Tom Rutherford

Tom Rutherford - The week that was - 13 September

13 Sep 2024

Dear {{recipient.first_name_or_friend}} --

The Week That Was - 13 September 2024

$1.9b for transport, where it will be spent in Bay of Plenty?

The $1.9 billion government investment in "vital" Bay of Plenty roads is great news for our region and has the backing of Western Bay mayors.

Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford said: "We know this funding will provide welcome relief to constituents and those who travel through our region. With this funding we can continue to build the roading infrastructure our area needs while ensuring that we are reducing travel times and boosting productivity."

The Government will progress work on three roads of national significance, State Highway 29 in Tauriko west, Takitimu North Link (TNL) stage one from Tauranga to Te Puna, and stage two from Te Puna to Ōmokoroa.

Takitimu North Link stage one works on the Minden Gully bridge. The project is one of three roads of national significance in the Bay of Plenty that will progress under the Government's National Land Transport Programme. Photo / NZTA

How the funding is split

Tauriko West SH29 - Estimated cost $264m
SH29 Ōmanawa Bridge - $174m
SH29 stage one - route protection $6.5m and SH29A stage three pre-implementation $72m
Takitimu North Link stage one - cost $655m with $4m of road revocation funded in this announcement
Takitimu North Link stage two - $93m
SH2 Waioeka Gorge - $110m

Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford said: "We know this funding will provide welcome relief to constituents and those who travel through our region. With this funding we can continue to build the roading infrastructure our area needs while ensuring that we are reducing travel times and boosting productivity."

These figures are provisions within the National Land Transport Programme and unless already approved, are subject to change. Bay of Plenty transport: Region’s leaders welcome $1.9b investment - NZ Herald

YMCA!

My retirement village clinic at Pacific coast Village on Friday, which is designed to give residents a chance to ENGAGE, BE HEARD and REPRESENTED, moved into karaoke! Thanks to the residents of Pacific Coast Village for a great event.

Click on the link below for the video – you may need earplugs – forgive me!

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Upcoming Residents Clinics

Looking forward to catching up with the residents of Ocean Shores Avida soon. See below for dates and details.

If you'd like me to come along to your village, please reach out to my office. I'd love to meet you there.

Public Tour of Pāpāmoa House Fire Aftermath

A great initiative by Fire and Emergency New Zealand in Papamoa. Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) recently showed members of the public through the aftermath of an electrical fire that “took out” an entire house on Palm Beach Boulevard in Papamoa on July 25.

They had showings on both Friday and Saturday.

Adviser community awareness and recovery officer for Fire and Emergency Bay of Plenty, Arron King, said fire open homes had been held in other parts of New Zealand before, but this was the first time it could be done in the Bay of Plenty.

The service had wanted to host one before but a house that had a sound structure and approval from the insurance company had not been available until now.

Within the first hour of the fire site opening, about 100 people were estimated to have come through the open home.

“It’s great to see the message get out there,” King said.

To inquire about a free home fire safety visit or for advice, people can call 0800 693 473.

Full story: SunLive - Public tour of Pāpāmoa house fire aftermath - The Bay's News First

Super Blues with Guest - Paulo Garcia

A fantastic morning at Super Blues on Monday with guest speaker – Paulo Garcia. A great turnout and informative chat about his life and times in and out of Parliament.

Paulo Garcia is a New Zealand lawyer and politician. He is the first New Zealand MP of Filipino descent. Thank you, Paulo, for showing up and theentertainment!

PM in the Bay of Plenty Electorate

It was great to have the Prime Minister in town on Sunday for the AIMS Games and lunch with locals at the Papamoa Surf Lifesaving Club. There’s a lot of great work underway to get New Zealand back on track, and it was good to get a rundown from Chris about how we’re tracking - it’s shaping up to be a big rest of the year and into 2025.

AIMS Games – Opening Ceremony

A great opening ceremony for the Aims Games on Sunday. It was so awesome to be there with Erica Stanford and new Tauranga Mayor – Mahe Drysdale.

Get Set – Go!

Kicking off AIMS Games at the Mount on Sunday with the Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. A massive 12,906 young athletes have come here from across New Zealand, Cook Islands and Fiji to compete. Wishing them all the best.

A fantastic event to host in the Bay of Plenty!

The Tauranga Club is back open after 18 months!

