In this issue:

• In the House
• Minister's News
• Electorate News
• Upcoming Engagement Opportunities

Farewell Kīngi and Welcome Kuini

I’d like to acknowledge the passing of Kīngi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII and the new kuini of the Maori King Movement (or Kīngitanga) Ngā Wai hono i te pō. Her accession will be a bittersweet as she mourns the loss of her father and comes to terms with her new role.

I look forward to working with her in future.

See my tribute in Parliament here.

In the House

It has been a busy September in the House as we finalise delivering the 40 actions contained in our Government’s Quarter 3 action plan and look ahead to Quarter 4.

Our plans for Quarter 4 will be announced soon and I am energised by the work ahead of us as we continue to deliver on our commitments.

We have made some more major Government announcements including:

• Record $32.9 billion investment in New Zealand’s transport network
• Taking action against gangs including a gang patch ban
• Driving structured literacy in schools
• Outlining how our ambitious health targets will be achieved
• Delivering the first cancer medicines from a $604m boost
• Introducing legislation to crack down on youth vaping.

Tougher Sentences for Criminals

Almost 30,000 more New Zealanders have experienced violent crime in the last two years – proof that a soft-on-crime approach has emboldened offenders. Cabinet has agreed on new sentencing reforms which prioritise victims and hold criminals to account. 

Sentencing reforms include:

• Capping sentence discounts that judges can apply at 40 per cent.
• Preventing the use of remorse discounts for repeat offenders, including youths.
• Introducing new aggravating factors, including for those who offend against sole-charge workers, those who livestream or post their crimes online, and for adults who exploit children by aiding and abetting them to offend.
• Encouraging the use of cumulative sentencing for offences committed on bail, in custody or on parole.
• Implementing a sliding scale for early guilty pleas with a maximum sentence discount of 25 per cent, reducing to a maximum of 5 per cent for a guilty plea entered during the trial.
• Amending the principles of sentencing to include any information provided to the court about victims’ interests.

I am happy to support this change which is in line with my Rights for Victims of Insane Offenders Bill.

Minister's News 

It has been a busy month across my portfolios with several meetings, events and engagements.

September highlights include:

• Visiting MUMA Whanau Services in Auckland. The Manukau Urban Māori Authority (MUMA) is a long-standing community service provider and I was there to see a He Poutama Rangatahi-funded work-readiness programme that’s supporting people into employment. 
• Speaking at the Aotearoa Food Rescue Alliance National Hui. Last year alone, AFRA members distributed 9.8 million kgs of food, about 27.9 million meals, to families in need. That is so impressive! Thank you volunteers for everything you do.
• Visiting Industry Training Auckland to see and hear about the employment training programmes they deliver on behalf of MSD.

• Visiting On Demand Training and meeting some young people studying for their upcoming truck and forklift licence certifications. By the end of the day, 33 out of 34 participants there had passed their tests with VTNZ onsite – how good!
• Attending the 2024 New Zealand Business Hall of Fame black-tie gala. This event was organised by Young Enterprise and this year they are celebrating 30 years of recognising great New Zealanders who have contributed to their success. It was a pleasure to celebrate with them.
• Visiting Fair Food, a charity that utilises donated and surplus food to create food packages for distribution across Auckland. Each year, almost 3000 volunteers distribute over 33,000 meals worth of food. Fair Food won the 2023 Kiwibank New Zealand Local Hero of the Year Award which is fantastic recognition for the work they are doing.
• Speaking at Power in the Park in a Q&A session. It was an open community day with a focus on those living with disabilities. I appreciated the warm welcome and the questions.
• Speaking at the Ngā Puna Pūkenga 1,000 employment outcomes celebration. This programme has changed lives by supporting people off welfare and into work. It shows the power of local and central government and business working together towards a common goal.
• Speaking at the Volunteering New Zealand Leadership Hui in Christchurch where I formally launched the State of Volunteering in New Zealand 2024 Report. The report found the state of volunteering to be fairly positive which is encouraging.

Paralympic Games Success

I have enjoyed watching the fantastic performance of the New Zealand Paralympic team in recent weeks.The team’s success in Paris included personal best times, New Zealand and Oceania records, and of course, winning some hard-fought medals!

Our 24 Paralympians did us all proud through their success, integrity and sportsmanship. It was also great seeing the success of athletes from my electorate. Former Taupo cyclist and now Cambridge-based Anna Taylor won a silver medal in the C4 3000m individual pursuit. Cambridge-based Nicole Murray also won bronze in the C5 3000m individual pursuit.

Paralympics New Zealand, High Performance Sport NZ, Sport NZ, Chef de Mission Raylene Bates, her team of professionals and the athletes’ families and friends also deserve recognition for the work they do behind the scenes which enables the athletes to succeed.

Disability Parking

Suffrage Anniversary

Thursday 19 September marked 131 years since New Zealand became the first country in the world to grant women the right to vote (1893). Forty years later, Elizabeth McCombs became New Zealand’s first female Member of Parliament in 1933. It took 89 years for women to hold the majority of seats in Parliament which happened for the first time in 2022. In the 54th Parliament, 46.3 per cent of MPs are women.

Since 1893, over 195 women have represented New Zealand as MPs and I am proud to be the 108th female MP to enter our Parliament. I am equally proud to be part of the National Party with so many strong women among our MPs (pictured above), volunteers and supporters. 

