NATHAN GUY MP for Otaki - Column

Drought in the North Island

nospam@example.com (admin) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 16:09:00 +1300

It’s great to be home in the Otaki electorate again after a very successful trip to Latin America with the Prime Minister.

As I mentioned last week, the trip has opened doors to some exciting new markets. New Zealand has a great reputation in this part of the world and there is a real desire to build closer links and increase trade.

Flying down from Auckland on the way home I spent most of the trip looking out the window and seeing just how dry the landscape is. This is why last week I declared an official drought throughout the North Island.

This is recognition that farmers and growers are really doing it tough. We are now well beyond what is a dry summer and into an extreme climatic event.

It’s great that rain has fallen this week which will lift spirits and get the grass growing again. A decent follow-up rain will make all the difference before we enter the cooler winter months.

Many rural people can be reluctant to ask for help, but it is important for them to know that support is available. This is a difficult time for rural families and they need to know that the Government and all New Zealanders are behind them.

Extra funding is now available to organisations like the Rural Support Trusts to provide guidance and support, and in extreme cases there will also be Rural Assistance Payments (RAPs) available to those in severe hardship.

We’ve seen the effects in our own region with pressure on water supply. Kapiti Coast District Council is now using bore water to supplement normal supply, and there is a total fire ban in Horowhenua. There are also water restrictions in place in the Wellington region.

Promoting New Zealand in Latin America

nospam@example.com (admin) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 16:07:00 +1300

When you read this I will probably be heading home from the Prime Minister’s delegation to Latin America.

Before I update you on my trip, I realise the prolonged drought is starting to have a serious effect. Like you I'm hopeful that we will get some rain soon.

It has been a hectic schedule but very rewarding. In just three days alone I’ve met the respective Presidents of Mexico, Colombia and Chile.

We are working hard to promote New Zealand, and particularly our skills in agricultural innovation. The nations we are visiting are similar to us in that they are big producers of the food the rest of the world wants, especially beef and dairy products.

Latin America offers New Zealand a wealth of opportunities. The countries I visited are growing fast, welcoming foreign investment, and want to increase their agricultural productivity.

New Zealand is in a strong position to work with these countries to help lift their agricultural performance. It is in our interest to work with these countries, establish close links, and develop business opportunities for New Zealand companies.

A topic discussed in every country on this trip is the growing global population and the challenge of feeding this population. I believe that New Zealand should see this challenge as an opportunity. And I believe that as a nation of 4.4 million that feeds 40 million people, we are well placed to take advantage of this opportunity.

The scope for development in Latin America is huge. In New Zealand we can increase our productivity but we struggle to find more land. Columbia, Chile and Brazil respectively have millions of hectares that are undeveloped and suitable for agricultural production. Latin America has the land, we have the expertise.

New Zealand has a great reputation in Latin America for our high quality produce. We also have a great reputation for being innovative for leading the world in the way we do business, and for the way our Government provides an environment for business to get ahead.

We have made great progress on this trip in terms of developing relationships and I will continue to do what I can to help our companies succeed overseas. This is a key part of this Government's goal of increasing our exports and growing a more productive and competitive New Zealand economy.

Dry conditions tough for farmers

nospam@example.com (admin) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:06:00 +1300

It’s certainly been a busy few weeks for me, both locally and as the Minister for Primary Industries. I’ve been visiting many different places around the country as well as my usual duties as local MP.

On Wednesday last week I announced an official drought in Northland. Other parts of the country are likely to ask for assistance this week. This means that the Government can now offer help to farmers by coordinating support through local organisations like the Rural Support Trusts. In extreme cases there will also be Rural Assistance Payments (RAPs) available to farmers in severe hardship.

Currently I am in Latin America with Prime Minister John Key who is leading a trade delegation of 22 business representatives to one of the fastest growing regions in the world.

We are visiting Mexico, Columbia, Chile, and Brazil – four countries with big populations and fast growing economies, who will be increasingly important trading partners for New Zealand.

Many Kiwi businesses already operate in these markets and I’m sure the Prime Minister will open up even more opportunities as well.

On Friday last week I was invited along to see Levana Textiles’ expansion plans. They have acquired some new spinning machines from Canterbury that will see more value added to NZ-grown Merino wool in Levin. Eight trainees begin this week from Horowhenua Learning Centre and there is potential for forty new jobs over time and many flow-on benefits.

The National Party BlueGreens forum will be held this weekend at Tatum Park near Levin. This environmental conference will discuss important issues such as freshwater management and creating a pest-free New Zealand. I’m delighted to have secured the forum in Horowhenua as our region has a lot to be proud of.