The Tauranga Club, a members club established in 1894 in Tauranga, has re-opened in spectacular fashion after 18 months of works and commitment to get their building back on track.

Great News for Cancer Sufferers!

Great news for Kiwis suffering from cancer in the Bay of Plenty and around New Zealand. Thanks to our $604 million funding boost into Pharmac, Keytruda is the first cancer medicine to be funded, starting Oct 1.

These are the first new cancer treatments to be delivered as a direct result of National’s campaign promise to improve access to cancer drugs. This is a significant milestone in enhancing access to newer and more effective cancer medications. It is expected that 600 additional eligible people will have access to Keytruda and Opdivo in the first year, and that will rise to 2300 over five years.

Improving access to cancer medicines is only one of the ways National is delivering better treatment for Kiwis with cancer. We’ve set a target of 90 percent of patients receiving cancer management within 31 days of the decision to treat. We have also committed to increasing breast screening eligibility to 74-year-olds, funded PET scanning accessibility for prostate cancer, expanded infusion services in Whanganui and Wairoa, invested in a new radiotherapy machine at Whangārei Hospital, and provided an extra $18 million a year to help people who need to travel for treatments like cancer.

Loving Tennis!

Once a year, tennis clubs around the country open their doors and courts so that members of their community can come along and give tennis a go. I had a blast at Pāpāmoa Tennis Club on the weekend, although the actual tennis ability might need some work.

Sharing the Aims Games message in Parliament

Very, very proudly repping Zespri AIMS Games School Sporting Championships at Parliament. Check out the socks. Had to be done!

Tougher Regulations – Youth Vaping

The Government is taking action to combat youth vaping with the introduction of the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Amendment Bill (No 2).

The Bill tackles this issue with key measures, including a complete ban on disposable vapes, which are both affordable and easily accessible to young people.

Fines for retailers selling vapes to under-18s will increase significantly, with maximum fines rising from $10,000 to $100,000, while penalties for infringement offences will go from $500 to $1,000 for individuals and from $500 to $2,000 for businesses.

The Bill also limits where vapes can be sold. Vapes will only be sold in specialist vape shops, not in places like dairies or petrol stations. New vape shops will need to be at least 100 metres from early childhood centres, adding to the existing rule that they can't be near a school or marae.

These tougher regulations will be supported by enhanced enforcement capabilities. The Government plans to introduce 16 new dedicated smokefree enforcement officers by December to ensure compliance and effectiveness.

The Bill is part of the Government’s broader commitment to achieving a Smokefree 2025. It aims to protect young people from the harms of vaping while still supporting adult smokers in their efforts to quit by maintaining access to vaping as a cessation tool.

Future Government plans include strengthening regulations on tobacco, vaping, and other nicotine products.

This approach shows a strong commitment to not only reduce youth vaping but also ensuring that vaping remains a viable tool to support quitting smoking.

This Bill is a big step towards stopping youth vaping and protecting the health of future generations in our Bay of Plenty region.

Structured Literacy Resources on the way

We're getting education back on track, and a big part of that is driving structured literacy. Here's my question in the house to the Minister of Education Erica Stanford MP.

TOM RUTHERFORD to the Minister of Education: What recent announcements has she made about driving structured literacy in schools?

The coalition Government is delivering targeted and structured literacy supports to accelerate learning for struggling readers. From Term 1 2025, $33 million of funding for Reading Recovery and Early Literacy Support will be reprioritised to interventions which align with structured approaches to teaching. Great news for our local schools in the Bay of Plenty

“Structured literacy will change the way children learn to read and set them up for future success. However, there will be students who need additional help to progress. We’re giving teachers the tools they need to be confident in the classroom and meet student needs,” says Education Minister Erica Stanford.

“From September, schools and kura will be able to apply for more staffing resource for structured literacy in Years 0-2 to help students in their first years of learning. Schools will be able to provide targeted teaching for students who need help, so they continue to access the curriculum.

“I acknowledge the service of Reading Recovery teachers over many decades. I encourage them to take up the opportunity to continue supporting learners in structured literacy. By shifting the funding and aligning it with structured approaches to teaching, we can get the most out of this valuable resource to support more students,” Ms Stanford says.

