I’ve got some fantastic news to share! I am thrilled to announce that my members bill to restrict social media access for under 16s has been drawn from the ballot.
I’ve heard from many concerned parents and educators about the harm social media is causing for our youth.
The bill aims to reduce cyberbullying, prevent exposure to harmful content and online exploitation, and will put an onus on social media companies to protect our children.
I'm excited for the journey ahead, and I'll be sure to keep you all updated on my bill's progress in the coming weeks.
OUT AND ABOUT
Hawkes Bay Show
While it was disappointing that the first day of the Hawke's Bay Show was cancelled due to the weather, that didn't stop people from showing up in the thousands on Friday!
It turned out to be an amazing day celebrating our hardworking rural sector!
It was wonderful to meet and chat with so many people who stopped by our National stand.
Farmer confidence is high, and it was wonderful to judge the best steak in the bay - yum!
We produce the best red meat in the world, and it was exciting to get a taste of this premium quality.
Congratulations to Heretaunga Views for taking the top prize.
Secondary School Shearing Champs
While the Hawke’s Bay Show was cancelled on Thursday, Wairarapa MP Mike Butterick and I were still able to go along to the Secondary School Shearing Champs.
It was awesome to see all the passionate young up-and-comers on the shearing stage getting stuck in.
Super exciting to see a lot of young ladies giving the boys a run for their money too!
Our Government is dedicated to backing NZ Wool and our amazing shearing communities across New Zealand.
Birdwoods Visit with My Family
My family loves Labour Weekend visits to Birdwoods Gallery to feed the ostriches and enjoy the iconic sweet shop!
It was great to get out in the sunshine and spend some quality time with my family.
Always great to see so many people out and about enjoying our region and especially visiting our awesome local businesses such as Birdwoods!
Happy Diwali!
I was delighted to join the community in celebrating the Hastings Diwali Festival.
What an amazing evening of beautiful colours, vibrancy and some wonderful performances at the Sports Park.
Diwali is a cherished occasion for many in our Hawke’s Bay community, celebrating the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.
It’s always an honour to be involved and I loved wearing my new sari.
Well done to the Hawke's Bay Hindu Council for organising another spectacular event.
Congratulations to Havelock North Holiday Park
Our local Havelock North Holiday Park won the best small holiday park in New Zealand!
So, I visited Sharelle and Svarn Cresswell to see what made their holiday park stand out among the other 280 holiday parks across the country.
It was amazing to see all the work and growth going on at their park with new buildings, a pool and some awesome innovation.
Our government is investing in tourism and events, so we can attract more people out to our beautiful provinces - there’s no doubt Hawke’s Bay is one of the best places to visit!
Well done Sharelle and Svarn for putting Havelock North on the map.
Summer is looking bright in Hawke’s Bay.
Opening the Lower North Island Motorhome Rally
It was a privilege to open the Lower North Island Motorhome Rally over the Labour Weekend with hundreds of motorhomes parking up at our Hastings Racecourse.
We celebrated 50 years of the Hawke’s Bay Motor Caravan Association, and the launch of a wonderful book steeped in history and many memories.
As a Government, we have been listening to our Motorhome Associations across the country, recently announcing the move from 6 to 12 month Warrants of Fitness and committing to better roads through our Roads of National Significance plan.
Special to acknowledge the life members and welcome hundreds of people to enjoy all that Hawke’s Bay has to offer.
Local Business Innovating for Classrooms
Furnware is an amazing local business providing school furniture for New Zealand classrooms while also exporting to classrooms all around the world.
I caught up with Hamish and his passionate team, learning about the hard work they put into making specialty school furniture.
It was interesting to learn about the innovation in school furniture and the range of products they’ve developed specifically for neurodiverse kids.
Our Government aims to double the value of exports in the next 10 years and this innovation and development is putting us on the map!
An amazing local family-run business.
IN THE MEDIA
My Social Media Bill Drawn from the Members' Bill Ballot
I’ve been advocating for stronger protections to help keep our kids safe online, so having my bill drawn is a really encouraging step forward.