This week the House is in recess.

You can follow my trip progress on Twitter (@honnathanguy) or on Facebook www.facebook.com/nathanguy4otaki

New tools to crack down on fraudulent beneficiaries

nospam@example.com (admin) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 16:04:00 +1300

Some of you that read this will be busy in your day-to-day work, paying off the mortgage, putting food on the table for your family, and paying taxes.

However, a small number of beneficiaries continue to abuse the system at the expense of the taxpayer.

Last week the Government created a new offence targeting partners or spouses of beneficiaries who are convicted of fraud. Relationship offending cost taxpayers over $20 million last year, comprising around one-third of welfare fraud prosecutions.

In 2011/12, fraud worth $23.4 million was established following 714 convictions. A further $18.4 million was established from 1425 investigations which did not end in a prosecution – welfare fraud is a crime that is costing New Zealanders a lot of money.

Some more initiatives include giving the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) a package of tools to target beneficiaries who have been dishonest in the past. This includes formalising information-sharing links between Government departments.

Honest people who genuinely need the Government’s assistance while they go through hardship in life or who are making a transition back into the workforce should be supported.

But the Government is taking a tough line on those that abuse the system at the expense of hard working taxpayers in Kapiti and Horowhenua.

New technology for Police

nospam@example.com (admin) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 16:03:00 +1300

Our local police do a great job in keeping us safe, working together with the community. A new policy announced by the Prime Minister last week means they’ll be spending even more time on the beat.

Starting in April, frontline police will be able to start using smart phones and tablets more often.

A total of 6,086 officers across New Zealand will receive the devices. On average these save 30 minutes per officer per shift, meaning that half a million more frontline police hours every year are now freed up.

Essentially, this means less time at the station and more time out in the community.

Last year I wrote about the Government’s action plan for crime. This included setting crime and reoffending as major priorities, with the aim of reducing the crime rate by 15% and violent crime by 20%. This new policy will be a real help in achieving these targets.

Last year the local community went through tragedy with the senseless loss of two young men in the Kapiti Lights area.

It was heartening to see the police and local community come together in response to these events and really work on improving safety in the area.

Last September, I attended the CACTUS graduation dinner run by the Levin Police. This was a successful 8-week itinerary mixing ‘boot-camp’ and vocational and social mentoring-style elements with around 26 youths from our community.

This is a great example of the police working with the community to achieve better outcomes for young people in our area.

On that note, I want to welcome Detective Inspector Paul Basham to the role of area commander for the Kapi-Mana police district. He brings a lot of experience to an important local job.

BlueGreen event happening locally

nospam@example.com (admin) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 15:32:00 +1300

An important environmental conference is coming to Horowhenua next month.

I’m helping to organise the “Bluegreens” forum to be held at Tatum Park near Levin on the weekend of March 9 and 10. The Bluegreens are a policy advisory group of the National Party, made up of people with a passion for environmental issues.

Throughout Kapiti and Horowhenua we have plenty of good examples to show attendees how local communities and the Government are working together on major projects.

$5.2 million in Government funding is going towards the cleanup of Manawatu River, and I'm hopeful a similar accord for Lake Horowhenua can be replicated to keep up the positive momentum.

The Manawatu River estuary is an internationally recognised bird sanctuary, and local volunteers from the Save Our River Trust have done outstanding work cleaning up the Foxton river loop and creating walking tracks.

In Shannon we have a Government contribution of $2.1 million going towards an upgrade of the town’s water supply, with construction due to begin soon. The respective Friends of the Waikanae and Otaki Rivers have also done great improvement work.

The common thread for many of these projects is water, and this will be an important topic at the conference. Managing our freshwater supply and harnessing its potential for irrigation is also a key priority for me as Minister for Primary Industries, and the whole Government.

Other issues for discussion include reforming the Resource Management to improve the process for homeowners, businesses, local authorities and communities.

Minister of Conservation Nick Smith will be talking about the challenge of creating a pest-free New Zealand. A guided field trip to Kapiti Island will give visitors a chance to see this island and what our region has to offer.

Busy start to the year

nospam@example.com (admin) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 15:31:00 +1300

Parliament officially opened last week and it has been a very busy time on the political front already.

Last week the Government announced some important changes to the warrant of fitness process.

Starting from around the middle of next year, cars registered after 1 January 2000 will only require an annual checkup. Six monthly inspections will continue for older cars.

Overall this will save motorists a lot of time and money, while still maintaining a high standard of safety.

It’s estimated that moving to an annual WoF inspection will benefit motorists and businesses around $160 million a year in time and money, and $1.8 billion over 30 years, which will have a flow-on benefit for the wider economy.

