Katie Nimon MP: Marching Forward: Health Highlights and Community Updates!

I can't believe we're already at the end of March! Here's your update on what's happening in the Napier electorate, New Zealand Parliament, and across our country!

·       Napier Overnight Health Care

·       Electoral Commission Boundary Proposal

·       Highlights this month

·       Recent Policy announcements

·       What’s happened in the house

·       Upcoming events and important dates  

March was truly a month dedicated to health, with significant focus on Napier's overnight care and exciting improvements to the Hawkes Bay Fallen Soldiers Memorial Hospital.

As we step into April, it's a perfect time to reflect on our community's progress and look ahead to the challenges and opportunities before us. In this month's newsletter, I'm excited to update you on the work happening in Parliament, share key developments in Napier, and highlight ongoing efforts to improve the lives of people across our region.

Our office will also be taking part in Christian Lovelink's annual blanket drive, which runs from May 5th to May 9th. So, start rounding up any linen laying around the house that would be perfect to donate! Keep an eye on my social media and April's newsletter for more details.

I'm always eager to hear your thoughts and ideas—please don't hesitate to get in touch with me at any time.

Here to listen, here to help!

Katie

As discussed, March really was the month for health, and I’m thrilled to share some fantastic news for our Napier community! The Government has confirmed an enhanced overnight urgent care service for Napier residents, ensuring local access to high-quality after-hours healthcare. The service will feature the following key enhancements:

I’m particularly proud to have advocated for the continuation of this vital service, which plays an essential role in providing timely care for our community. With these improvements, Napier will benefit from a more comprehensive and accessible healthcare option, now and in the future.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who shared their concerns with my office. Your input was incredibly valuable in my discussions with Minister Simeon Brown, and together, we achieved an outstanding result!

Our government is committed to improving cancer treatment and increasing access to vital medicines. I’m thrilled to share that a new linac cancer treatment machine has been added at Hawke’s Bay Hospital, meaning patients no longer have to travel outside of the region for their treatment. This is a long-awaited development that will have a significant impact on Hawke’s Bay families.

I was also privileged to meet the dedicated nurses and oncologists at the newly opened Canopy Cancer Care. During my visit, I had the opportunity to see their state-of-the-art PET scanner and tour the fantastic new facility, which is helping make cancer care more accessible for our community. A huge thank you to the incredible team at Canopy Cancer Care for the outstanding work they do every day.

This month, I had the privilege of participating in the celebration of Holi – a festival marking the arrival of spring, the celebration of love, and the triumph of good over evil. It was a wonderful occasion to promote joy, unity, and positivity within our community.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Hindu Council Hawke’s Bay for organising such a successful event that brought together people from various cultures. It was especially heartening to see the people from Hohepa joining in the celebration. The event provided a refreshing opportunity to embrace something so joyful and uplifting.

It is also fitting that the Prime Minister is visited India this month, strengthening the important ties between our nations. As your MP for Napier, I was honoured to be part of this meaningful celebration and wish everyone a colourful and joyous Holi.

What an amazing visit to Wairoa this month! I had the privilege of spending time with the local community, starting with a community clinic where I had the opportunity to connect with a number of local organisations, share insights, and listen to the issues that matter most to the people of Wairoa. It was also an exciting moment to participate in a youth MP interview, where I engaged with young people about the opportunities and challenges, they face in our community.

One of the standout moments of the visit was my tour of Tiaho School, where I had the chance to meet with the school’s leadership team and discuss the progress of their rebuild project. This is such an important initiative, and I’m fully committed to ensuring that the project stays on track. During our discussions, it was clear how vital this new facility will be in creating a safe and supportive learning environment for students, teachers, and the entire community. The staff at Tiaho School is doing incredible work, and I’m looking forward to supporting them as we continue to advocate for the resources needed to complete this project.

Back in Wellington, I will be having key conversations with relevant stakeholders to ensure the rebuild project moves forward without delay. Creating a conducive, supportive, and safe learning environment for our children remains one of my top priorities, and I’m determined to ensure that this important project is completed successfully. We are fully committed to getting it right for the future of Wairoa’s students and their educational journey.

