Wedd's Weekly - 23 August

23 Aug 2024

Catherine Wedd

It’s been a few weeks of big wins for our region.

I am proud to stand up in Parliament and speak for the Tukituki electorate and part of my advocacy has been the RSE Scheme.

We're boosting the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) Scheme for the upcoming season. This means more jobs, less red tape, and improved flexibility for RSE workers. The scheme is vital for our Pacific partnerships and key industries like horticulture and viticulture.

Having worked in the Hawke’s Bay Horticulture sector for the past 10 years, I understand the importance of the RSE Scheme for Hawke’s Bay.

Under the previous government I saw millions of dollars of export quality fruit left to rot on the trees because they wouldn’t increase the RSE Cap.

Finally, we have a Minister and a government which is listening and saying it is unacceptable to let valuable export fruit go to waste.

GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENTS:

RSE SCHEME REVITALISED:

Hawke’s Bay’s horticulture industry is set for more growth with our government revitalising the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) Scheme.

It is welcome news especially as our growers are still recovering from Cyclone Gabrielle which devastated our horticultural sector.

Hawke’s Bay currently recruits over 40 percent of New Zealand’s RSE Workers.

While increasing our seasonal workforce is important, we also need to ensure we have a quality scheme, which has flexibility and works well for both New Zealand employers and our Pacific neighbours.

Our government’s announcement on the RSE scheme, is key to growing productivity and revitalising Hawke’s Bay’s economy.

The changes to the scheme will include increasing the number of RSE workers by 1,250 for the coming season, provide more flexibility for RSE workers to move between employers and regions, adding more countries to the scheme, creating multiple entry visas and enabling RSE workers to undertake training and skills development not directly related to their role. It will also remunerate and reward based on ability, skills and experience.

These are practical solutions to future proof a scheme which is critical for our region.

DELIVERING MORE COMPETITIVE BANKING FOR KIWIS:

Promoting robust competition in the banking sector is vital to rebuilding our economy and our government is committed to taking action to achieve a more competitive banking sector.

We have one of the most uncompetitive banking sectors in the world and our banks make some of the biggest profits.

We have launched a joint banking inquiry on our Finance and Expenditure and Primary Production Select Committees.

This week our Finance Minister announced the Government will act on all 14 recommendations made by the Commerce Commission’s final report into bank competition.

A huge win for consumers!

Our government is making Kiwibank stronger, pushing forward with open banking, and revising policies to make sure you, the consumer, come first. These changes will inject some real competition into the market, giving you better choices, better services, and ultimately, a better deal.
We’re committed to making sure our banking sector works for all New Zealanders, no matter where you live or who you bank with.

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT TO HAWKE'S BAY COUNCILS TO SPEED UP RECOVERY:

Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has allocated $16.8 million of Budget 24 funding to support councils in accelerating recovery efforts following the severe weather events of 2023.

For Hawke’s Bay it is important we strengthen resilience to reduce the impact from future weather events and protect communities from future flooding.

The following is a breakdown of the funds allocation to Hawke’s Bay councils:

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council: $2.18 million for additional expertise to speed up Wairoa, Pakowhai, and Pōrangahau flood protection, as well as additional expertise for community engagement and flood modelling for a range of projects.
Hastings District Council: $1.47 million to speed up Hastings roading delivery programme.
Central Hawke’s Bay District Council: $0.7 million to speed up roading recovery and provide flood modelling.
Wairoa District Council: $0.2 million to speed up the Te Reinga bridge replacement project.

OUT AND ABOUT

One person’s trash is anothers treasure – and this is true at Hawk Packaging where all our roadside recycling ends up and is made into apple trays.

About 13,000 tonnes of recycling from across Hawke’s Bay and the central North Island is turned into millions of apple trays which are exported around the world.

It was so good to meet Tim and the Hawk Packaging team who highlight innovation and sustainability in our apple industry.

As I continue to advocate for more postnatal care for mums, I visited the maternity unit at Taupō Hospital with Hon Louise Upston MP - maternity care is very special and close to our hearts.

My 3 Day Postnatal Stay Members Bill was drawn from the ballot this year and will give mums more support and protection after giving birth.

It was wonderful to meet with hospital midwives and see the amazing job they are doing to bring our precious babies into the world.

It was special to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Rowan Apartments in Taradale.

This incredible project provides much needed homes for our younger people with physical disabilities.

Well done to Presbyterian Support East Coast and Enliven Disability for creating choice, encouraging independence and self-determination.

Restoring law and order is one of our government’s key priorities and it was good to catch-up with Hawke’s Bay police and visit Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison to understand the operations and challenges they are facing.

In recent years there has been a concerning trend where courts have imposed fewer and shorter prison sentences despite a 33% increase in serious crime.

In the next five years we want less violent crime, our goal is for 20,000 fewer people to be the victims of assaults, robberies, and sexual assaults by 2029.

Under our government, victims not offenders will be the priority of the justice system.

I had an amazing day at the SuperBlues with Education Minister Hon Erica Stanford MP and Dana Kirkpatrick MP for East Coast.

SuperBlues are a group of socially active New Zealanders aged 60+ who work collaboratively with National MPs to promote solutions to issues that will enhance a quality environment for senior citizens.

From Kaitaia in the north to Coromandel in the east; New Plymouth in the west and Invercargill in the south, SuperBlues work with local National Members of Parliament to keep issues confronting senior citizens at the forefront of political thinking.

Love visiting our amazing growers in Hawke’s Bay. Marian Hirst, from Bay Blueberries showed me some of the new technologies in the orchard and the sustainable compost she’s trialing.

Last season hundreds of kilos of her blueberries were stolen. But Marian has been working hard to get her orchard back up and running!

The trees are budding, and I can’t wait to be eating these delicious Bay blueberries very soon.

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I look forward to seeing you out in our Tukituki community soon.

Regards, Catherine