I believe this is a sensible change that most motorists will welcome. New Zealand has had six monthly inspections since the 1930s, but obviously in that time the standard and safety of vehicles has greatly improved.

My 1972 Holden HQ recently went through the WoF process just fine. Because of its age it will be kept on the six-monthly cycle, which makes sense to me.

The UK inspects annually, and every state in Australia has less frequent inspections – in fact some states only do so when there is a change of ownership.

We’ve listened carefully to the views of the public, and there will be plenty of time for people to get used to these changes. There will also be an increase in investment and education for motorists.

Of course, new and improved roads will also be a major boost for drivers in our region. Transmission Gully, the Kapiti expressway and improved roads all the way to Levin will help remove accident blackspots like the Kimberly intersection combining SH1 and SH57, and around Otaihanga.

Welcome to the New Year

nospam@example.com (admin) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:28:00 +1300

Happy New Year – I hope everyone had a good break and a chance to relax over the holidays.

The political year has burst into life, and I’m very proud to have been appointed the new Minister of Primary Industries. I officially take over the portfolio on Thursday, filling the big shoes of David Carter who is set to become Parliament’s Speaker.

I come from a farming family and agriculture is in my blood. Primary industries include farming, forestry, fisheries and horticulture, and I know how important they are to New Zealand and our region.

In total, the primary sector is worth around $32 billion a year. They are a big driver of the economy, and I’ll be working to meet the Government’s goal of increasing exports to from 30% to 40% of GDP by 2025.

I’m also pleased to be continuing as Racing Minister, which is also an important contributor to New Zealand economy – particularly in provincial areas.

I will be just as busy as the MP for Otaki, with the help of my electorate staff in my Paraparaumu and Levin offices.

This year I’m looking forward to seeing more good progress on the roading front, with the Board of Inquiry into the Kapiti expressway set to release their decision soon. It has been a very open and transparent process so far with numerous people presenting to the Board.

We can also expect to see more progress on the Peka Peka to Otaki stretch of highway, with another Board of Inquiry likely to consider this project as well.

I’m also hopeful of a positive solution for the Capital Connection train service soon.

Ultrafast broadband begins to rollout this year. Levin and Paraparaumu will be connected from July, with some other towns in Kapiti and Horowhenua to follow.

It is shaping up to be another hectic year and I'm raring to go.

2012 year in review

nospam@example.com (admin) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 15:02:00 +1300

This is my last column for 2012 and a chance to say thank you to everyone for their feedback and support this year.

It’s been another year of good progress on improving our transport infrastructure. Transmission Gully has received the green light from a Board of Inquiry with construction set to begin in 2014, and completion around 2020.

The Kapiti expressway is currently going through the same process and I’m looking forward to a decision early next year.

Te Takere has opened in Levin and is a fantastic community asset. I’ve been to a number of events there and it has really been embraced by most locals.

We’ve also had the hockey pavilion open in Kapiti and the Airport Business Park continues to grow. The new aquatic centre and council building are also starting to take shape in Kapiti.

A low point of the year was the two senseless murders in the Kapiti Lights area. This was a major shock for the community, but there has been a strong response with new safety and security measures in place. Thank you to our police who do a great job.

Another low point was the vandalism at the Horowhenua Rowing Club, but the way the community rallied together as a result was inspiring. The Olympic rowers who visited Levin helped to raise around $5000 and gave a unique coaching lesson to local rowers.

As a Minister it’s also been a very busy year. I’m particularly proud of the $60 million package I announced with Prime Minister John Key a few months ago to improve the support we give to war veterans.

It was also a great honour to attend the Anzac commemorations in Gallipoli this year. Speaking at the Dawn Service with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard was a moving and memorable experience.

Over the Christmas break I’m looking forward to visiting the beach at Waitarere and doing a bit of camping with my family to recharge the batteries.

Stay safe on the roads and have a great break. All the best for 2013.

Youth issues

nospam@example.com (admin) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 15:13:00 +1300

Recently I’ve had several groups of local students come and visit me at Parliament. I’ve really enjoyed talking to students from Poroutawhao School and Levin Junior Neighbourhood Support about my role and the issues I deal with.

I’ve also recently met with Education Horowhenua and ministry officials to discuss how our students are achieving at a national level.

We do pretty well overall when you consider our demographics, but there is room for improvement, particularly at University Entrance level.

This is why the Government has set important targets on improving performance across the country. We want to see 98% of all children taking part in early childhood education, and 85% achieving at least NCEA Level 2.

