It has been another busy and highly focused week both in Wellington and across the Bay of Plenty. From standing up for our local communities against rising living costs to addressing critical regional development and celebrating local milestones, there has been plenty happening both nationally and locally.
Alongside this, the Government continues making progress on key priorities including introducing rates caps to protect household budgets, driving efficiency in local government, and ensuring essential public infrastructure keeps pace with our rapidly growing population. Here's a look at the week that was.
Easing pressure with new Council Rates Caps
This week, the Government announced our new council rates cap policy to bring much-needed financial discipline to local government. Under this new framework, annual council rates increases will be strictly capped between 2% and 4%. For too long, councils have operated under a different set of rules than everyday households, deciding what they want to buy first and forcing families to foot the bill later. The Reserve Bank has identified local rates hikes as a primary driver of domestic inflation this year, making this close alignment with our 0-3% inflation target a completely reasonable step. This change will be phased in to respect current annual plan commitments, but it sends a clear message that the days of unchecked local spending are coming to an end.
No new taxes under National
If re-elected on 7 November, National will not introduce new taxes. We believe that if you work hard, you should be able to get ahead. That means keeping taxes low so New Zealanders can keep more of what they earn.
Tax is a defining choice this election. National is promising no new taxes. Labour and its prospective partners are proposing at least nine.
One of the first things National did in Government was deliver tax relief for working New Zealanders for the first time in 14 years. Our no-new-taxes commitment reflects disciplined economic management, growing the economy, creating jobs, lifting wages and keeping taxes low. That is how we fund frontline services without reaching for new taxes.
Labour has $18 billion of spending promises, a Capital Gains Tax, a $5 billion Business Tax, and has not ruled out further tax changes. The Greens, Te Pāti Māori and The Opportunity Party are also planning new taxes. That would push up the cost of living and weaken the economy.
National has no new taxes on the table, including no accommodation levy and no bank tax. An accommodation levy would increase costs for Kiwis booking a weekend away. We will look at how existing mechanisms can support councils with tourism costs.
Labour wants to tax Kiwis more. National wants no new taxes. That is the choice at this election.
Upgrading and future-proofing Tauranga Hospital
Our region has grown at an incredible pace, but unfortunately, our healthcare infrastructure hasn't kept up over the years. National is actively changing that by getting the long-term redevelopment of Tauranga Hospital moving forward. Crucially, we are also injecting immediate funding to add more inpatient spaces right now, helping relieve pressure on our dedicated medical staff and reducing wait times for local patients.
Regional Milestone: $43M Ōmokoroa Gateway Opens
On Friday last week, our wider region celebrated the official opening of the State Highway 2 / Ōmokoroa Road intersection upgrade and Stage 1 of the urbanisation project. Backed by $43 million of crucial development investment, this major gateway project introduces a highly anticipated new intersection roundabout, secondary access routes for future employment zones, and four-laning infrastructure. Thousands of Bay of Plenty residents rely on the SH2 corridor to travel for work, family, and commerce every day. Seeing this critical pressure point transformed into a safe, reliable, and free-flowing thoroughfare is a massive win for our entire regional transport network.
Brain Injured Children Trust (BICT) Celebration Day
On Friday last week, I had the privilege of joining the Brain Injured Children Trust (BICT) during their specialised wellness clinic and camp based at Pacific Park in Pāpāmoa. BICT does extraordinary work walking alongside Kiwi families navigating intensive home-based neurodevelopmental therapy programs. The Celebration Day was an incredibly uplifting milestone, highlighting the hard work, resilience, and monumental achievements of these amazing kids, alongside the dedicated staff and volunteers who make it all possible.
Opening the new Z Tauriko Truck Stop and U-GO
I had the pleasure of attending the official opening of the brand-new Z Truck Stop and U-GO convenience station out in Tauriko. This facility represents a massive win for our local freight and logistics network, providing state-of-the-art refuelling layouts to keep the Bay of Plenty's heavy transport moving efficiently. Investing in commercial infrastructure like this is critical to backing our local businesses and keeping our supply chains resilient.
