Shane's Newsletter June 2022

ELON MUSK & TONGA

A Pleasure to meet the Kingdom of Tonga’s Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni after working to help the people of Tonga following the January 15, 2023 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai eruption. Once I had learned that the telecommunications cable to Tonga was down, I immediately sent a letter to Elon Musk

Elon Musk responded to my plea on behalf of the people of Tonga.  With the assistance of Fiji, SpaceX then helped to provided Starlink terminals to help get Tonga back online. 

Protests in Wellington

In February, we were locked inside parliament while protesters camped out on the Parliamentary lawns.  Initially, the labour government’s response was to play loud music.  Trevor Mallard also issued notice orders to the protesters to “disperse from the grounds”.  This only served to agitate the protesters.  Everyone has the right to be heard.  However, protestors do not have the right to use intimidation, violence and the destruction of public property to capture media attention.

WHANGAREI ELECTORATE

Vaccination Clinics

As promised, I rolled up my sleeves and joined the coal face to help protect our most vulnerable.   When making policy from Wellington it is important to understand what is happening on the frontlines.  A thank you to all the members of our health workforce that have worked so hard to keep us safe during the pandemic.

Can you see the 4-Lanes?

In March, Transportation Spokesperson Simeon Brown along with Spokesperson Scott Simpson and Assoc. Spokesperson for Transport Matt Doocey joined me in Whangarei as we reviewed the infrastructure needs of our region including a stop at North Port.  Simeon agrees with me.  For our regions to progress, Whangarei needs an economic highway – not sticks!

Community Meeting in Waipu

Thank you to the organisers of the open community meeting held in the Celtic Barn at Caledonia Park in April.  It was a privilege to introduce Christopher Luxon to our electorate.  Christopher described his vision and plan for New Zealand.  He also reminded members of the audience that National viewed Marsden Refinery as a strategic asset and that I personally accepted the petition to stop the closure.

SPOKESPERSON PORTFOLIOS

Spokesperson for Pacific People

As the Spokesperson for Pacific People, it was my pleasure to be part of the National Party Pacific Blues AGM and to take part in the Kava ceremony. Our Pacific community has a rich history in New Zealand and contributes to both the economic and social fabric of our country.  In June, Christopher Luxon and I toured the annual Taste of Pasifika Festival in Auckland.  The cultures of 10 Pacific nations were represented during the festival.

Spokesperson for Health – Press Releases

$60M MATERNITY FUNDING DIVERTED TO HEALTH RESTRUCTURING OVER MORE MIDWIVES

The temporary closure of Queen Mary maternity services at Dunedin Hospital is further evidence of Andrew Little being prepared to sacrifice health services over bureaucracy for his precious health system restructuring, says National’s Health Spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.

“The Minister needs to explain ministerial answers showing $60M of maternity action plan funding being put aside for health system restructuring. Read the entire article here:

https://www.national.org.nz/60m-maternity-funding-diverted-to-health-restructuring-over-more-midwives

NO MONEY FOR ED DOCTORS AND NURSES BUT NEARLY 1,000 MORE CONSULTANTS

We now know why Andrew Little isn’t resourcing Emergency Departments – because he has spent it all on consultants and contractors, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.

Last year the Ministry of Health reportedly hired 407 consultants and contractors but with a month still to go in the current reporting year that number has exploded to 1,359 – nearly 1,000 more.

 Our hospitals are at breaking point. We are desperately short of 4,000 nurses and the Government has hired 1,000 consultants to prop up their flailing health restructure.

 “This is a slap in the face for aged residential care who are desperate for 1,000 nurses, DHBs who are desperate for 3,000 nurses, clinics who are desperate for 1,500 GPs and specialists who are 1,500 short.

“New Zealanders deserve better.  Andrew Little needs to explain to patients waiting more than eight hours at Middlemore ED why an extra 1,000 consultants is more important than ED doctors and nurses.”

BOTCHED MEASLES PROGRAMME COST $1900 PER PERSON

The botched $20 million measles vaccine catch-up programme is worse than it appears, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.

“The other week it was revealed that $8 million of measles vaccines were left unused and had expired.

“However, information shows that only 11,206 people of the targeted 300,000 received the vaccine – representing a cost of nearly $1900 per person and reaching only 3 per cent of the targeted population.

“It was also revealed that Labour spent $1.8 million on public relations to frame a campaign ‘with a particular focus on Māori and Pacific people’, yet only 1181 Māori received the vaccine – a PR cost of $1,500 per person.  Read more here:

https://www.national.org.nz/botched-measles-programme-cost-1900-per-person

Members

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

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!