Shane's Newsletter - July 2021

UNITED WE STAND

Every single National Party MP stands united with our farmers and rural communities.  From North to South and East to West we stand together.

We stand as a united front against:

  • Abuse of SNA legislation over private land - the overreach must stop now!  
  • Over regulation - National's collaborative solutions vary from area to area, not top down government knows best
  • Ute tax - A National government will repeal the tax immediately 
  • Unfair border restrictions - National will adjust MIQ setting to address workforce shortages
  • The Crown Pastoral Land Reform Bill (2020) - National opposes this bill

On Friday, July 16, 2021 in a show of solidarity we joined the Groundswell protest march.  Farmers back New Zealand.  We back our farmers. Farmers and our rural communities are the backbone of our economy. 

 

In Whangarei over 500 vehicles turned out for the protest.  As I looked across Barge park I saw Māori and Non-Māori,  farmers, tradies, landowners, kiwis of all ages and backgrounds standing united.  Kiwis work hard. They deserve a government that rewards hard work.

https://www.national.org.nz/national-mps-out-in-strong-support-of-farmers 

 

DEMAND THE DEBATE

He Puapua continues to split us apart. Labour Ministers willfully dismiss the context in which the UN Declaration was signed and use it to push their own agenda.  Labour’s proposed changes make fundamental alterationsto our nation’s legal and constitutional framework.  You deserve to be part of the conversation. 

Demand the Debate – Campaign launch

 

Learn more about the history of He Paupua then sign up to “Demand the Debate” here:  https://www.national.org.nz/demand-the-debate

Hate Speech is another Labour over reach.  Stretching far beyond the Royal Commission’s recommendations, Labour reaches over and above hate speech and intrudes upon the freedom of expression.  Without the ability to say and write our opinions, the government threatens to undermine and erode a principal pillar of democracy.    Freedom of speech is a fundamental humanitarian right – we will not let the Labour government silence you!

EMERGENCY – Our Health System is in Crisis!!

 Labour continues to spend more money while producing worsening outcomes.  Our hospitals are overrun with sick children suffering from RSV and Rotavirus. Our healthcare workers from hospitals to aged care facilities are undervalued, overworked and in short supply.  Vaccination rates for preventable childhood disease continue to decline.  What is Labour’s solution to the growing crisis? To decrease DHB funding by 30% and increase layers and layers of bureaucracy.  It’s not enough to criticize – this is what I would do today if we were in government:

 

  • Short term – safely turn on the immigration tap to fill urgent health workforce vacancies
  • Medium term – cancel $486M of the DHB restructuring experiment and value nurses
  • Long term – build a 3rdmedical school and increase health workforce enrolment

COVID RESPONSE

Vaccination Rollout – We have thousands of border workers that have yet to be vaccinated and the booking system, as predicted, continues to be riddled with issues.  The good news, although very late in the piece, the government is finally bringing primary care and pharmacies to the table.  It is simply common sense to utilise our most experienced and trusted healthcare providers during a pandemic! This is especially good news for our rural communities. 

Recently, I caught up with the Ngāti Hine Health Trust COVID Vaccination team and community leaders in Pipiwai.  Working together to vaccinate local residents.   Find the Ngāti Hine Health Trust vaccination schedule here: http://nhht.co.nz

Border Response & MIQ – New Zealand’s economic future is dependent upon our ability to open our borders.  In addition to a successful Covid-19 vaccination campaign, we must implement a strategy for managing travel in and out of New Zealand.  The current border regulations and MIQ program leaves New Zealand citizens stranded, families separated and our healthcare system dangerously short of skilled providers.  It is time to rethink border regulations and processes as well as MIQ for fully vaccinated citizens, residents and visa holders – National has a plan. 

EDUCATION – The purpose of compulsory education is to provide equal opportunities to succeed.

 It doesn’t matter how much you spend on education, if students are not in the classroom (or learning environment) they cannot receive an education.   In addition to our spiraling truancy rates, math and literacy performance is down.  Is it time to revisit national standards?  National standards give educators and parents a powerful tool to monitor the progress of our children. 

Education is the foundation on which a good life is built.  A poor education sends a child down the pathway of poverty and vulnerability.   Let’s get our kids into the class room and help them perform better in school.  

LOCAL ISSUES - Once again, Northland is left behind as beltway Wellington and Auckland issues take over!

  • 4 lanes from Whangarei to Marsden – I wrote to the Minister and said forget the ridiculous cycle path over Auckland Harbour and build the 4 lanes!    https://bit.ly/3wYtiT0 The local Labour MP did nothing.

Reply 28244 (2021) has been answered to Dr Shane Reti July 2021
Portfolio:Transport (Hon Michael Wood)
Question:Has he received any communications whatsoever from the Labour MP for Whangārei advocating against the proposed walking and cycling bridge over the Auckland Harbour ?
Reply:No. For the benefit of the member, I note that the bridge is not located in Whangārei.

  • Homelessness – we struggled, also. We even had a few people in motels as a short-term emergency housing solution. However, this Labour government has gone way too far! The government is spending over a million dollars a day in motel accommodation. In Whangārei homelessness has worsened dramatically since the government took power and is now making the headlines.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/445918/whangarei-s-homeless-population-grows-from-21-to-293-from-2018-to-2020

  • Violence – how many more shootings in Whangārei? Enough. Gang membership has nearly doubled and there are almost as many patched members as there are police officers. This can’t go on.
  • Gangs and Meth - 2.75 Million Dollars meth program to the Mongrel Mob. Unacceptable.  In Whangārei, we piloted Te Ara Oranga, a Northland DHB Joint venture with NZ Police to reduce methamphetamine demand.  I am of the view that expanding a proven collaborative program like Te Are Oranga is better choice.  Watch this link and draw your own conclusions about the government funding the Mongrel Mob.  https://bit.ly/3Bt7DWI

MEDIA

The Media Standoff Continues – Read Melissa Lee’s article The Unconscious bias of Changing Journalism: https://thebfd.co.nz/2021/07/07/the-unconscious-bias-of-changing-journalism/

Excerpt: “We are also paying for many of these journalists’ careers now, not just through student loans or RNZ but through the $55m Public Interest Journalism Fund and other pots of money the current Labour-led government has established.”

What can you do today to help our message get media cut through? 

 

NATIONAL PARTY MEMBERS

Epsom Midwinter Christmas Membership Fund Raiser

Thank you to the Epsom Electorate National Party members, our hosts the Bridges Family and our pianist the Honorable Paul Goldsmith.

    

Membership

Thank you to the hundreds of members who have already renewed their membership.  We value and appreciate your support.  If you haven't renewed yet remember to do so before the AGM.  You can renew or join here:

Renew: https://my.national.org.nz/login

Join: https://my.national.org.nz/new-member-profile

AGM

The 85th Annual General Meeting & Conference of the New Zealand National Party will take place from Friday 6th August to Sunday 8th August 2021, at the Vodafone Events Centre, Manukau, Auckland.  

https://www.national.org.nz/national-party-annual-general-meeting-conference-2021

Every day, I am reminded how lucky we are as National Party members to be part of an organization that shares the same core values – from rewarding hard work to promoting fairness and equal opportunity.

Thank you, again to our members – you are the cornerstone of the National Party!