The first Taupō electorate existed from 1963 until 1981. Rona Stevenson MBE was its first MP, the fourth female National MP and tenth female MP in New Zealand. I am the second woman to represent the Taupō electorate. Women like Rona paved the way for all of us.

As the Acting Minister for Women on Suffrage Day, I was delighted to acknowledge this milestone in the House and acknowledge the contributions of the suffragists who have fought to advance women’s rights and those continuing the fight for gender equality today.

Electorate News

Third Medical School Update

I’m pleased to report that the initial cost-benefit analysis of establishing a University of Waikato-based medical school has provided Minister of Health Dr Shane Reti and the University confidence to progress the project to a full business case. The business case will take some time to collate and analyse. Further announcements will follow its completion.

It's great to see we're another step closer!

Scam Alert!

Online scams using political figures, including Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

The Financial Markets Authority (FMA) has issued a public warning that deepfake videos and fake news articles are tricking people into investing in fraudulent schemes.

One fake claim is that pensions are being cut and people are being encouraged to invest in fraudulent schemes or ‘investment opportunities’. Ads lead to websites asking for personal information and prompt you to make small investments.

Pensions are not being cut. Significant Government announcements will always be made through reputable news agencies.

If you have been scammed, contact your bank immediately to see if you can reverse the transaction, contact an IT professional to check your device for malware, and report the scam to Netsafe. Falling victim to a scam can be traumatic. You can phone Victim Support on 0800 842 846.

SH1/SH29 Roundabout 

Two temporary approaches to the Piarere roundabout (at the intersection of SH1 and SH29) are now in use and work continues on the Tirau approach.

Please slow down and follow directions to keep road workers and other motorists safe. Vehicles travelling from Cambridge to Tirau will need to go around the roundabout and double back, taking a hairpin turn to the left back onto SH1. This is a temporary measure. The completed roundabout will make a huge difference to traffic flows.

SH1 Tīrau to Waiouru Upgrade

NZTA Waka Kotahi has begun intense maintenance and rehabilitation work on SH1 between Tīrau and Waiouru. Before Christmas 2024 work will only be carried out north of Taupō. 

The sections between Tīrau and Putāruru and between Ātiamuri and Wairakei are nearing completion.

Below are further closures to be aware of:

• SH29 Piarere to North Tīrau: 29 September for 3 weeks (night closure only). Detour via SH29 and SH28.   
• SH32 Tokoroa to SH30 Ātiamuri: Early October – early November 2024. North- and south-bound vehicles will be detoured. SH1 traffic heading to and from Taupō and further south will be redirected via SH32 and SH30. The detour will take about 34 minutes and add an extra 47.4km to your journey. 

Before you travel, check here.

Taupō Women's Group

It was lovely to join the Taupō Women's Group as they celebrated their 50-year anniversary. The group is a great example of strong women supporting each other and just having fun! Community is essential to humans. 

Pride in Putāruru Business and Community Awards

Congratulations to the award recipients of the Pride in Putāruru Business and Community Awards – you are all so deserving of the recognition. Emcee Ben Hurley kept us entertained throughout the evening and it was lovely to see everyone rocking their Hollywood glam! It is so uplifting to celebrate success and see people recognised for their efforts.

Congratulations also to Daniel Perian and Josh Handley who were awarded their apprenticeship certificates. A lot of hard work has gone into attaining them. With recent changes made to the Resource Management Act and the National Policy Statement on Urban Development and more choice and competition in building materials, I’m confident there will be an upturn in the building and construction industry in the near future and you will be able to put your skills to good use.

SWIFT Scholarships Open

If you’re living in the South Waikato District and want to further your studies, take a look at SWIFT’s (South Waikato Investment Fund Trust) website. Applications for the SWIFT Education Scholarship Scheme are open now and close at the end of October.

Upcoming Engagement Opportunities

Facebook Live

Join me online to discuss the issues that currently concern you on the second Tuesday of each month. 

My next live chat will be: 

Tuesday 8 October 8 p.m. 

Facebook@louiseupstonmp 

See this month's Facebook Live here.

Cambridge Friendly Forum

Friday 18 October, 10:00–11:30a.m.

Cambridge Town Hall Victorian Room

Victoria Street, Cambridge

(Disability access via the Edwardian Room on Lake Street)

RSVP to 07 376 5563 or [email protected]

South Waikato Friendly Forum

Friday 1 November, 10:00–11:30a.m.

The Plaza Theatre, 50 Kensington Street, Putāruru

RSVP to 07 8865554 or [email protected]

South Waikato Clinic – Online

Friday, 1 November 2024, 1:00–2:30p.m.

Please call 07 8865554 or email [email protected] for an appointment.

Taupō Friendly Forum

Friday 8 November, 10:00–11:30a.m.

Lake Taupō Rotary Club, 12 Story Place, Taupō

Please RSVP by calling 07 3765563 or emailing [email protected]

Taupō Clinic

Friday, 8 November 2024, 2:00–3:30p.m.

Please call 07 8865554 or email [email protected] for an appointment.

Electorate Assistance

Phone 07 8275572 or email [email protected]

Phone 07 8865554 or email [email protected]

Phone 07 3765563 or email [email protected]

Kind regards