I got to discuss my bill's progress with The Herald, which was a great opportunity to share why this issue matters and keep the conversation going.
It’s great to see growing interest in the bill, as there was more coverage appearing in both The Post and Reuters as well.
My Social Media (Age-Restricted Users) Bill is about protecting our most vulnerable children from harmful online content.
The bill aims to reduce cyberbullying, prevent exposure to harmful content and online exploitation, and will put an onus and social responsibility on social media companies to protect vulnerable children from harmful online content.
My Bill was put in the ballot in May and was further elevated to a Government piece of work soon after, with Education Minister Erica Stanford leading the work to develop options for restricting social media for under-16s.
We know that children’s access to social media and their risk of harm online is of increasing concern to parents, teachers, medical professionals and many groups across New Zealand.
We know that this isn't going to be easy, but we have to try because it is getting so out of control.
You can check out some of the articles by clicking below:
GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Progress on the Hawke's Bay Expressway
The Hawke's Bay Expressway is set to start construction very soon.
This is a major development for our region that will create jobs, boost the local economy, and, once completed, enable faster and safer travel.
As a Road of National Significance, the project will deliver 7 kilometres of four-laning: 6.5 kilometres from Taradale Road to Links/Pakowhai Road, and a further 500 metres south of Links/Pakowhai Road.
This road has been talked about for years, and finally our Government is delivering with construction about to start - very exciting!
Serious Youth Offending Rates Down Under National
The Government has achieved its youth crime reduction target four years ahead of schedule!
We have achieved a groundbreaking 16% reduction in serious youth offending - what a turnaround from what we were seeing 18 months ago!
Our dedication to supporting young people to make healthier choices while holding serious offenders accountable has had a clear impact.
Making it Easier to Build Granny Flats
You can now build granny flats up to 70 square meters without a building consent from early next year.
Many kiwis are struggling with new builds, as there is far too much costly and complicated consenting to navigate, which is why we're putting forward efficient and commonsense policy to unlock more housing choices.
The exemption is expected to deliver roughly 13,000 more granny flats over the next decade, meaning we’ll see more work for builders in the pipeline without local councils managing unnecessary consenting burdens for simple building work.
Local councils will also be freed up to focus their attention on more complex building work where the need for an inspection and thorough consenting processes is much greater.
Increasing housing availability will uplift so many communities, and will be a great option for grandparents, people with disabilities, young adults, and workers in the rural sector.
What this means for the Hawke's Bay is our growers will have far less hassle providing seasonal workers with standard accommodation.
Charging Ahead with Solar and Sustainable Building
The Government is making it easier and more affordable to build warmer, healthier homes, cut power bills, and strengthen communities through sustainable building practices.
Homeowners and construction businesses will no longer need a building consent to install rooftop solar panels on existing buildings, making it far simpler to switch to solar.
The changes will save Kiwis around $1,200 per consent and help avoid unnecessary delays, which push up project costs.
This will encourage more projects that deliver high energy or water efficiency, and greater climate resilience, rewarding smart and sustainable design with faster delivery.
Modernising Land Transport Rules
The Government is now beginning public consultations on modernising and increasing efficiency for land transport rules.
New Zealand has one of the strictest and frequent regimes globally.
So, we want to ensure that we're finding the right balance between keeping everyone safe on the roads while not burdening kiwis with unnecessary costs and time pressures.
The consultations will focus on:
- Reviewing Warrant of Fitness and Certificate of Fitness A frequency and inspection requirements for light vehicles.
- Simplifying heavy vehicle permitting.
- Considering additional safety requirements for vehicles entering the fleet.
More Options for Renters
The Government has just introduced a new 'Pet Bond' for landlords and renters.
There are many renters with pets who have struggled to find a rental that is pet friendly.
Many landlords have also struggled with tenants who have pets that have caused damage to their property.
This policy will allow the rental market to open up for renters with pets, while ensuring protections for landlords.