It's been a busy week of urgency, and campaigning, as we work hard to pass Bills into law as the 54th Parliament draws to a close.
We have made some policy announcements including National will pursue the separation of Foodstuffs, subject to an assessment from the Commerce Commission, so Kiwis get a fairer deal at the checkout.
The purpose of this policy is simple: New Zealanders work hard for their money and deserve a fair deal at the checkout. National believes competition in the grocery sector is too weak, and that supermarkets should have to work harder for every customer through better pricing, specials and range.
Back in Tukituki I am getting ready for the campaign. See you on the road!
OUT AND ABOUT
Hitting the streets
Massive day out with our Young Nats campaigning in Tukituki.
Hundreds of doors knocked, thousands of brochures delivered and hundreds of toots!
Thanks for all the support as we work hard for National’s Party Vote!
Fixing the Basics and Building the Future.
Bringing people together
Golf brings family and friends together and at our Tukituki National Party Golf Tournament it was very special to have my dad, brother, husband, son and father-in-law all playing together! Three generations!
So many laughs and good times out on our beautiful Hastings Golf Course! Definitely one of the best courses in the country it was awesome to have nearly 20 teams supporting the Tukituki National Party Golf Tournament 2026!
Ivan Grieve has organised the golf tournament for seven elections and it is always an amazing day.
And as we celebrated women’s suffrage day we also acknowledge Ivan ‘s leadership to achieve equal rights for women at the club.
In 1999 when he was president, he rewrote the constitution to create one club for all - men and women!
Taking the lead
And the Hastings Golf Club now has its first female president, Robin Bell who is leading the club at an exciting time, where there is lots of new development planned.
Thank you to both Ivan and Robin for their leadership and to everyone who came and supported an amazing day of golf and politics as we work hard to build the future for Hawke’s Bay
Thank you to everyone for all your support as we work hard to keep Tukituki Blue! Only 49 days until the election!
What a great day for a great game
Beautiful afternoon for the top of the table clash between Hawke’s Bay and North Harbour.
So good to see all the support for the Magpies - Hawke’s Bay packing the Park.
What a great game!
BACK IN PARLIAMENT!
Go well Maureen Pugh
Good shoes take you good places, and these shoes are ready to take our amazing West Coast MP, Maureen Pugh MP on her next adventure - after almost 30 years of public service.
From her time as Mayor of Westland to her years in Parliament, Maureen has been a staunch advocate for mining, a voice of reason, and a wonderful colleague and friend.
Her awesome style has been matched by her dedication and passion to the job and to the West Coast! She gave a beautiful valedictory speech.
Go well, our friend! You leave big shoes to fill.
Delivering for New Zealanders
Our Hardworking National Party Team worked through until midnight Saturday to deliver for New Zealanders!
Just two more days of the 54th Parliament this Tuesday and Wednesday and then the house rises for the election campaign.
We’ve been in the debating chamber until midnight passing laws for New Zealanders!
The India Free Trade Agreement has passed. This is a massive win for our Hawke’s Bay exporters—slashing tariffs on 95% of NZ exports and opening up huge economic opportunities for our apples, red meat, wine and honey.
We also progressed my 3 day stay bill to give mums better post natal care. We are guaranteeing new mums the choice of a full 3-day stay in hospital or birthing units after giving birth. Giving mums the time, care, and space they need to recover and bond with their babies.
We also passed Move-on Orders to give Police practical tools to tackle disruptive, anti-social behaviour in our towns so families and shop owners can feel safe on our streets.
Plus, we made practical fixes to our Earthquake-Prone Buildings framework to give building owners certainty, and we streamlined the Public Works Act to slash red tape so critical road, rail, and infrastructure projects can actually get built faster!
It’s been a massive week getting results for Kiwi families, mums, local businesses, and communities.
It’s officially our last week of urgency in the 54th parliament.
National is working hard to fix the basics and build the future.
GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENTS
National is backing first home buyers
A re-elected National Government will back more first home buyers by widening access to 5 per cent deposits under the Government’s First Home Loan scheme.
First home buyers are dominating the housing market under the National-led Government. In July this year, first home buyers made up 29 per cent of all purchases – the highest monthly share in more than 20 years.
