Welcome to Spring. Isn't it great to have lighter evenings and warmer weather?
Locally I've enjoyed connecting with interesting and inspirational people. I've also been advocating to Tauranga City Council for extended free parking in the central city and I've been sharing our business community's general dislike of TCC's plans to make some of the CBD's roads one way.
At a national level there have been lots of positive announcements coming from the Beehive with key points covered below.
See you out and about in our amazing city of Tauranga.
Health
National is making changes to save lives. From next week, the bowel screening age will begin lowering to 58 across NZ, meaning 122,000 more Kiwis will get tested in the first year alone.
This is just the first step towards lowering the age even further. We’re also introducing more home tests for people with symptoms, more colonoscopies and boosting screening among communities with low participation rates.
At the same time, our new health targets are already delivering results: faster cancer treatment, more elective surgeries done on time, and shorter waits to see specialists. There’s more to do, but these wins show the progress we’re making to help Kiwis have timely, quality access to healthcare.
Power
National is fixing the broken energy market by increasing supply to keep the lights on and make your power more affordable.
National is fixing New Zealand’s energy system so we can have more reliable and affordable electricity.
When the lakes are low or the wind doesn’t blow, we don’t have enough energy back up and that pushes prices up. National is fixing that, to bring more renewable energy, more affordable power bills and a growing economy.
Welfare
National does not accept that a life on welfare is as good as it gets for young people.
Stats show people under the age of 25 on Jobseeker Support will spend an average of 18 years or more on a benefit over their lifetimes. We’re breaking that cycle.
From late next year, young people can get $1000 if they get a job and stay off the benefit for 12 months. On top of this, 18-19 year olds won’t be able to go on the benefit, if their parents can support them.
Crime Update
A couple of years ago crime was a major concern. Now we’re seeing big results:
• More Police on the beat • Gang patches largely gone • Ram raids down 85% • Youth crime in the Bay of Plenty down 33% • 29,000 fewer violent crime victims nationwide • Backing Police and supporting victims has made our communities safer.
Freight
National is backing NZ’s freight system by launching an Action Plan for Freight, updating the National Freight Demand Study, and establishing a Freight Advisory Council - all to support economic growth, productivity, resilience, and safety.
Out and About in the Tauranga Electorate
Here are some of the interesting places, people and events I went, met and attended during September.
It was a pleasure to speak at the Dawn Blessing held at the newly built Merivale Community Centre. I enjoyed connecting with local stakeholders and future users of this fantastic new facility that will be so helpful to the community of Merivale and surrounding neighbourhoods.
ACC Minister Hon Scott Simpson and I visited our Tauranga branch of ACC on Grey Street where we chatted with management and staff who help connect people with treatment that enables them to return to work, or with support to meet their outgoings while they are unable to work due to injury.
I hosted Peru's Ambassador to NZ, José Bustinza, at the launch of Tauranga's first ever Latin American and Spain Film Festival. We discussed Tauranga's culture and events scene and future freight connections with the Golden Triangle Southern Link logistics initiative that opens up traffic between the South Pacific and Latin America.
It was great to connect with locals and visitors at the 2025 Women's Lifestyle Expo where I spent time on the National Party stand, listening to feedback and sharing news with attendees at the Mercury Baypark event.
The Prostrate Cancer Blue September campaign sent a bus to Parliament and I spoke at their publicity function to highlight the importance of men getting checked for prostate changes. 1 in 8 men will get prostate cancer and 700 will die a year. Prostate cancer is the second biggest cancer killer for men. Think of your family and your mates, and yourself… we all need you here… go get checked!
Staying connected with Tauranga businesses is vital to understanding the local economic climate. Employers drive our economy by creating jobs and supporting families, and their industry insights help me advocate for business-friendly policies in Parliament. Tauranga’s enterprise and entrepreneurial spirit are inspiring, and it’s a privilege to meet so many remarkable people across diverse businesses.
It was awesome to catch up with Matt and the team at Off The Wall Construction. This is a booming local construction business in Tauranga, thriving, creating jobs and boosting our economy.
I visited Jenkins Freshpac in Tauriko, a manufacturing business developing biodegradable labels for kiwifruit and a number of fruit and vegetable suppliers across New Zealand. They use world leading technology. A little bit of their company is on billions of pieces of fruit and vege around the world.
Tika Interiors do high spec commercial interior fit-outs and have called Tauranga home since 1988. They also have a Waikato presence and have designed some of our region's most recognisable business and education premises. Great catch up with Dan and the team!
