The year ahead
Welcome back to my first column for the year. I hope everyone managed to get some time off over the holidays and catch a bit of good weather.
It was a rough start to year for many people in the wider Wellington region with the tragic balloon accident in Carterton. I visited the site that day on behalf of the Government as Duty Minister, and it was a horrific scene. A real tragedy for so many people, including a local Kapiti family.
We’ve also had two terrible road accidents around Otaihanga in recent months. This highlights for me the need to build a decent expresssway with separate lanes making it safer. The existing SH1 will then become a local road for local use.
NZTA have now released updates designs and costings for the Kapiti Expressway from MacKays Crossing through to Otaki. We have the funding in place and a strong mandate from the public, so I’m looking forward to more good progress this year.
This year we’ll also see more work done on ultrafast broadband, with schools and hospitals the first priority. In November last year I met onsite with a team from Chorus who are upgrading roadside cabinets and installing fibre into local schools.
Prime Minister John Key has announced that welfare reform will be a top priority for the Government this year. We want to help people move off welfare and into work.
Locally there are some great initiatives happening to train young people for future careers. Weltech now offers carpentry courses through its Otaki site, and a new Trades Academy in will be run by UCOL. Practical courses like mechanical engineering, joinery and hairdressing will be run from Horowhenua Colleges for local students who might otherwise drop out of school.
Whiteria Polytech are due to open their new campus soon on Kapiti Road in the refurbished Mitre 10 building which is an exciting development.
I’m looking forward to seeing more houses in Foxton receive home insulation this year, and seeing designs for Shannon’s new water treatment plant later this year.
As a Minister, it will be a busy year for me dealing with some big issues. My new portfolios of Immigration, Veterans Affairs, Racing and Associate Primary Industries are already keeping me very busy.
I’m sure my local offices in Paraparaumu and Levin will remain an important point of contact for you with any issues you may have.
I look forward to keeping you updated every week through this column, and as always I welcome your feedback.