National Standards will be an important tool in achieving this. It’s crucial that parents and teachers know how each student is achieving, and target those most in need of extra help.

There are already a number of great local projects happening locally to support young people. In Horowhenua Life to the Max is providing a wrap-around service for at-risk youths who might otherwise slip through the cracks.

At my old school Waiopehu College, the Cactus programme run this year involves the very successful boot-camp style sessions. The school also has Blake House providing health services, and a teen parent unit is on the way.

Kapiti Youth Support (KYS) provides a free, confidential health service for young people and recently opened a new premise in Otaki.

I was very impressed with Olympic rower Joseph Sullivan and the words of advice he had for students on his recent visit to Levin. He told them the importance of resisting peer pressure, saying no to drugs and above all, having the passion and determination to succeed. It was great advice.

Transmission Gully and roading

nospam@example.com (admin) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 15:17:00 +1300

Last week the Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee confirmed that Transmission Gully will be built as a public-private partnership (PPP).

This is great news because it means it can be built quicker and at less cost to the taxpayer. Construction can now begin in 2014, a year earlier than first thought, with the road due to open in 2020.

A PPP is already being used to build a new prison at Wiri in Auckland. A major advantage is that it spreads the cost over time, with a private consortium financing construction and the NZTA will then repay the cost over 25 years

The benefits of Transmission Gully are well known. The recent Board of Inquiry agreed that a new four-lane highway will tackle congestion, reduce travel times and provide a much safer route.

It will give us a crucial second route to Wellington, and be a real boost to the regional economy by encouraging more people to live, work and visit both Kapiti and Horowhenua.

NZTA will also explore the option of building Transmission Gully as a toll road next year.

It will be one of the biggest roading construction projects in the region for a long time, and a key part of the Wellington Airport to Levin Road of National Significance.

As I’ve always said, this makes it even more important to build the Kapiti expressway. Without it, traffic coming out of Transmission Gully would just come to a screaming halt at the Paraparaumu traffic lights.

Last week also saw new and updated road ratings released. KiwiRAP (New Zealand Road Assessment Programme) measures crash risk on nearly 11,000 kilometres of state highway, identifying high-risk roads to help target safety improvements.

I’m pleased that SH1 from Pukerua Bay to Paraparaumu is one of the most improved stretches of road in the country. However, we need to get on with building the next section from Paraparaumu to Levin to further improve safety.

On that note, I want to pay tribute to Dr Chris Lane who is retiring from Kapiti Coast EMS. Over the last few decades he has seen more than anyone the terrible impact of road tragedies. He has also been a passionate advocate for improved road safety.

Community rallies behind rowing club

nospam@example.com (admin) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 15:19:00 +1300

The recent vandalism at the Horowhenua Rowing Club has united our community and shown people at their best.

I was proud to be one of 200 volunteers at the working bee held a few weeks ago at Lake Horowhenua. Many offers of support have come from around the country with the Porirua Rowing Club loaning some boats for our rowers to use while repair work is done.

I’ve arranged for Olympic medal-winning rowers Joseph Sullivan and Peter Taylor to come to Levin on Friday November 30 to run a training session for our local rowers, and then attend a fundraising event that evening.

It’s great that these two are making this trip to show their support and inspire the next generation. This will be a special opportunity for our young rowers to get coaching tips from two of the best in the world.

Joseph Sullivan won a Gold medal at the London Olympics in the double sculls with his partner Nathan Cohen, while Peter Taylor won bronze in the lightweight double sculls with Storm Uru.

The fundraising event will include speeches from the Olympic rowers and an auction full of great donated prizes.

The event starts at 6pm on Friday 30 November at the Horowhenua District Chambers. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased from my office in Levin, the Horowhenua District Council, Te Takere or the Foxton Information Centre.

Rowing is on a high right now, following the spectacular medal success at the London Olympics this year. As well as Horowhenua, it is also popular at Paraparaumu College.

What this incident has shown is that there is clearly strong support in the community to get Lake Horowhenua cleaned up and restored.

The Manawatu River Accord has resulted in Government funding to help with the cleanup. I'm hopeful a similar accord for Lake Horowhenua can be replicated to keep up the positive momentum and make the Lake something we can all be proud of.

The importance of racing to New Zealand

nospam@example.com (admin) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 15:27:00 +1300

The Melbourne Cup last week was a lot of fun for punters and a good reminder of how important the racing industry is to New Zealand’s economy.

While there were no New Zealand-owned horses in the race, there were four bred here – all sired by champion Zabeel from Waikato stud.

Training and breeding horses is something New Zealand is pretty good at and an important export earner.

