It's sure been a big week across the board.

I have come back from Norway and it's wonderful to have two recess weeks from Parliament, where I can get out and about across the electorate and meet with constituents.

At Building Futures, a programme aimed at upskilling people for the construction industry

There have also been some government announcements which impact our region, including announcements about the Four-Lane Expressway.

It is important to keep you, my constituents, abreast of not just the government announcements, but also what I have been up to in our electorate.

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GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Our government is committed to delivering better public services for all New Zealanders and to rebuild our economy so we can invest in driving the outcomes Kiwis deserve.

We’re launching the nine ambitious targets to get New Zealand back on track.

We know these targets are ambitious. We’re not here to do what’s easy, we’re here to do what’s needed to improve the lives of all New Zealanders.

Roads of National Significance:

SH2 Hawke's Bay Expressway at Watchman Rd. Photo credit: NZTA

The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) have signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP).

The four-laning of the State Highway 2 Hawke’s Bay Expressway has been included in the draft GPS as a Road of National Significance and will improve access for people and communities, allow for greater freight movements and support economic growth and prosperity within the region.

The expressway process is proposed to start in 2024 through to 2034 (10 years) to completion at the cost of $250 - $999m. 

Woolshed roadshow:

The Government Agriculture ministers have started their national woolshed roadshow and will be touring around the country in the coming months.

They will be visiting our electorate on July 15.

Farmers have faced tough times with high domestic inflation rates, high interest rates, adverse weather events, and increasing farm input costs. Addressing red tape is a government priority so that farmers can focus on being the most efficient food and fibre producers in the world.

We have a busy and critically important work programme in the agriculture portfolio ahead of us to get our country back on track.

OUT & ABOUT:

Spent the day with our Energy Minister Simeon Brown visiting hydro power and geothermal stations in Taupo which are critically important in generating New Zealand’s supply of renewable electricity - as our government works towards doubling renewable energy by 2050.

A big thank you to Taupo MP Louise Upston for having us.

Me with Energy Minister, Simeon Brown, at the Ngā Tamariki Geothermal Station

Suze Redmayne, me, Katie Nimon and Nancy Lu

The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999.

At the end of this year, the Government will deliver its second Emissions Reduction Plan which will set out how we will meet our emissions budgets for the second half of this decade. It’s a critical milestone on our journey to Net Zero 2050.

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I look forward to seeing you out in our Tukituki community soon.

Regards, Catherine

 

Catherine Wedd | MP for Tukituki

 

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