But getting a deposit for a first home is still a major constraint on home ownership, with most banks and lending providers requiring a minimum 20 per cent deposit.
That’s why National will widen access to five per cent deposits by extending the income cap under the First Home Loan scheme to $300,000. Alongside our promise of no new taxes, this will help more New Zealanders buy their first home.
International Visitor Levy reset to keep taxes low
National will reset how the International Visitor Levy (IVL) is spent so councils receive a direct return from the visitors they host, without introducing a bed tax.
Tourism is New Zealand’s second-largest export earner and a key driver of economic growth, jobs and higher incomes. As visitor numbers recover and continue to grow, the communities hosting those visitors should share more directly in the benefits of tourism success.
To achieve this, a re-elected National Government will change the way funding from the IVL is distributed, rather than introducing a bed tax that would make it more expensive for New Zealanders to book a holiday in their own country.
Manufacturing growth spreads across the sector
New Zealand's manufacturing sector has now expanded for 14 months in a row, with new data showing growth spreading across more of the industry.
Manufacturing has now grown for more than a year straight, and what's really encouraging is how widely that growth is spreading. More parts of the industry, and more parts of the country, are getting busier.
Every main industry group in the survey expanded in August. Food and beverage, textiles and clothing, and non-metallic mineral products such as glass and concrete all moved from contraction into growth. All four regions also recorded expansion, for the first time since March.
Diagnostics target exceeded as waitlists fall 21 per cent
Waitlists for scans, colonoscopies, and heart tests have fallen sharply over the past year, with Health New Zealand exceeding the Government's delivery target for additional procedures to address long wait lists.
Last year, the Government confirmed that it would deliver an additional 75,000 procedures across radiology, colonoscopy, cardiac, and colposcopy services. The results for that period are:
• 89,039 additional procedures delivered across these services, more than 14,000 above target
• Total waitlists down 21 per cent
• Long waits down 43 per cent
Read more here- Diagnostics target exceeded as waitlists fall 21 per cent | Beehive.govt.nz
National to pursue separation of Foodstuffs
Do you feel like you aren’t getting a fair deal at the supermarket? Well, National are doing something about it.
If we are re-elected, we will break up the supermarket duopoly to give you a fairer deal, putting more money into your pocket. By splitting up Foodstuffs to create three supermarket chains, your household could save up to $1300 every year, and we could see prices fall by 3.5% in a year.
This is part of National’s plan to fix the basics and build the future, putting more money in your back pocket.
India FTA passes with significant majority
The India Free Trade Agreement, which I was super excited to speak on as it moved through the House on Wednesday, will be huge for Hawke’s Bay - opening up massive opportunity for apples, cherries, kiwifruit, red meat, wool, honey, wine, seafood and forestry.
Hawke’s Bay is an export region, and we rely on markets across the world for trade.
India opens up 1.4 billion new customers, ready to pay a premium for our products!
Exporters will be able to use this agreement to build new relationships, sell more of our world-class products, and contribute to the goal agreed by Prime Ministers Modi and Luxon of doubling two-way trade by 2030.
We are already seeing strong momentum as exporters, customers and investors respond to the increased engagement between our countries. This agreement turns India from a market of future promise into a practical opportunity for more New Zealand businesses.
The FTA will enter into force after both parties have completed their respective ratification procedures.
New GP guidance supports fairer assessments for older drivers
The updated guidance confirms that older drivers should not undergo routine cognitive screening based on age alone. Health practitioners should assess each person individually and use cognitive screening where there is a clinical reason.
The change responds to an issue raised by seniors across the country and is a key delivery under the Better Later Life Action Plan, supporting older New Zealanders to stay independent, connected and active for longer.
Read more here- New GP guidance supports fairer assessments for older drivers | Beehive.govt.nz
SPREAD THE WORD
Please take a moment and forward this email to friends and family who might like to stay in touch. We appreciate your help staying connected with the community and there's no time like right now!
If you received this newsletter from a friend or family member and would like to subscribe to future newsletters, please hit the subscribe here button below and fill out the "Get Updates" form on my Catherine Wedd webpage.
Follow me on Facebook for updates - Catherine Wedd MP for Tukituki | Facebook
I look forward to seeing you out in our Tukituki community soon.
GET UPDATES