I recently I went on a regional tour in my role as Minister for Racing with Alan Jackson, new Chair of the Racing Board and the new Chief Executive Chris Baylis. We held three very worthwhile meetings with people involved at all levels of the industry, including people from Horowhenua who came to the Palmerston North function.

Overall the racing industry contributes around $1.6 billion to the New Zealand economy and employs around 17,000 people.

The challenge for the new racing board and wider industry now is to implement a new strategy, lift returns back to the three codes, and continue to build public appeal in racing. There is a lot of competition now for people’s discretionary spending with lots of different entertainment options.

Overall the industry has tremendous potential that is on a par with the fishing and wine industries in economic terms. The new leadership team at the Racing Board is determined to make the most of this.

Finally, I want to pay tribute to two pioneers from the Horowhenua district who have recently passed away: Collis Blake and Callum MacLean.

Both men were farmers with strong community links and values. My deepest sympathies go to both their families – they were good men who will be greatly missed.

Busy week in the electorate

nospam@example.com (admin) — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:29:00 +1300

Parliament was in recess last week which meant I was able to spend a bit of time at local events happening around the electorate.

On Monday night I hosted the Minister for Economic Development Steven Joyce at a dinner for around 130 local business people at Southwards in Kapiti.

He discussed the importance of regional economic growth, and connecting New Zealand with growing international markets like China and India.

We also discussed the importance of building better infrastructure, especially for our region. New roads, upgraded rail services to Waikanae, new trains and the rollout of ultrafast broadband will have a major impact on our productivity and growth

Last week I was also busy working with Rowing New Zealand to arrange support for the Horowhenua Rowing Club, which suffered violent vandalism recently.

I’m very pleased that Olympic medal-winning rowers Joseph Sullivan and Peter Taylor are now coming to Levin on Friday November 30 to run a coaching session and attend a fundraising event that night at Horowhenua District Council. Tickets are available for $20 either from the council or my office in Levin.

On Friday last week I took part in the annual Waikanae River Walkover. It was great to meet with volunteers from Friends of the Waikanae River who have grown and planted well over 50,000 trees in the last 15 years.

Later that day I was in Foxton to promote the “Warm Up Foxton” scheme, which is aiming to insulate nearly every home in the town.

Government and industry subsidies will insulate low-income homes at no cost to the home-owner, and provide up to 70% funding for all other eligible homes.

So far over 500 homes have taken up this offer, making them warmer, healthier and more energy-efficient.

There are still more than 500 eligible homes, and I want to encourage everyone to take advantage of this generous scheme before it ends in March next year.

On top of all this, I also spent two days last week travelling around the country meeting with people involved in the racing industry, in my role as Minister of Racing. This is a very important industry for New Zealand with earnings of around $1.6 billion and employing around 17,000 people.

Honouring our war veterans

nospam@example.com (admin) — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 15:30:00 +1300

Two weeks ago I was honoured to farewell a group of 24 New Zealand veterans on their way to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein in Egypt.

This was a brutal battle and turned out to be a major turning point in World War II. 76,000 New Zealanders served with 2,989 losing their lives.

The delegation are aged in their late 80s and 90s and were in good spirits. It was good to meet Otaki veteran Mr Dudley (Wilky) Wilkinson, who is still actively farming at the age of 91.

Mr Wilkinson served as a Sapper in New Zealand Field Engineers, and carried out dangerous jobs like bomb disposal and clearing mines and booby traps. He had several near misses and was severely wounded near the end of the war.

It was moving to meet these guys and hear their stories, and how many of them want to pay tribute to their friends and comrades who never came home. Three of the veterans on this trip lost a brother during the campaign, so this will have been a special event for them.

It is important that we remember those who sacrificed their lives for our country, and pay tribute to these veterans who have helped shape our nation.

This week I was proud to pick up a shovel and help turn the first sod at the National War Memorial in Wellington, which is beginning a major upgrade. State Highway 1 will be put underground to create a new Memorial Park in time for the centenary of the Gallipoli Landings in 2015.

As the Minister of Veterans I was also proud to announce recently a $60 million package to improve the way we look after veterans of all conflicts.

We are increasing the War Disablement Pension by 5% plus an increase of around 1.8% for the price of living, and increasing access to home help services for veterans.

This is a major piece of work and new legislation will be introduced to Parliament to rewrite the outdated 1954 law.

I’m proud of this comprehensive package. It honours the sacrifice and commitment of brave men and women, like Mr Wilkinson, who have served our country.

There are still more than 500 eligible homes, and I want to encourage everyone to take advantage of this generous scheme before it ends in March next year.