zealand’s goods, while investment in science and technology is turning Kiwi ideas into global opportunities.

Whether you’re a farmer, an entrepreneur, or someone looking for the next step, there’s a place for everyone in this plan for growth.

For the Bay of Plenty, this year is about moving forward, creating opportunities, empowering communities, and delivering practical solutions.

Better days are ahead, and there’s every reason to feel hopeful.

Lunar New Year is a time to reflect, reconnect with loved ones, and embrace new beginnings with hope and purpose. The Year of the Snake symbolises wisdom, resilience, and transformation, qualities that inspire us as we face challenges and look for opportunities to grow together. These values remind us of the strength we gain by working collaboratively to build thriving communities and a brighter future for everyone. 

As the local MP, I am proud to represent a community that is enriched by the diversity and contributions of ethnic communities here in the Bay of Plenty. Your contributions to local businesses, cultural heritage, and community leadership are deeply valued and integral to our shared success. 

Looking ahead to 2025, these themes resonate strongly with our priorities: building safer communities, supporting economic growth, and delivering better public services for all. 

To all those celebrating, thank you for the important role you play in making the Bay of Plenty and New Zealand such a vibrant and welcoming place. 

Wishing you a joyful and prosperous Year of the Snake, filled with wisdom, resilience, and success. 

Here's a fun fact: They use an old biscuit tin from the 1990s! Each bill gets a token, which goes into the tin. A politically neutral person then draws the tokens - just like a raffle.

Tuesday's draw saw two bills selected:

Crimes (Coward Punch) Amendment Bill - Paulo Garcia MP

Juries (Age of Excusal) Amendment Bill - Carl Bates MP for Whanganui

Some of NZ's most significant laws started as Members' Bills, including Marriage Equality and the End-of-Life Choice Act.

 

This week the Prime Minister and Transport Minister Chris Bishop announced that speed limit reduction reversals are beginning around the country.

What you need to know:

 

 

Every fatal crash is a tragedy. That’s why our government is determined to improve road safety, and why we’ve invested $1.3 billion in the Road Policing Investment Programme.

The government’s investment in road safety is focused on encouraging safer driving behaviour, promoting safer vehicles, road policing and enforcement such as safety cameras, alongside investment in other safety interventions such as building safer infrastructure, investing in safer drivers, and requiring safer vehicles, all enabling people to travel safely and efficiently. Targeted speed management through the new Rule also supports these investments. 

Instead of a blanket, untargeted approach which reduces speed limits across the board, we’re focusing on the leading factors in road deaths: drugs and alcohol. 

 

This week we had the second reading of legislation that will enable roadside drug testing.

We are prioritising the safety of Kiwi kids by introducing reduced speed limits outside schools during pick-up and drop-off times. 

 

Throughout the world, 50km/h is used as the right speed limit to keep urban roads flowing smoothly and safely. The evidence on this is clear – comparable countries with the lowest rates of road deaths and serious injuries, such as Norway, Denmark, and Japan, have speed limits of 50km/h on their urban roads, with exceptions for lower speed limits.

Rotary Club of Pāpāmoa completes park shelter – Sun Live Article

Community working group member Barry Scott and project manager Christa George cut the ribbon.

 

A new accessible shelter at Gordon Spratt Reserve is “open for all to enjoy” after the ribbon was cut on the 2.5-year project.

When the project started, only two Papamoa playgrounds had sunshades, leaving 19 playgrounds that did not, Papamoa Rotary Club project manager Christa George said.

“The project managed by the Rotary Club raised around $16,000 in cash, goods, and in-kind donations of time and expertise.”

In partnership with Tauranga City Council and a small group of concerned Pāpāmoa parents, the Rotary Club of Pāpāmoa have provided an accessible shelter at Gordon Spratt Reserve alongside the playground.

The equipment can be unusable as the slides and swings are too hot to touch, and the playgrounds offer no shade, George said.

“This project started because every summer in Pāpāmoa, parents are extremely frustrated by the lack of shade at our local playgrounds.”

Thanks to Rotary’s advocacy, many playgrounds now incorporate sunshades or shelters in their initial plans, George said.

Full Story: SunLive - Rotary Club of Pāpāmoa completes park shelter - The Bay's News First 

Piloted by Captain Euan Dickson, the first flight of the Canterbury Aviation Company’s new airmail service left Christchurch at 8 a.m., carrying several hundred letters to Ashburton and Timaru into the teeth of a south-westerly gale.

George Bolt had made the first official airmail flight in New Zealand, from Auckland to Dargaville, in December 1919. The Canterbury Aviation Company hoped to go one better with a regular service using an Avro 504K biplane. This failed to gain the custom it needed to make a profit and ended in April. Bolt’s attempt to establish a regular service between Auckland and Whangārei using a seaplane also hit turbulence.

Sir Henry Wigram had established the Canterbury Aviation Company as a private flying school in 1916. As New Zealand had no air force, the company trained pilots for service in Britain during the First World War.

In 1923 the New Zealand government purchased the land and assets of the company for its newly formed air force. Renamed ‘Wigram’, the airfield was the RNZAF’s main training base until 1995. 

 

 

Schools to accelerate maths achievement
Students who need extra help with maths are set to benefit from a targeted acceleration programme that will give them more confidence in the classroom, Education Minister Erica Stanford says.

 

Trade and Investment Minister to hold trans-Tasman discussion
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay will travel to Australia today for meetings with Australian Trade Minister, Senator Don Farrell, and the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLF). 

Going for Growth: New rules for visiting tourists
The Government is relaxing visitor visa requirements to allow tourists to work remotely while visiting New Zealand, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford and Tourism Minister Louise Upston say. 

 

Students are back at school
 Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes students back to school with a call to raise attendance from last year.

 “The Government encourages all students to attend school every day because there is a clear connection between being present at school and setting yourself up for a bright future,” says Mr Seymour.

Speed limit reduction reversals begin
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop.

“The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads.

Citizenship applications completed up 54 per cent in December 
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship.

Customs’ levies legislation passes first reading
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said this week.

Barnardos decision reversed
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline.

 

New school lunch programme serves up first healthy lunches
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has recently visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year.

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Hope you have a great weekend and if there is anything I can do to help - please give my office a call on 07 542 0505 or email me at bopmp@parliament.govt.nz

 

If you have a business/ venture and would like me to visit and learn more, please get in touch.

 

Thanks,
Tom.