Good news, a two-lane Pepe Stream Bridge is another step closer to reality, and I attended the official ceremony which marked the start of the construction phase.
This is a really exciting development for our region and it signals that the old one-lane Pepe Bridge will soon be consigned to the history books. In its place will be a modern, two-lane bridge which will help ease traffic delays and congestion in Tairua, especially over the busy summer period.
The new two-lane Pepe Stream Bridge is expected to be ready by December 2027, and I’ll be following its progress closely.
I have long-advocated for the replacement of one-lane bridges across the Coromandel Peninsula. Just last year the Boundary Creek Bridge on SH25 on the Thames Coast was restored to two-lanes and NZTA is also working on replacing the Ramarama Stream Bridge north of Whiritoa with a new two-lane bridge.
This is real investment in our region and it’ll help to keep traffic flowing and our communities connected.
It’s always a pleasure to host my colleagues in the electorate, and I recently welcomed Hon Paul Goldsmith to Thames. Paul has numerous ministerial portfolios, including Justice and Arts, Heritage and Culture.
The first stop was the Thames Museum where we caught up with their dedicated team of volunteers. They’re a passionate group and it was great to see a bit of local history in action.
We then visited the Thames School of Mines and got a fascinating insight into the history of mining and its connection to the Thames Township.
Finally, we concluded the day with a public meeting at the Thames Civic Centre. Paul gave everyone an overview of his ministerial responsibilities, with a focus on the Justice portfolio. He then answered questions from the floor.
National has announced that we will introduce a Home Energy Fund, which will offer low-interest, long-term loans that are repaid over time through rates so households can invest in solar, batteries, insulation and other energy resilience measures without the large upfront costs.
Right now, only 3 percent of New Zealand households have solar, compared with around 9 percent in the US and one in three in Australia. We want to close that gap and make it easier to generate affordable power. Giving households greater control over their own power means more families can access affordable energy when prices spike and keep the lights on during outages.
I’m a big fan of solar and I’m thrilled that we’re supporting New Zealanders to move to solar as part of our plan to fix the basics and build the future.
For more updates, check out my Facebook page.
Coromandel Electorate Office
614 Pollen Street, Thames
0800 550 330