Oasis Engineering recently won Excellence in International Trade Award at the Tauranga Business Awards 2025 and the Export Achievement Award. It was really interesting to visit and talk with their team and hear how they’re bringing export income into Tauranga.
I had an enjoyable visit to NZ Windows where Kevin and his team are driving warmer homes, supporting local families and economic growth in Tauranga and beyond.
EasyGate are a major player in the New Zealand gate market, sending their locally made fences and gates around New Zealand. I enjoyed my tour of their manufacturing plant and learning about their sophisticated automated gates, with owner Ray and manager Simon at their Tauriko factory.
Bluelab are a long-term Tauranga success story, manufacturing grow technology for commercial and hobby gardeners. Nathan and Jono gave me a tour of their Tauriko facility from which they export meters, solutions, pens and controllers for growers around the world. They even have a warehouse in the USA to meet increasing Northern Hemisphere needs.
I enjoyed attending one of the regular meetings of the BNI 4 Success Chapter, where participants provide introductions to each other for potential business leads and where networking often turns into productive new business relationships.
I'd love to meet with more Tauranga businesses. It's important that I hear directly from you about the biggest issues facing your business - or to help celebrate your successes. Get in touch with my team - 07 577 0923 or email tauranga.mp@parliament.govt.nz.
Last month National announced our proposal to replace NCEA with a new national qualification that sets strong foundations for every student. Learning Support Coordinators will also be rolled out to all state and state-integrated schools, giving teachers more capacity to teach and ensuring students with challenges get the help they need.
Prime Minister Chris Luxon visited Tauranga and enjoyed meeting with students participating in the 2025 Zespri AIMS Games. Such an amazing event for our city, hosting thousands of intermediate sports participants and crew every year.
I joined Tauranga Boys’ College for their physical endurance Fortress 40 Challenge, 40 hours of intense exercise to raise awareness and funding for men’s mental health. I joined them for surf torture - an hour in the surf broken up by carrying logs up the beach.
Tauranga was represented at this year's Youth Parliament by Dilsher Kaur from Otumoetai College, who is keen to expand her knowledge of lawmaking while being surrounded by people as invested in our country’s future as she is.
Mount Maunganui College recently hosted a public event celebrating 150 years of scientific partnership between New Zealand and the United States. This exciting event focused on space, astronomy, and scientific communication and was supported by the New Zealand Astrobiology Network (NZAN).
I love meeting with Tauranga's senior communities and we have many attractive retirement and lifestyle villages throughout our city where I have enjoyed a cuppa and a chat during September. Included in my schedule over the last few weeks were Bupa Greerton Gardens, Bupa Cedar Manor, Metlife The Avenues, Fraser Manor and Arvida Copper Crest. I had some great conversations and appreciated the insights from village residents and staff about the aged care sector.
If you live or work in a lifestyle village in the Tauranga electorate and you'd like me to visit as the local electorate MP, please reach out to my team: call 07 577 0923 or email taurangamp@parliament.govt.nz.
I meet regularly with National Party members, at different venues throughout the electorate. I like to support Tauranga hospitality businesses while sharing news and hearing members' perspectives and feedback. If you'd like to join us this month we'll be meeting at the Mount on Friday the 24th of October. Become a member to receive your invitation here or reply to this email for details.
I also hold regular networking functions with the Tauranga business community and my next one will be held at the Tauriko Pub Co in November. If you'd like to come along to connect with me, my team and other business owners and staff, reply here or email me to register so we can send you an invitation: taurangamp@parliament.govt.nz. There will be a cash bar for beverages and I'll shout some delicious food.
Monthly Coffee Catch-up at Le Chat Noir
We held another monthly drop-in at Le Chat Noir on Chadwick Road in Greerton. These are casual opportunities for locals to share ideas, raise concerns or just have a chat. I will be there on the first Monday of each month, from 12–1:30pm*, and I welcome you to join me at the next one.
*Excluding Public Holidays
Thank you for taking the time to read my update. If you’re eager to make a meaningful contribution and support our vision for a better future, I invite you to join the National Party. As a member, you’ll not only have a voice in shaping our policies but also gain access to exclusive member events and opportunities to participate in party activities. Together, we can work towards creating positive change in our community. To get started, simply email us at tauranga@national.org.nz and we’ll guide you through the process of becoming a member.