Protecting kids from online harm
I was proud to stand alongside our Prime Minister and Minister for Education this week to progress my work to protect kids from online harm.
Since coming into Parliament I have advocated for a social media ban for Under 16s and I introduced a members bill last year.
Social Media Harm is one of our generation’s biggest challenges and a crisis of our time.
As social media becomes more harmful, it’s time to take online safety more seriously and National has worked hard to introduce online safety legislation!
The legislation we announced this week marks an important moment for New Zealand and the future of kiwi kids.
OUT AND ABOUT
Public meeting with the Prime Minister
About 500 people packed out the Napier War Memorial to listen to our Prime Minister speak about National‘s plans to fix the basics and build the future. The Prime Minister enjoyed answering a range of questions regarding education, health, law and order, agriculture and the India Free Trade Agreement.
It was a very positive meeting and we thank all of you who came and supported us.
Fundraising for a good cause
Our Parliament Netball and Rugby Teams played in Hawke’s Bay for the first time since 2018!
It was great to be part of this Parekura Horomia Memorial Trophy Event, with hundreds turning out at the Havelock North Rugby Club to support Cranford Hospice and the home team!
We had a fantastic Parly Ferns match against the Hastings High School Old Girls—a close game, played in good spirit and sportsmanship with the home team coming out on top, by 3 goals..
A huge congratulations to the HHSOG as they mark 100 years - the oldest netball club in New Zealand!
Havelock North Rugby Club put on a strong team to win the Memorial Trophy this year. Well done to everyone involved.
We were pleased to present $2,500 on behalf of the Parliament Sports Trust to Cranford Hospice, thanks to our many business sponsors from across the country.
Thanks to everyone's incredible generosity and support throughout the sports event, the weekend helped raise nearly $10,000 for Cranford Hospice!
Thank you to everyone who came out, cheered, and supported.
Official opening of Ohiti stopbank
We officially opened the Ohiti Stopbank, which marks a significant milestone in rebuilding our region following Cyclone Gabrielle.
Hawke’s Bay is building back stronger and more resilient and infrastructure like this will protect our communities into the future.
The Crown has funded 75 percent of this $10 million project and has committed $200 million in total to flood protection across Hawke’s Bay.
It’s taken a team effort of Central and Local Government, Iwi, and the local community to make this happen.
Thank you to everyone involved in the project as we continue to build the future of Hawke’s Bay together.
ABB re-opening
It was a pleasure to be invited to ABB's factory expansion and cut the ribbon.
ABB is an incredible growth story in Hawke's Bay, where they have increased their exports significantly and created over 100 new jobs in our region.
ABB is producing technology that is helping power and protect some of the world's largest and most sophisticated AI data centres.
They are an amazing example of innovation, technology and engineering, choosing to base their operations here in Hawke's Bay.
Congratulations to the ABB Team.
Supporting Movember
The Movember team were in Parliament this week to raise awareness about men’s mental health.
We all need to work together as a team including central government, to ensure we are getting better outcomes in our community for mental health. It was great to be able to speak about some of the work going on in our community with Mates for Life and Spark That Chat. Many are already starting to grow the Movember moustaches and it was great to be involved.
GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Government moves to ban U16s from social media
On Monday the Government introduced the Online Safety Bill which will ban under-16s from social media and put greater responsibilities on technology companies to protect children online.
The Online Safety (Minimum Age and Child Safety Risk Assessment) Bill will:
Require high risk social media platforms – like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and Facebook - to take reasonable steps to check users are over the age of 16 by using a number of methods including; using existing account information, facial age estimation, digital ID services and formal ID.
Require platforms used by children to regularly assess the risks they pose and report on how those risks are being identified and reduced.
Introduce significant penalties for companies that fail to meet their obligations – up to 10 per cent of a platform’s global revenue.
Bring emerging technologies, including AI companion platforms, within the regulatory framework.
Establish an online safety regulator within the Department of Internal Affairs to independently monitor compliance, investigate platforms and enforce the law.
In addition to the protections introduced with this Bill, the Government will work to strengthen education and public awareness, so parents, schools and communities have the information and tools they need to help children navigate the online world safely.
Government to rein in council rates
The Government introduced legislation to rein in council rates and provide greater certainty for ratepayers. For too long, ratepayers have been hit with steep and unexpected rates increases at a time many New Zealanders are already feeling the squeeze.
Under this legislation, councils will be expected to keep annual rates increases within an initial target range of 2 to 4 per cent. The legislation will help get councils back to basics, with a stronger focus on delivering the core services communities expect, including roads, rubbish and essential infrastructure.
A rates cap is about driving greater fiscal discipline, keeping rates affordable, and ensuring councils are focused on delivering the services rate payers rely on.
Gender pay gap stays near record low
New Zealand’s gender pay gap remains at a near-record low, thanks to the work of government and employers to identify and close them.
Statistics New Zealand has today confirmed the gender pay gap was 5.3 percent in the June quarter, largely unchanged from last year’s record figure of 5.2 percent.
As a Government we’re focused on closing the pay gap and supporting women to advance. We’ve launched a database for governance-ready women looking for directorship opportunities called BoardConnector. It aims to advance women into high paid leadership positions across the public and private sectors, and we’ve increased KiwiSaver contributions for employers and employees, which will improve women’s longer-term wealth.
We’re committed to building the economy and driving women into higher paid jobs. This is how we will continue to close the gender pay gap and, therefore, the retirement savings gap – as well as growing women’s longer-term wealth and financial security.
Over 260,000 young children eligible for funded flu vaccines from 2027
Pharmac’s has made the decision to strengthen New Zealand’s vaccine response by funding the flu vaccine for children aged 6 months up to 5 years old for the 2027 flu season.
From April 2027, every child aged six months until their fifth birthday will be eligible for a funded influenza vaccine. This gives parents another tool to help keep their children healthy and reduce the impact of flu on families.
This change will mean more than 260,000 children are eligible for funded flu vaccination. That's a practical investment in prevention that will help reduce illness, doctor visits, and pressure on the health system during the winter months.
This is part of a broader package of vaccine investments confirmed by Pharmac. 1.6 million New Zealanders are expected to receive the vaccines included in this decision in the first year of funding.
IN THE MEDIA
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