Clutha-Southland is experiencing one of the driest winters in a long time. There is plenty of grass and if this weather keeps up we are looking at early growth which is great for calving and lambing. Farming is important to our communities and this country's economic growth.

In the electorate

Watch out for the Ranfurly Shield challenge in Invercargill on Saturday. Otago and Southland meet over the Log O' Wood which The Stags won last October.  

Budget meetings

I followed up my second Budget with meetings throughout the country, two of these being very successful events in the electorate.

Both the Eastern Southland Chamber of Commerce's Business After Five meeting in Gore and the Queenstown Chamber of Commerce's Business Lunch Series were well attended, with 200 people at the Queenstown event. It is good to hear what people think and answer their questions.

Books in Homes

Aside from constituent appointments I have met many people around the electorate, including pupils and staff at Riversdale Primary School where I talked about National Standards, and at Mataura Primary School where I presented Duffy Books to the pupils.

The Alan Duff Charitable Foundation, better known as Duffy Books in Homes, provides free books to more than 100,000 New Zealand children, three times a year.  

Visit their website for more information and you can also find out how to support literacy in New Zealand by donating, sponsoring a school or becoming one of their Role Models.
http://www.booksinhomes.org.nz/Home.aspx

Supporting our rescue helicopter
 
I had great pleasure in presenting a $60,000 to Lakes District Air Rescue Trust chairman Jules Tapper at Queenstown airfield. This is part of a $48 million commitment to implementing a New Zealand Ambulance Services Strategy over the next four years.    

Representatives from the Police, Search and Rescue, St Johns and the helicopter industry were present.

These funds have enabled the purchase of an onboard LifePak monitor and defibrillator.

Young achievers

In Balclutha, I spoke to the Balclutha Rotary Club and met members during the meal.  

I have also met with some terrific young people in recent weeks. Platinum Clothing, a Young Enterprise Group from South Otago High School, are selling singlets printed with the Prostate Cancer NZ emblem on the front and their personal company logo on the back.

For every singlet sold 30 per cent of the sale goes to Prostate Cancer NZ. These are young men who have a great attitude and we can be very proud of them.

Youth Parliament

Emily Bowden, a Year 12 student at South Otago High School, represented the Clutha-Southland electorate at the recent Youth Parliament.

Emily was one of 122 young New Zealanders, aged 16 to 20 years, representing each sitting MP who took over Parliament for two days during the school holidays. Youth Parliament is held once each parliamentary term.

I was delighted to be able to spend time with Emily and other Youth MPs during their time in Wellington.

Young Farmer of the Year

What a great experience to be involved in the National Bank Young Farmer of the Year competition that was held in Gore.

With author Christine Fernyhough, and Southland-based financial planner Peter Flannery we heard from each contestant on the Thursday for the 45-minute personal interview.

The next morning I attended the breakfast. Mary I attended the dinner and prize giving on Saturday evening. This whole event was exceptionally well organised and it was a privilege to be part of it.

Oamaru agricultural consultant Grant McNaughton was the winner. Our own local finalist Peter Gardyne, of Gore, came a very credible second.

Survey: You have probably received my survey in your mailbox recently. As your local Member of Parliament what you think is important to me. This survey helps me to understand the issues that influence your lives. I appreciate the time that many of you are taking to complete the survey and return it to me. If you didn't receive one please contact my electorate office and they can ensure you do.

In Wellington

Creating job opportunities

National is working hard to lift the long-term performance of the economy and create more jobs. Our employment law package will reduce compliance costs, give businesses more confidence to take on new staff, and provide more choices for employees and employers.

We're extending the voluntary 90-day trial period to all employers so that every business and new employee can benefit from it. Changes to the personal grievance process will see employment problems resolved more quickly, costs reduced, and improved confidence in the system.

We're also giving employees the ability to trade one of their four weeks' annual leave for cash. And we're changing the law around sick days so employers, at their expense, can require a medical certificate from employees who take one sick day.

Our employment law package is one more step on the road to a growing economy and more jobs.

More information
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/feature/securing+brighter+future+-+employment+law+package

Food Bill passes first reading

The Food Bill has passed its first reading with unanimous support.  It will now be considered by a select committee which will report back later in the year.

The Food Act 1981 has not been updated for 30 years and I'm pleased that all parties have agreed to work together on the passage of this bill.

The new Food Bill has been developed over the past three years and is aligned with the New Zealand Standard platform, which provides the basis for our food exports.

Ultimately this Bill will make it easier for food businesses to understand how safe food needs to be produced and ensure they take primary responsibility for everything they sell. 

