September has been so busy and I have been so lucky to be out and about in the electorate doing so many awards evenings and celebrating the good people in our community.
Opotiki Volunteer Firefighters Rowan Newell and Sandie Barnes-Lack were recognised last week for their 50 years and 25 years service respectively. It was a privilege to be there in person to recognise their incredible service to the Opotiki community.
It was a great night at the inaugural NZ Citrus Awards in Tairawhiti. Great recognition of talented growers and lifetime achievement for John MacPherson. An integral part of our rural economy.
THE QUESTION OF GAZA?
The decision on Gaza will be one that many will discuss for years to come, and it is one that people feel strongly about.
In order to fairly recognise Palestine as a state, NZ would need to be sure it was returned to democratic rule. Whilst Hamas is in charge it cannot be deemed a democratic state. Hamas and the Israelis have been at loggerheads for decades and we know that they have little regard for sanctions from NZ.
NZ supports the two-state solution and Palestinian self-determination and believes recognition of Palestinian statehood is “a matter of when, not if”, but now is not the right time.
Hamas - a recognised terrorist organisation - remains in control in Gaza and could misuse recognition as propaganda. Recognition at this time could also entrench Israeli military aggression and undermine efforts toward genuine peace. It is our position that recognition should happen when peace is more possible, not during active conflict.
NZ has condemned Israel’s response to Hamas’s Oct 7 attack, that led to this current conflict, as grossly disproportionate.
We have called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of Israeli hostages, unhindered humanitarian aid to Gaza and announced $10 million of new financial contribution to Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.
EARTHQUAKE PRONE BUILDINGS SHAKEN UP
In other news, today we announced a big overhaul to the rules around earthquake prone buildings - these look set to save property owners in Gisborne up to $46 million.
- The current system for assessing and managing seismic risk places an overwhelming financial burden on building owners – with the cost of strengthening often running from hundreds of thousands to several million dollars.
- We are removing the New Building Standard (NBS) ratings and replacing them with a new EPB system that will only capture buildings that pose a genuine risk to life in medium and high seismic zones.
- These changes remove Auckland and Northland from the EPB system entirely.
- Unreinforced masonry buildings under three storeys in small and rural towns will also no longer require remediation or warning notices, but owners must secure the façade before the building can be removed from the earthquake-prone register.
- Local councils will have the authority to grant extensions to remediation deadlines of up to 15 years, giving building owners time to secure funding, plan and carry out any major work still required.
More info is available here Earthquake-prone building system refocused | Beehive.govt.nz
HEALTH TARGETS SEE TAIRAWHITI MAKING PROGRESS
I was recently reading a really interesting article in the Listener about the health system which was focused on spending more on preventative medicine and AI than doing the same old thing.
So I was really heartened to see the health targets for Tairawhiti showing improvement in some areas between Q3 and Q4 (financial year).
- Elective treatments - 58.8% to 70.2%
- Immunisation of 2yo - 68% to 74.5%
- First specialist assessments - 54.9% to 63.4%
- Shorter stays in ED - 93.4% to 92.8%
- Access to cancer treatment - from 96% to 93%
These results mean more people are returning to their daily lives sooner. We thank our doctors, nurses, and other frontline staff whose daily commitment makes this improvement possible.
While progress is being made, too many people are still waiting too long. Our focus is on continuing to reduce waitlists so more patients get the care they need.
No matter what you hear our Govt has invested a record $30 billion annual investment into health, and is rebuilding the system around patients, holding it accountable for performance, and driving better outcomes
The results for the Eastern BOP are hard to extrapolate as they are included in the wider BOP.
Check out the release here https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/health-targets-faster-access-care-waikato-and-surrounding-regions
Spotlight this month is on The Drift at Matata - the best cheese rolls this side of the Cook Straight.
Releases from last week
1. More diagnostics tests and faster answers for Kiwis: Delivering an additional 75,000 diagnostic procedures this year through its $65 million Diagnostic Improvement Plan, aimed at reducing wait times for critical diagnostic procedures such as MRI scans, colonoscopies. (Beehive PR)
2. New residence options to bolster workforce: More Kiwi businesses will soon be able to attract and retain the workforce they need, with the Government’s introduction of two new skilled migrant residence pathways. (Beehive PR)
3. Supercharging school infrastructure: The Government is accelerating $413 million of investment in school infrastructure to improve classrooms and provide a significant boost for builders and tradies across New Zealand immediately. (Beehive PR)
4.$100 million boost to upgrade hospitals nationwide: The Government is delivering a major $100 million investment to accelerate improvements across New Zealand’s hospital facilities. (Beehive PR)
Never ceases to amaze me - the generosity of people in our community putting down $120,000 for the Eastland Rescue Helicopter Trust.
Call in and see us at either of our offices
Whakatane - 73 The Strand.
Gisborne - 60 Ballance St.