Welcome to my May newsletter.
A great piece of news last week, with Ashburton Intermediate set to benefit from eight new teaching spaces as part of a $56.6 million investment to upgrade schools in need. These new classrooms will replace ageing blocks that are no longer fit for purpose, helping ensure students have warm, dry, and safe learning environments. It’s a positive step that will make a real difference for both students and staff in the school community.
It’s fantastic news to see New Zealand’s Free Trade Agreement with India being signed, it’s a major step forward for our exporters and the future of our economy. With 95% of exports set to face lower or zero tariffs, this agreement opens the door to a market of 1.4 billion people, supporting jobs, growth, and higher incomes here at home. While there has been some misinformation circulating, the facts are clear: this deal is about expanding opportunities for Kiwis, not changing immigration settings, with only a limited number of targeted, temporary visas and no pathway for family migration. Importantly, the agreement will still go through a robust Parliamentary select committee process before it comes into force, ensuring proper scrutiny. At its core, this is a long-term win for New Zealand, backing our businesses, strengthening communities, and helping Kiwi families get ahead.
As Associate Transport Minister, I’m proud to announce a significant programme of changes to modernise New Zealand’s civil aviation rules, unlocking new opportunities for growth, innovation, and productivity across the sector. These reforms will cut unnecessary red tape, improve safety, and better enable the use of emerging technologies like agricultural drones, creating real benefits for farmers, regional communities, and businesses. By aligning our rules with international standards and streamlining outdated processes, we are positioning New Zealand as a competitive and forward-looking aviation nation, while supporting jobs, connectivity, and economic growth. Read more here.
Finally, another key announcement our government is giving councils a three-month window to put forward their own proposals to simplify and strengthen local government in their regions, through a new “Head Start” pathway. The aim is to reduce duplication, improve decision‑making, and deliver better value for communities by creating more efficient council structures. Councils are being encouraged to lead their own reforms with flexible, locally driven solutions, but if they choose not to, a standardised approach will be introduced to ensure change still happens nationwide. This is about making local government work smarter and better support growth and infrastructure in our communities. If you are interested read more here.
Building better school infrastructure for the future: As part of the Government’s $2 billion investment into school infrastructure, $56.6 million has today been announced to fix longstanding condition issues and bring facilities up to standard (Beehive PR)
Exercises to test our ability to manage foot and mouth disease: New Zealand’s foot and mouth disease readiness will be tested over the coming months, starting with a farm simulation in Taranaki (Beehive PR)
$3b export surge under NZ-EU trade agreement: Kiwi exports to the European Union have rocketed by $3 billion in just two years under the New Zealand-European Union Free Trade Agreement (Beehive PR)
Nationwide expansion of cancer treatment services: Thousands more New Zealanders will be able to access life-saving cancer treatment closer to home, with a nationwide expansion of community infusion services underway (Beehive PR)
Additional 90 million litres of diesel coming: The Government has secured an additional nine days’ of diesel supply to boost New Zealand’s fuel reserves and help shield the country from the global oil shock (Beehive PR)
Government consults on biosecurity changes to safeguard beef exports: New Zealand's ruminant protein regulations are under review to protect the country's $4.9 billion beef export sector (Beehive PR)
WoF and CoF A changes to save Kiwis billions: New Zealand’s Warrant of Fitness (WoF) and Certificate of Fitness A (CoF A) light vehicle inspection requirements will soon be significantly reformed, saving Kiwis time and money (Beehive PR)
Accelerated aviation rules programme takes off: An ambitious programme to modernise New Zealand’s civil aviation rules has commenced, enabling 20 years of changes to be made over a two-year period (Beehive PR)
Government to disestablish the BSA: The Government has agreed to progress with disestablishing the Broadcasting Standards Authority and investigate self-regulation options (Beehive PR)
Skilled plumbers and drainlayers scheme expands: A self-certification scheme allowing skilled plumbers and drainlayers to sign off their own work is being expanded to cover more residential work and some commercial activity (Beehive PR)
If you are interested here is a link to read the PR Releases relating to my Ministerial portfolios.