Parking ticket for dropping someone off? You can't be serious.
Honestly. A local woman has been fined $100 for dropping a friend at their car. She did not hold up traffic, impede anyone and there was no one behind her at the time. I saw her post on it and it didn’t sit right with me. Enforcement of parking rules is important when it is necessary and appropriate. In this case I do not believe the infringement is fair. I have contacted the Council and asked them to look into it. I hope common sense can prevail.
Commemorating Daffodil Day across the Bay
Today, Friday 28 August, our community comes together once again to support the NZ Cancer Society for Daffodil Day. It is always incredibly moving to see local schools, businesses, and families right across Mount Maunganui and Pāpāmoa rallying to raise vital funds and show solidarity with those affected by cancer. Every gold coin donation counts toward life-changing research and care. You can donate online by clicking here.
Pāpāmoa Community Waterways Clean-up
Thank you to the fantastic volunteers who turned out for our local community waterways conservation morning over the weekend. Keeping our local Pāpāmoa streams and pathways clean is a shared effort, and it was brilliant to see so many young families pitching in to help protect our beautiful backyard.
Upcoming Events with Tom
Papamoa Community Market – Sunday 6 September
Come along for a casual face-to-face chat about any local issues on your mind while supporting our incredible local vendors. Held at Te Manawa O Papamoa School, from 8.30am to 1.00pm. See you there!
Local Government - Public Meeting 5 October - 7pm
This Week in Parliament - in brief
Labour misleading Kiwis on secret tax plan
Labour’s plan to target government spending and revenue at 33 per cent of GDP would require unprecedented increases in tax, well beyond the policies it is explicitly campaigning on.
Government moves to ban U16s from social media
The Government has introduced the Online Safety Bill which will ban under-16s from social media and put greater responsibilities on technology companies to protect children online.
Strong candidates appointed to inaugural Firearms Licensing Review Committee
Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee has welcomed the appointment of the eight inaugural members of the Firearms Licensing Review Committee (the Review Committee), established under the Arms Act 2026.
Government to cap rates
Council rates increases will be capped at 4 per cent as the Government moves to help keep rates affordable for households and businesses. For too long, ratepayers have been hit with steep and unexpected rates increases, adding pressure to household budgets at a time many New Zealanders are already feeling the squeeze. Our Government is focused on easing cost-of-living pressures and getting councils back to basics. Under this legislation, councils will be required to keep annual rates increases within an initial target range of 2-4 per cent, putting a brake on excessive increases and giving ratepayers greater certainty.
Gender pay gap stays near record low
New Zealand’s gender pay gap was 5.3 percent in the June quarter, largely unchanged from last year’s record figure, reflecting the work the government and employers are doing to close their gender pay gaps, says Minister for Women Nicola Grigg.
Five new taxes a bottom line for Te Pati Maori
Te Pāti Māori has put five new taxes on the table that could be used to help Labour fund its $18 billion of spending promises. Kiwis have just got a good look at what a Labour Government would look like, with Te Pāti Māori putting five new taxes firmly on the table – a stamp duty on every household, a bach tax, an international company tax, a land tax and a wealth tax. To make matters worse, Te Pāti Māori is also calling for increases to the corporate tax rate and the top income tax rate.
NZ Post delivers improved profit
NZ Post’s return to profitability after several years of losses is encouraging, but a sustained commitment to continued improvement is required.
Ending the decade-long wait for an endometriosis diagnosis
Women and girls with endometriosis will be able to receive a diagnosis and start treatment sooner under new clinical guidelines, Health Minister Simeon Brown and Women’s Minister Nicola Grigg say.
New Dunedin Hospital outpatient building officially opens
Thousands more scans, day surgeries, and specialist appointments will soon be delivered in Dunedin each year following the official opening of the new outpatient building.
Keep in Touch with me
Bay of Plenty Electorate Office, 3/9 Domain Road, Papamoa.
P: 07 542 0505
E: bopmp@parliament.govt.nz
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