Current supports will also be updated with the new curriculum for Years 3-8 and be available in te reo Māori. “These changes will work hand in hand with the knowledge-rich curriculum, a phonics check and regular check-ins and assessment being introduced from early next year, to identify students who need help, the type they need, and when they need it.

“As the new curriculum and structured teaching practices are bedded in, we expect more children to become confident learners and fewer children will need support.”

This week at a glance:

Passport wait times back on-track

Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says passport processing has returned to normal, and the Department of Internal Affairs is now advising customers to allow up to two weeks to receive their passport.

Sport Minister congratulates NZ’s Paralympians

Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop has congratulated New Zealand's Paralympic Team at the conclusion of the Paralympic Games in Paris.

Pharmac delivering more for Kiwis following major funding boost

Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour has welcomed the increased availability of medicines for Kiwis resulting from the Government’s increased investment in Pharmac.

Action to grow the rural health workforce

Scholarships awarded to 27 health care students is another positive step forward to boost the future rural health workforce, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey says.

Have your say on suicide prevention

September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day, a time to reflect on New Zealand’s confronting suicide statistics, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says.

Government welcomes findings of NZ Superannuation Fund review

The Government has welcomed the findings of the recent statutory review into the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation and the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, Minister of Finance Nicola Willis says.

First of five new Hercules aircraft takes flight

Defence Minister Judith Collins today welcomed the first of five new C-130J-30 Hercules to arrive in New Zealand at a ceremony at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Base Auckland, Whenuapai.

Māori Education Advisory Group established

The education minister has established a Māori Education Ministerial Advisory Group made up of experienced practitioners to help improve outcomes for Māori learners.

Ministry for Regulation's first Strategic Intentions document sets ambitious direction

Regulation Minister David Seymour welcomes the Ministry for Regulation’s first Strategic Intentions document, which sets out how the Ministry will carry out its work and deliver on its purpose.

Interim fix to GST adjustment rules to support businesses

Inland Revenue can begin processing GST returns for businesses affected by a historic legislative drafting error, Revenue Minister Simon Watts says.

Strong uptake for cervical screening self-test

More than 80 per cent of New Zealand women being tested have opted for a world-leading self-test for cervical screening since it became available a year ago.

Government releases Wairoa flood review findings

The independent rapid review into the Wairoa flooding event on 26 June 2024 has been released, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced today.

Promoting faster payment times for government

The Government is sending a clear message to central government agencies that they must prioritise paying invoices in a timely manner, Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Andrew Bayly says.

Government unlocking potential of AI

Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins announced a programme to drive Artificial Intelligence (AI) uptake among New Zealand businesses.

Govt acts on mpox response, widens access to vaccine

The Government is taking immediate action on several steps around New Zealand’s response to mpox, including improving access to vaccine availability so people who need it can do so more easily, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti and Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced

Rangatahi inspire at Ngā Manu Kōrero finals

Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini kē - My success is not mine alone but is the from the strength of the many.

Aotearoa New Zealand’s top young speakers are an inspiration for all New Zealanders to learn more about the depth and beauty conveyed through reo Māori, says Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka.

Survivors invited to Abuse in Care national apology

With two months until the national apology to survivors of abuse in care, expressions of interest have opened for survivors wanting to attend

Getting the healthcare, you need, when you need it

The path to faster cancer treatment, an increase in immunisation rates, shorter stays in emergency departments and quick assessment and treatments when you are sick has been laid out

Victory for common sense at Country Kindy

Associate Education Minister David Seymour is congratulating all parties involved in the successful resolution of the Country Kindy dispute, with the Centre officially relicensed today.

Tax exempt threshold changes to benefit startups

Technology companies are among the startups which will benefit from increases to current thresholds of exempt employee share schemes, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Revenue Minister Simon Watts say.

Bill to allow online charity lotteries passes first reading

Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government is moving at pace to ensure lotteries for charitable purposes are allowed to operate online permanently. Charities fundraising online, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust and local hospices will continue to do so for the benefit of all Kiwi communities.

Interest in agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review welcomed

Regulation Minister David Seymour, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, and Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard have welcomed interest in the agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review.

This Week in NZ History - 1928

Link: First trans-Tasman flight touches down

Australian pilots Charles Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm crossed the Tasman in a Fokker trimotor named the Southern Cross, covering 2670 km in 14 hours 25 minutes.

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Thanks,
Tom