Horowhenua Chronicle: Happy New Year
Happy New Year everyone. I hope you have all had an enjoyable summer in the Horowhenua and Kapiti region. I have loved getting out to Waitarere Beach and enjoying the Levin Adventure Park with the kids – we have so much to offer right on our doorstep.
With Parliament resuming soon, it feels great to be sitting on the Government benches representing the people of the Otaki electorate. It’s a real honour. Under Prime Minister John Key we are continuing to progress our action plan for our first 100 days in office.
Late last year, we acted swiftly to provide temporary relief to those who might find themselves in the unfortunate position of being made redundant due to the global economic crisis. Called the ReStart Assistance Package, it is aimed at assisting people to meet their obligations in the short term. Please contact my office on phone 06 367 9110 or 04 298 2906 if you would like more information on this package.
The National Government also passed legislation to reduce taxes, putting more money in your pockets from 1 April. We have also introduced a voluntary 90-day trial period for new employees to make it easier for small businesses to hire new staff and much more.
Getting around some of the many summer events we have here people have been asking me how long I think the economic slowdown will last while others have questioned whether we really are in a recession. It just goes to show how we all get affected by different things.
On the positive side mortgage interest rates are dropping and are likely to slide further, and petrol prices – while they have risen in the past week – have dropped considerably from their high.
Complacent policies and ill disciplined spending in recent years have increased New Zealand's vulnerability to the world recession. We have inherited an economy in recession, a large current account deficit, and sharply deteriorating Government finances.
This new Government is focussed on taxpayers money being invested wisely -funding high quality public services and leaving productive assets rather than unproductive debt for future generations.
We are working on bringing forward infrastructure spending to promote economic growth – it’s great to see work has started on double tracking and electrification of the railway line to Waikanae. Also reforming the Resource Management Act (RMA) will help stimulate more local building projects.
2009 looks to be a challenging year. As New Zealanders we have weathered tough economic times before and got through it. This will be a test of our character and the new Government. I will do my best for you, our region and our wonderful country.