NCN February 26 2026
I enjoyed checking out the United Fire Brigades’ Association teams in action at the South Island Waterway Challenge held at Rangiora’s Dudley Park. The teams put on an impressive display of skills as they competed in a range of pump and hose exercises.
It was very reassuring to see how quickly our firefighters can respond to crises and work together to roll out a response to different situations and it’s clear we are in good hands when things go wrong, whether it be a fire or a road traffic accident. Thanks to all the local fire brigades who put in so much work into their training and callouts at all hours of the day and night to keep our communities safe.
As local MP and Minister for Mental Health, I know how important it is to keep our kids safe from digital harm and promote healthy conversations around relationships. That’s why it was important for me to attend the Health Relationships pop-up event at Oxford Area School where a group of senior students encouraged their peers to consider what makes a healthy and an unhealthy relationship.
The youth voice is particularly important when it comes to the subject of healthy relationships, as they are the ones embarking on relationships with one another, often for the first time. It was really good to hear the organisers talk about the pitfalls of navigating relationships nowadays, and to hear of the support they value from their peers when things go wrong.
Given the worrying statistics due to the prevalence of social media and online pornography, this is a vital conversation for teenagers to be addressing, and I admire the students for showing this initiative and organising such a fantastic event.
There has been quite a bit of media coverage of the Woodend Bypass following the recent release of the National Infrastructure Plan. I welcome the almost $1bn investment into North Canterbury as mentioned in the Plan but it's also about freeing up the existing road such as my campaign to remove the T2 lane over Waimakariri Bridge which is contributing to congestion.
With early implementation works already underway I look forward to turning the sod to start construction very soon on the Woodend Bypass, as committed to by the National government.
Lastly a big thanks to Matt James of the Pegasus Residents Group Inc for taking the time to meet with me and go over some of the great things happening in Pegasus. It was good to meet some of the Pegasus Community Watch team and hear how successful their rollout of CCTV has been in tackling car thefts and antisocial behaviour in the town.
It was also good to check out the new community hub which is currently under construction, and which will be a fantastic asset for the local community when it opens its doors later in the year.