February was a pretty crazy month for us all. We had a wild week of weather here on the Banks Peninsula. A Local State of Emergency was declared after major rain and flooding swept through Little River and other communities. Many businesses and homes have been deeply affected by the weather events but it was amazing to see how the local communities on the peninsula came together to support each other through this tough time. I visited Little River, Akaroa and Wainui a few days after the weather event and it was so great to see businesses getting on with the cleanup and reopening to customers. I commend the fire brigade, contractors, and other volunteers for ensuring everyone was kept safe, and for helping to reopen roads and reconnect services so quickly.
February 22 also marked the 15-year anniversary of the Christchurch earthquake. I attended the memorial service where we held a minute's silence at 12.51pm, the time the earthquake hit, and the names of the 185 people who died were read aloud while the HMNZS Canterbury bell rang. It is incredibly important that we reflect on the impact the earthquake has had on our city and the efforts of emergency responders who worked tirelessly to help those in need, and to remember the 185 people who lost their lives.
February:
- We had the Minister for Civil Defence, Mark Mitchell, here during the Local State of Emergency. We were out inspecting damage and meeting with community leaders to learn about the disaster response. I made it clear that procedures must be put in place to ensure Lake Forsyth can be let out sooner during future weather events. If you are a farmer or grower and were affected by the extreme weather, I encourage you to contact the Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254 to discuss accessing government support.
- Opposition Leader, Chris Hipkins, gave his State of the Nation speech where he failed to offer any new policy ideas for New Zealand. His only major policy announcement so far has been the reheated proposal for a capital gains tax which proves that Labour is set to repeat the same formula of ‘spend more, tax more, borrow more’ that wrecked our economy.
- Minister for Transport/Infrastructure Chris Bishop visited the Banks Peninsula electorate. We checked out the progress of Phase One of the Brougham Street upgrade. This vital piece of infrastructure will significantly improve the flow of traffic and safety of pedestrians by providing a bridge to cross the road for around 1000 people a day who cross there. We visited Lyttelton Port Company where we inspected the vital infrastructure upgrades going on at the port that will deliver a huge economic boost to the region. We were also lucky to catch up with Mayor Phil Mauger and Councillor Sam MacDonald to discuss some of the key things going on in Christchurch.
With Minister for Transport Chris Bishop and NZTA staff inspecting the Brougham Street upgrades
February was another busy month for my office.
I received an update from the Ministry of Education that the Milns Road school is still on track to be operational for the start of the 2027 school year. Some concerns were raised about the roading and contractor work, but I have been reassured this will be completed on time.
My survey on the SH75 Halswell Road bus lane upgrades has now closed. Your feedback will be helpful in informing the NZTA’s future decisions on this infrastructure upgrade. I will provide an update next month on the results of the survey and the next steps.
A special thank you to those who came along to my Pub Politics and Community Drop-In sessions in Halswell. My next Community Drop-In Session will be on Saturday 7 March at Cocoa Black St Martins. Feel free to come and have a chat!
Volunteering for NZ House and Gardens Tours
1. Government activates additional support for weather-affected farmers and growers: The Government has classified recent weather events in the Bay of Plenty, Gisborne/Tairāwhiti, and Canterbury as a medium-scale adverse event. This enables additional support for farmers and growers in the affected regions who continue to face weather-related challenges. (Party PR).
2. Labour devoid of ideas to take New Zealand forward: Labour is two years into Opposition and devoid of any new ideas to take the country forward. (Party PR).
3. Fewer victims of crime, more police on the beat: A tough on crime approach and a near doubling of police foot patrols have driven a huge drop in the number of victims of violent crime since this Government was elected. (Party PR).
4. Delivering LNG to support energy security: The Government will contract to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import facility in a critical step to strengthen New Zealand’s energy security and support economic growth. (Party PR)
5. State of Origin heads to New Zealand: New Zealand will host its first-ever State of Origin match next year at Eden Park, a major event expected to draw thousands of international visitors and deliver a significant economic boost. (Party PR).
Checking the damaged road in Wainui
- We had the T20 cricket fundraising event for the new Sumner Pavilion. Over 1,000 people attended the spectacle to see a few former BlackCaps and All Blacks compete in a thrilling game of cricket that went right down to the last few balls with Team Rugby coming out on top! The event managed to raise nearly $25,000. An amazing effort from the Sumner community to come together to raise funds for this important upgrade.
- The annual Round the Bays running event happened on Sunday 22 February. It was great to see thousands of people pounding the pavement along the route from Ferrymead to New Brighton. Nearly $30,000 was raised for numerous charities by running teams.
- I volunteered at a New Zealand House & Garden Tours fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ. For over 16 years, these tours have opened the doors to New Zealand’s most stunning homes and gardens, all while raising funds for Breast Cancer and it was another incredible event this year!
- Ferrymead Heritage Park hosted the Nostalgia Festival. It was great seeing the community come together for a showcase of amazing artists and food!
- I took a tour of Cashmere High School to inspect the progress of new classrooms being built and some recent upgrades that have been made, as well as learn about some of the amazing things the staff are up to at the school.
- I was out door knocking in St Martins and Halswell. It's always lovely chatting with locals and hearing about things going on in the community.
Inspecting the clean up at Little River Campground