Organisers of community-based fundraising activities like cake stalls and sausage sizzles won't need to jump through hoops. 

Food handler guidance will be made available to these people to help them keep food safe and local councils will have more certainty around their role in regulating food premises.

More information
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/food+bill+passes+first+reading

New tenancy laws passed

Changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will better meet the needs of landlords and tenants in today's rental market.

The changes include clearing up confusing processes around terminating and renewing tenancies, and introducing new financial penalties for tenants harassing neighbours of up to $2000, or for landlords providing sub-standard housing of up to $3000.

Over recent years, the private rental market has been increasingly important in housing those who choose, or need, to rent their homes for lifestyle or affordability reasons.

It is therefore imperative the legislation governing the sector supports adequate provision of stable, good quality rental housing.

The new laws will come into force later this year once supporting regulations have been approved and published.

For more information, visit the Department of Building and Housing website at www.dbh.govt.nz/rta-review or phone 0800 TENANCY (0800 836 262).

Growing the economy

Click on the link below to watch my latest briefing on the economy.

http://www.youtube.com/nationalparty#p/u/6/Drb_OPOuFfk

I talk about:

• National's plan for building the recovery
• Budget 2010, a step forward
• National's policy tool kit across economic policy
• Ways National is correcting the imbalances in the economy

Regards,
Hon Bill English MP

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Gore Office
15 Main Street,
P O Box 266,
Gore 9740
ddi 03 203 3000
gore.eo@parliament.govt.nz

Balclutha Office
68 Clyde Street,
P O Box 103
Balclutha 9240
ddi 03 418 4288
balclutha.eo@parliament.govt.nz

Queenstown Office
1085 Frankton Road,
P O Box 2192,
Queenstown 9349
ddi 03 441 4093
queenstown.eo@parliament.govt.nz

 

 

I was in Gore and Queenstown last Friday when much of the electorate was watching river and lake levels. My thoughts were with the farmers, business people and home owners who watched the water rise.

English High Tea

Today I am speaking to the senior assembly at Taieri College and then in Balclutha for constituent appointments. Tomorrow, I am attending two functions, in Gore there is an "English High Tea" where my wife Mary will be speaking and my daughter Maria will be singing. Then in the evening I will be attending the Century Farm awards in Lawrence.

Celebrating Generations on the Land

The Century Farm awards programme aims to capture and preserve rural history, which might otherwise be lost. In submitting narratives of family farm history, copies of related photographs and documents, the award recipients are presented with a bronze plaque for displaying at their farm gate. The collected materials are archived with the Alexander Turnbull Library. One hundred and fifty families are already part of the programme.

More Information:
http://www.centuryfarms.co.nz/

World Ploughing Championships

It was a privilege to open the World Championships last month. This event was enjoyed by thousands of people - local, national, and international.

Congratulations to Scott McKenzie, of Clinton, who won the conventional ploughing title at the NZ Ploughing Championships which were part of the world event. There were a number of competitors from around the electorate at the championships and many were placed.

I would like to acknowledge all those who participated in the national and world championships as either competitors or organisers. The event was a credit to all.

Public Question Time

Sometimes I hear a comment that time in the House is time wasted. Time in the House is about scrutinising the activities of the government of the day. During Parliamentary Question Time over the nine years we were in Opposition I was busy challenging the previous government and now that we are in government I am answering many questions as Minister.

The House has developed several processes by which it holds the government to account. Perhaps the most visible of these is the daily question time. The Opposition and back-bench MPs question ministers on their management of the country's affairs. This can be a very powerful means of extracting information that might bring into question the performance of individual ministers or the government as a whole.

During National's nine years in Opposition I asked on average 5.6 questions each sitting day. Since in Government until March this year I answered 119 questions as Minister, I also answered 83 National questions to other ministers.

For more information on how Parliament works visit:
http://www.parliament.nz

A Budget for the economy and Kiwi families

New Zealand has come out of the global recession in better shape than most countries. The economy is growing but the road to recovery will be bumpy.

Last year, we faced the worst economic downturn in decades. National took steps to support jobs and families, and to create an environment that gives businesses the confidence to keep staff on and create new jobs.

We also worked hard to get spending under control and put the government's books in order. We turned around a 10-year forecast of ballooning public debt that threatened our international credit ratings. Even so, the government is borrowing $240 million every week for the next four years.

This year, our focus has shifted to lifting New Zealand's economic performance.