16 May NZ Farm and Station Awards, Lawrence
17 May Toastmasters Regional Conference, Timaru
18-24 May Youth Week
22 May SuperBlues, Lower Hutt
22 May Youth Impact Awards, Timaru
25 May Strengthening Democracy Project, Wellington
28 May Budget Day
29 May YES Youth Empower Summit Launch, Wellington
30 May Filipino South Island Games, Ashburton
3 Jun Mackenzie Tourism Mid-Winter event, Tekapo
5 Jun Timaru Boys’ High School Prefects event, Timaru
8 Jun Grasshoppers Club, Ashburton
Visit the following sites for more information on events happening in our region:
This month we were delighted to receive a special delivery from the wonderful Knit and Knatters group at Timaru Library, who have generously donated a collection of beautifully handmade scarves for Operation Wrapped in Remembrance. These heartfelt creations will be gifted to veterans across the country, bringing warmth and comfort to those who have served. The initiative, led by Ashburton’s own Dellwyn Moylan and strongly supported by Veterans Minister Chris Penk, continues to make a meaningful impact. There’s still time to be part of this inspiring cause, your support and donations are always welcome.
(Photo: Timaru Knit and Knatter team members donating to Operation Wrapped in Remembrance)
I had a great time marking the opening weekend of game bird season, experiencing this special Kiwi tradition from a different perspective. This year, instead of taking part in the early morning shoot, I joined Fish & Game rangers, who generously give up their own opening day each year to help ensure the season starts safely and fairly for everyone. It was an awesome morning connecting with South Canterbury hunters and gaining a real appreciation for the important work these rangers do. Here’s to a safe season ahead, good luck to all, enjoy the camaraderie, and make the most of the outdoors!
(Photo: South Canterbury on Game Bird Season Opening Weekend)
Last month, it was a real pleasure to open the 66th Annual NZ Lions Convention in Ashburton, stepping up as the warm-up act for local legend Donna-Marie Lever. It was a fantastic event and a privilege to acknowledge the incredible work of the Lions, who truly embody the values we should all aspire to community, compassion, and care.
(Photo: With Donna-Marie Lever at the NZ Lions Convention in Ashburton)
It was a real pleasure to speak at the New Zealand Gardens Trust Conference in Timaru last month, welcoming attendees from across the country to South Canterbury, and to host them here in the beautiful Riviera of the South. The event brought together an impressive group of experts, garden owners, and enthusiasts, all united by a shared passion for preserving and enhancing New Zealand’s garden heritage. It was a wonderful opportunity to highlight the importance of gardens not just as beautiful spaces, but as places of community, environmental stewardship, and lasting legacy. With its theme of “Honouring the past, gifting to the future,” the conference was a fantastic showcase of the meaningful work being done to ensure our landscapes and stories continue to flourish for generations to come.
It was great to welcome Cameron Brewer, MP for Upper Harbour and one of New Zealand’s newest Ministers, to Timaru recently, following his appointment to the portfolios of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Small Business and Manufacturing, and as Associate Minister of Immigration. During his visit, we showcased some of our region’s outstanding local businesses, including the iconic Heartland Chips factory and Juice Products in Washdyke, both fantastic examples of South Canterbury success stories. We also had a great meeting with Wendy and the team at the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, discussing the opportunities and challenges facing our local business community and the continued growth of the region.
(Photo: With chips, chips, and more chips at Heartland Chips in Timaru)
It was a pleasure to host Minister Paul Goldsmith in Ashburton last week and to have the opportunity to hold a Law & Order public meeting. The event was well attended, with strong engagement from the community, and it generated valuable discussion and positive feedback on the issues that matter most locally.
I also had the privilege of attending the Mid and South Canterbury Sports and Recreation Awards, held over two fantastic evenings in Ashburton and Timaru. These were wonderful events celebrating the achievements of our elite sportspeople, as well as administrators, coaches, and teams who have accomplished so much over the past year. A big thank you to Shaun and the team for the invitation, I'm grateful to have been part of such inspiring occasions.
(Photo: With Jorja Miller at the Mid Canterbury Sports and Recreation Awards in Ashburton)
Finally, it was fantastic to celebrate the first game at One NZ Stadium with a full house, as the Crusaders took on the Waratahs and secured a 35–20 win. It was an incredible milestone for Christchurch and the South Island, and a special moment marking how far the region has come since the earthquakes.
(Photo: Celebrating with 30,000 Crusader fans at One NZ Stadium)
I have a regular interview with Gareth on The Breeze every second Wednesday at 8:45am. You may also hear me on Hokonui Ashburton with Luke from time to time, often at short notice, so if you’ve got the radio on in the mornings across Mid Canterbury, tune in to Hokonui.
Any issues or feedback to do with my portfolio areas, contact my ministerial team at j.meager@ministers.govt.nz
If you need help with a local electorate issue (Mid Canterbury or South Canterbury) contact my electorate offices at james.meagerMP@parliament.govt.nz
Call: South Canterbury 03 683 2009 or Mid Canterbury 03 307 1729.
Drop in: Monday to Friday 9am - 3pm. (Note: Mid Canterbury office closed Wednesdays).
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Take care,
James
MP for Rangitata
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