I recently had the opportunity to visit Napier Boys High, where I engaged in a productive discussion with staff and students on several key topics impacting the school community. We focused on important issues such as school infrastructure, the NCEA system, and how the education system sets school leavers up for success. These are critical areas that require our attention to ensure students have the best possible environment for learning and development.

One of the highlights of my visit was meeting with the school prefects, who provided valuable insights into their current learning experiences. During our kōrero, they shared both the successes they’ve encountered and the challenges they face within our schooling system. It was a privilege to hear directly from these young leaders, as they identified areas where improvements could be made. I left the meeting with a deeper understanding of the concerns and aspirations of our students and look forward to continuing these conversations to ensure we are delivering the best education possible.

The Representation Commission has released the proposed electorate boundary changes, and it appears the Napier electorate will be expanding! The new boundaries now extend up to Manutūkē and across to Motu.

But why are these changes happening? Every five years, after the census, the Commission reviews the boundaries to ensure that each electorate has a roughly equal population size, ensuring fairness in representation.

These proposed changes are still in draft form and won’t be confirmed until August this year. As your MP, I’ll continue to advocate for everyone within the Napier electorate, regardless of the final boundaries, and remain committed to supporting our communities up until the next election and beyond.

I’ll stay engaged with our communities, focusing on the issues that matter most to you. Whatever the final boundaries look like, I am here to listen, support, and help. For more information, you can visit the link here.

Several policy announcements have been made this month. Please click on the links below to know more. 

The Government has taken decisive action to address the inequitable state of school property to ensure better outcomes for all students.

Thirteen students from across New Zealand have been awarded the prestigious Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships and Awards for 2025, Minister of Education and Ngarimu Board Chair, Erica Stanford announced today.

The Government is strengthening health requirements for dependent children of people on temporary visas to ensure more consistency in the immigration system.

Kiwis can now feel safer knowing serious criminals will spend longer in prison with the Government’s sentencing reforms passing final reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says.

More than 900 thousand superannuitants and almost five thousand veterans are among the New Zealanders set to receive a significant financial boost from next week, an uplift Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says will help support them through cost-of-living challenges.

Environment Minister Penny Simmonds today launched the Government’s strategy to reduce waste and improve how it’s managed in New Zealand. 

Rail Minister Winston Peters has announced the plan for two new rail ferries to enter service in 2029, continuing the 60-year legacy of the Interislander connecting New Zealanders and their goods.

The Police are on track to have powers to screen drivers for impairing drugs after legislation to enable roadside drug testing passed its third reading today, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.

The Government will invest in an enhanced overnight urgent care service for the Napier community as part of our focus on ensuring access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown has today confirmed.

The Government is reviewing New Zealand’s health workforce legislation to ensure the focus is on putting patients first, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.

Most of New Zealand has now been mapped in 3D, creating a rich dataset for planning economic growth, land management and modelling for risk, Land Information Minister Chris Penk and Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson say.

The Coalition Government’s drive for regional economic growth through the $1.2 billion Regional Infrastructure Fund is on track with more than $550 million in funding so far committed to key infrastructure projects, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says.

New figures out today again reinforce the importance of tourism to sustained economic growth, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says.

For other policy announcements please click here. 

During sitting weeks, the House of Representatives meets in the Debating Chamber to debate legislation, ask and answer questions, and more. Click here to view Sitting Calendar 2025

Daily progress in the House is a summary of what Parliament is doing. This report is updated throughout the sitting day. Read what's been happening in Parliament today.

To see bills at varying stages and find out the status, follow this link. 

Parliament's decisions affect all New Zealanders. Have your say and influence the laws passed by Parliament. You can get involved by making a submission.

Regulatory Systems (Occupational Regulation) Amendment Bill- closes on 1st April 2025

Regulatory Systems (Courts) Amendment Bill - closes on 3rd April 2025

Term of Parliament (Enabling 4-year Term) Legislation Amendment Bill - closes on 17th April 2025

Referendums Framework Bill - closes on 17th April 2025

Land Transport Management (Time of Use Charging) Amendment Bill - closes on 27th April 2025

Upcoming events  

Monday 7th April 3pm - 5pm

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Thank you for taking the time to read Nimon's News.

I look forward to seeing you around. 

Thanks

Katie Nimon