As the sun has been shining in Hawke's Bay, I have loved getting out and about to the school prizegivings and meeting with some of our tourist operators who are seeing a real lift in tourist numbers, which is so good to see.
Good luck to all those students doing exams at the moment.
OUT AND ABOUT
Black Barn Vineyards
I am always proud to show off the beautiful Fruit bowl of New Zealand to my colleagues!
It was wonderful to host the MP for Whanganui, Carl Bates in Tukituki - and what better place to show him, than the fantastic Black Barn Vineyards!
We were given a tour around the vineyard, and were briefed on all the amazing events coming up with Shapeshifter and many more concerts hitting the Black Barn amphitheatre!
Great to hear that tourist numbers are picking up and the summer is looking bright in Hawke’s Bay as our government is working hard to strengthen our economy.
Black Barn has a massive offering including the vineyards, winery, restaurant, markets, and hosting events and weddings.
Francis and the team are doing an amazing job showcasing our region!
Te Mata Figs Visit
With the warm weather, our growers and tourism businesses are gearing up for a busy summer.
We visited Murray and his team at Te Mata Figs, to learn about the largest Figgery in New Zealand and the growing demand for Hawke’s Bay Figs!
He’s seen orders for his fig products really picking up as the OCR drops and businesses have more confidence to place orders.
It’s exciting to see our local businesses buzzing as the economy strengthens and people are visiting the mighty Fruit Bowl of NZ!
Hastings Girls' High School Senior Prizegiving
It's that exciting and emotional time of year again where many senior students start wrapping up their time at high school and start moving on to their next big adventure.
There were so many proud families in the audience at the Hastings Girls' High School Senior Prizegiving as I handed out the awards to the students.
The moment the Dux, Maia van der Berk, was announced brought tears to our eyes as her peers performed an incredibly powerful haka.
When the Principal, Catherine Bentley, was farewelled by the school she has led for 8 years, the tears swelled again as I watched the respect and admiration the students had for her leadership - it was a very special moment to be part of.
Thank you, Catherine, for your leadership and all you have done for Hastings Girls High School and good luck to all the year 13 students for their next chapter.
Havelock North High School Senior Prizegiving
I was also honoured to attend the Havelock North High School Senior Prizegiving.
Congratulations to every student and a special mention to Rupert Heslop, the 2025 Dux of the school and to head girl Isabella McKeefry for her leadership and outstanding academic and cultural achievements.
All the best to Isabella, off to study law and Rupert medicine - wishing them and all the Year 13 students at HNHS all the best for their next endeavours.
With so many amazing young people heading off on their next journey, the future in Hawke’s Bay is certainly looking bright.
SuperBlues Meeting
It was wonderful to catch up with so many familiar faces at the recent SuperBlues meeting along with MP Carl Bates.
These gatherings are always such a highlight — a chance to connect with our National Party supporters, sharing stories, and talking about the issues that really matter.
A big thank you to everyone who came along and contributed to such an enjoyable event.
Celebrating the Punjabi Language in Hastings
The Punjabi Language is the fastest growing language in NZ.
And it was wonderful to celebrate the colour and vibrancy of the Punjabi culture in the heart of Hastings!
Thank you to our Punjabi Community for all you do for our Hawke’s Bay Community and to Sukhdeep Singh and his team for organising another successful event here in Hastings.
Halloween Fun
I had great fun taking my kids out trick or treating through the streets of Havelock North - I was very impressed by some of the great costumes we saw and many decorated houses getting into the spirit of Halloween.
Advocating for Men's Health with the Movember Team
The Movember team paid a visit to Parliament and put on a fantastic event that was all about having fun in the sun while raising awareness for men's mental and physical health.
I ditched my heels for the egg-and-spoon, sack, and three-legged races.
Nothing like a bit of friendly competition - even Minister Matt Doocey got involved!
Movember is all about tackling some of the biggest health issues faced by men — from mental health and suicide prevention to prostate and testicular cancer.
The Movember ambassadors will be out and about in our communities this month, raising awareness and collecting funds for this important cause.
