Tom Rutherford

Tom Rutherford - The week that was - 23 June

23 Jun 2024

The Week That Was - 23 JUNE 2024

We Love Fieldays!

It was a great time had by all at Fieldays this year, albeit a bit on the wet side, but even in the rain, the feedback for the National Party was incredibly positive.

I spent time on the National Party stand and met a lot of different people which was so awesome.

Out and about through the stands, displays and weather, I was encouraged by the incredible work that our rural communities do as the backbone of New Zealand.

I even tried my hand at taking on the NZ Team Olympic cycling challenge in my pair of Red Bands.

On the Local Turf

So good to be back out on the turf recently umpiring local club hockey at Tauranga Hockey – my happy place.

On Track!

Kia ora from the City Rail Link!

I was recently with the Transport and Infrastructure Select Committee for an exciting tour of New Zealand’s largest transport project.

We're on track (pun intended!) to complete the construction of the stations and supporting infrastructure by November 2025.

The CRL is set to transform Auckland’s rail network, making journeys quicker and more convenient with more trains and better connections!

The Big Shout Out!

Happy National Volunteer Week from me in my many volunteering hats! As a volunteer firefighter, rugby ref, and hockey umpire, I know a thing or two about the value that voluntary work brings to our community. So, this week, it’s #TheBigShoutout to all the unsung heroes. Thank you for all that you do!

Supporting Volunteer Firefighters

I'm Very proud to be one of New Zealand’s 11,832 volunteer firefighters. Helping to deliver $823 million worth of value every year. Thank you to all the incredibly dedicated volunteers, past and present, for all you do to help keep New Zealanders safe. There’s nothing more rewarding so I encourage you to get involved.

All Aboard!

Had a fantastic visit to the Port of Tauranga last week with Ryan Hamilton MP for Hamilton East! This powerhouse is the largest port in New Zealand and handles a massive 40% of our exports!

It was great to have a look around seeing the amazing work they do so important for New Zealand’s economy.

Port of Tauranga is New Zealand’s largest and most efficient port connecting New Zealand to the world.

A Sustainable Existence

Contour International support our region’s growth and infrastructure needs, and I appreciated the chance to look around the EcoBlend composters and Enduro range of sustainable packaging. Fantastic to see the dedication to a sustainable existence through electronic, aerobic, microbial composting machines that reduce food waste.

Thanks for having me, team! The Bay of Plenty has amazing people, and it’s awesome to visit local businesses focused on sustainability.

Support Local Artists and Writers - 3 July

On ya Bike!

Oh, the irony! The Greens campaigned to remove car parks from struggling businesses to install cycleways, but then secretly wanted a car park spot for themselves! You can’t make this stuff up.

Bring Your Partner to Work Day

It’s been a busy scrutiny week in Parliament – so it was great to have Hannah join me in Wellington for a couple of days!

This week at a glance:

Making it easier to build granny flats.

This week, our Government announced that it is making it easier for people to build granny flats.

New vaccine research aims to combat prevalent bovine disease.

A vaccine to prevent an infectious disease that costs New Zealand cattle farmers more than $190 million each year could radically improve the health of our cows and boost on-farm productivity.

Improvements to stopping Digital Child Exploitation

The Department of Internal Affairs is making a significant upgrade to their Digital Child Exploitation Filtering System, which blocks access to websites known to host child sexual abuse material.

NZ enhances North Korea sanctions monitoring

New Zealand will enhance its defense contributions to monitoring violations of sanctions against North Korea.

Government supporting Māori business success.

The Coalition Government is supporting Māori to boost development and the Māori economy through investment in projects that benefit the regions.

Better solutions for earthquake-prone buildings

Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced that the review into better managing the risks of earthquake-prone buildings has commenced.

Prime Minister wraps up visit to Japan.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has just finished a successful three-day visit to Japan, where he strengthened political relationships and boosted business links.

Major business deals signed on PM’s Japan trip.

Significant business deals have been closed during the visit of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to Japan this week, including in the areas of space, renewable energy and investment.

National Infrastructure Pipeline worth over $120 billion

The National Infrastructure Pipeline, which provides a national view of current or planned infrastructure projects, from roads, to water infrastructure, to schools, and more, has climbed above $120 billion.

Women continue to make up over 50% on public sector boards.

Women’s representation on public sector boards and committees has reached 50 per cent or above for the fourth consecutive year, with women holding 53.9 per cent of public sector board roles.

GDP data shows the need to strengthen and grow economy.

GDP figures for the March quarter reinforce the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth.

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I’m a Local, Just Like You!

Thanks,
Tom