Welcome to my June Newsletter
King’s Birthday weekend bought beautiful weather and many of us were out in the garden pruning and tidying. It brought about some new Royal Honours, a new Deputy Prime Minister and Budget 2025. Budget 2025 reflects this Government's strong commitment to economic growth, fiscal discipline, and targeted investment in health, education, law and order, and infrastructure.
The Budget 2025 education package totals $2.5 billion over the next 4 years. This year’s investments are focused on transforming learning supports to lift student achievement and attendance. $30m from Budget 2025 will be invested to expand specialist school property across New Zealand and I am delighted that this funding will deliver two classrooms at Ferndale School in our electorate.
I’d like to knowledge and congratulate our incredible King’s Birthday Honours’ recipients from the Ilam electorate. They do remarkable work and have been celebrated and rightly awarded King’s Birthday Honours for the service they have given to our community over many years. They are Sophie Devine ONZM for services to cricket, Dr Richard Wild ONZM for services to animal welfare and the veterinary sector and Lesley Huckins MNZM for services to swimming.
Please remember that anyone can nominate someone for a Royal Honour. To find out how, read the nomination guidelines and complete an honours nomination form.
Local elections will be held in October, and it is a postal vote, so now is the time to make sure you’re enrolled at the correct address, so you have your say. Your enrolment pack should have arrived in your letterbox in April. If it didn’t, you may need to update your address by 1 August, so you’ll receive your voting papers in the mail too.
To enrol, check and update your details vote.nz/enrol or more information here.
What’s coming up in June
- June 15-22 is Volunteer Week so I’m asking people to nominate groups in Ilam to be recognised for their work. Please phone my office or email in details, and, on 18 June, I’ll pop out and give their team a thank you gift.
- I’m donating blood on National Blood Donor week (9-15 June). This is something I do regularly and would encourage anyone else who is able to, to donate also. Visit www.nzblood.co.nz/give-blood or call 0800 GIVE BLOOD. 117,000 Kiwis regularly donate blood, plasma, or platelets as it’s used for a wide range of medical treatments, including surgeries, cancer treatment, trauma care, and for patients with chronic conditions like anemia or hemophilia.
- I’m looking forward to speaking at the Graduation of the Salvation Army Driver Programme, attending the Hindu Bageshwar Dham Event and being on Chris Lynch’s Political Panel on Friday 13 June
May’s highlights
I completed my 250th parkrun. I have a long-running association with the global event, having helped establish one of the earliest parkruns in Australia over a decade ago. My running partner on the day was Chantal Kennedy. Chantal is a breast cancer survivor having been diagnosed with a rare form of the disease at just 32 years old. Thanks to early detection, successful surgery, and strong support, Chantal is now in remission, focused on living fully, staying healthy, and sharing her story in the hope that it helps someone else trust their instincts and seek help early.
In New Zealand, breast cancer affects one in nine women over their lifetime, so early detection is vital Breast Cancer Awareness Month • Breast Cancer Foundation NZ
The New Zealand Institute of International Affairs (NZIIA) - is an independent, non-governmental organisation that fosters expert discussion and understanding of international affairs, particularly as they relate to Aotearoa New Zealand.
Recent Key Announcements:
The Government will invest $15.2 m into upgrading infrastructure and enhancing conservation at Milford Sound to sustainably grow tourism while also protecting the jewel in our conservation crown www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-protect-and-enhance-milford-sound-piopiotahi
Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence Karen Chhour is advocating for increased protections for family pets in family violence incidents. www.beehive.govt.nz/release/protecting-families-protecting-pets-–-national-call-action
The Government is welcoming a report which shows facial recognition technology is an effective way of combatting retail crime www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-tools-fight-retail-crime-welcomed
New data showing international visitor spending increased by almost 10% on the previous year is welcome news www.beehive.govt.nz/release/international-visitor-spending
Processing delays for building consents and code compliance certificates have dropped since the Government began publicly releasing council performance data (Beehive PR)
Join me on line to discuss the issues that currently concern you on the first Tuesday of the month. My next live chat will be Tuesday 1 July 8pm - 8.30pm Facebook@hamishcampbellforIlam
The Ilam office is open Mon-Fri from 9am – 3pm and you are welcome to pop in. To make an appointment to meet with me, call Leanne 03 3593665 or email hamish.campbell@parliament.govt.nz
Weekly JP Clinic is on Thursdays between 12-1pm in the Ilam office. Call first 03 3593665.