Every conversation, every donation, and every bit of awareness makes a difference.
Meeting With Retirement Village Advocates on the Steps of Parliament
This week, we welcomed around 100 residents from our retirement villages to the steps of Parliament to make their voices heard.
People came from all over the country - I caught up with Gael Black, who made the trip down from Hawke's Bay!
Gael is a fabulous advocate for the Hawke's Bay retirement villages in her role as the regional representative for the Retirement Villages Residents Association.
I admire her dedication in bringing her advocacy to Parliament.
The Retirement Village Residents Association brought forward their concerns about the review of the Retirement Villages Act 2003 - something our Government is currently acting on.
Our Minister for Seniors, Tama Potaka is working on this.
Our government is focused on three priority areas residents care most about: capital repayments, maintenance responsibilities, and disputes processes.
This work is well underway, with advice already going to Ministers and more to come.
We want to get this right because residents and families deserve certainty and lasting solutions, which is why the government is leading reform.
GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENTS
140 New Hospital Beds
Five of the nation's busiest hospitals are set to receive 140 new beds, including our own Hawke's Bay hospital.
The new ward will be used for short-stay surgical patients and surgical assessments, helping to streamline care for patients and free up other beds elsewhere in the hospital.
These investments are about making sure our hospitals and frontline health workers have the space, resources, and flexibility they need to provide patients with quality care.
As we have an effective rapid-build strategy, all wards are quickly set to become operational in the second half of 2026.
We are working hard to deliver timely and effective healthcare for all New Zealanders.
Supporting Our Tourism Sector
Tourism is New Zealand's second largest export and is crucial for the Hawke's Bay economy as we have many excellent businesses that rely heavily on tourism.
To boost our economy and regional businesses, Chinese visitors are now able to travel visa-free from Australia to New Zealand.
China is our largest trading partner and our third largest tourism market, so encouraging more Chinese visitors to see what New Zealand has to offer will provide our tourism sector with a substantial boost.
Making it easier for Chinese travellers to hop across the Tasman helps grow the economy, reconnects family and friends, and strengthens trade and business ties.
Backing Teachers to Succeed
The Government is taking action to lift the quality of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and restore trust and confidence in the education workforce.
Initial Teacher Education (ITE) is the foundation that our teachers build off of, but reports show it is not providing many teachers with the skills and confidence they need when entering the workforce.
With many teachers, principals, and education professionals concerned about the confidence crisis teachers are facing, this is becoming a growing issue that can no longer be ignored.
So, we’re progressing legislative changes to ensure stronger oversight and clearer policy direction in ITE by moving the responsibility of teaching standards and requirements to the Ministry of Education.
When teachers thrive, so do our students.
New Scenic Cycling Trails
The Government will fund the completion of the Te Ara Mangawhero and Te Hangāruru cycling trails, drawing more visitors to the Ruapehu region.
This trail will connect the mountains to the Tasman sea, and we welcome the important partnership with Ngā Waihua o Paerangi Trust and Te Korowai o Wainuiārua on this project.
The trail has been funded through the Government's Major Events and Tourism Package, which seeks to drive visitor spending, support local businesses, and create jobs in the tourist sector up and down the country.
Projects like these cycle trails will bring more visitors to the region, entice them to stay longer, and build confidence in the local economy.
We're dedicated to promoting long-term economic security for our regions.
Measles Public Awareness Campaign
With cases of measles on the rise, it's important to encourage your friends, family, and kids to get vaccinated.
Health New Zealand is launching a major nationwide Measles Immunisation Week from 3–7 November, and the Government is urging all New Zealanders to check their immunisation status and make sure their families are protected.
Extra clinics will be running through the week to support people who need a vaccination.
To find out more:
- Book an MMR vaccine at https://bookmyvaccine.health.nz
- Call the Vaccination Helpline: 0800 28 29 26 (Mon–Fri 8:30am–9pm, weekends 8:30am–2pm)
- Find out how to check your status at https://info.health.nz/measles