Budget 2010 on 20 May will have four main goals:

• Lifting the long-term performance of the economy to deliver jobs, higher incomes, and better living standards for Kiwi families.
• Reforming the tax system to make it fairer, more sustainable, and more supportive of economic growth.
• Better delivery of public services to meet New Zealanders' expectations of modern public services, while recognising the ongoing pressures on taxpayers.
• Maintaining firm control of the government's finances so we can return to Budget surpluses and pull back our rising debt.

In last year's Budget we identified $2 billion of lower-priority public spending to move to frontline services over the following four years.

This year we have found another $1.8 billion of lower-priority spending. Over the next four years we will move this to higher-priority services. That's a lot of money we are putting into important areas such as better healthcare, better education, and making our neighbourhoods safer.

We will keep weeding out lower-quality spending. We will also live within the $1.1 billion new spending allowance we set ourselves. From 2011, we will restrict increases in this allowance to 2 per cent a year.

This year's Budget is about doing things better and smarter, after a decade where taxpayers' dollars were spent too freely.

National is determined to lift New Zealand's economic performance. That's the only way we will be able to create real jobs, boost incomes, improve living standards, and provide the world-class public services that Kiwi families need.

Incentives to quit smoking

The Government has increased the excise tax on cigarettes and tobacco. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in New Zealand. It is directly linked to almost 5000 deaths each year. University of Otago research shows that when cigarette prices rose steeply between 1995 and 2000, smoking fell.

We are working to reduce smoking, discourage young people from starting to smoke, and improve the health of New Zealanders.

One of the six current health targets is to provide better help for smokers to quit. We fund the Quitline free telephone support service, subsidise nicotine replacement therapy, Aukati kai paipa face-to-face quit support services, and information campaigns to help people quit. Increasing the cost of cigarettes, subsidising treatment and support, and providing good information all contribute to reducing smoking.

More information:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/tobacco+excise+increase+immediately

Rebuilding trust in our financial markets

National is working to restore the confidence of mum and dad investors, while developing capital markets to help businesses grow. On too many occasions in finance company collapses we heard of investors' money falling to the floor through the cracks between regulators.

A new "super regulator" for our financial markets will be up and running early next year.

The Financial Markets Authority will enforce securities, financial reporting, and company law applying to financial services and securities markets. It will also regulate and oversee trustees, auditors, financial advisers, and financial service providers including people who offer investments.

More information:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government+announces+%e2%80%98superregulator039+financial+markets

Reviewing the impact of alcohol in our lives

The Law Commission's report on alcohol, Alcohol in Our Lives: Curbing the Harm was released recently. It is the first ground-up review of our alcohol laws in 24 years and received almost 3000 submissions.

Reducing alcohol-related harm has been identified as a priority for addressing the drivers of crime. Police report that alcohol is a factor in nearly one third of all recorded crime.

It is extremely unlikely that the Government will move to raise excise tax as part of its alcohol reform agenda. However, legislative changes to alcohol laws are likely. The Government's response is likely to be framed as regulatory in nature, with an emphasis on alcohol availability and licensing.

The Government is carefully considering the 153 recommendations in the report, and expects to outline its position on the report in the coming weeks.

More information:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government+welcomes+law+commission039s+alcohol+report

Making the most of our opportunities

The Rugby World Cup 2011 will be the largest sporting event to be held in New Zealand. Thousands of international visitors will be coming to our country to share the experience. Some of those visitors will be interested in business opportunities.

We have launched the New Zealand 2011 Business Club online platform to match them with New Zealand businesses in the same areas of interest, coming to their regions.

Both New Zealanders and visitors can sign up and indicate the social and business activities of interest during the Rugby World Cup. The National-led Government is also working on a programme to showcase the best of New Zealand industry during the World Cup.

The club is free to join and will provide the basis for developing stronger business connections.

Learn more and sign up at www.nz2011.govt.nz

Regards,

Hon Bill English MP

Gore Office

15 Main Street,
P O Box 266,
Gore 9740
ddi 03 203 3000
gore.eo@parliament.govt.nz

Balclutha Office

68 Clyde Street,
P O Box 103
Balclutha 9240
ddi 03 418 4288
balclutha.eo@parliament.govt.nz

Queenstown Office

1085 Frankton Road,
P O Box 2192,
Queenstown 9349
ddi 03 441 4093
queenstown.eo@parliament.govt.nz

Out and About

We are now well into 2010 and the past two months have been busy and interesting. There has been the ongoing preparation for the 20 May Budget, the three-week opening sitting of Parliament, and a number of events in the Clutha-Southland electorate.

 

It was a pleasure to have Prime Minister John Key in the electorate over two days recently.

 

Along with Invercargill MP Eric Roy, we attended a "Dinner with the Prime Minister" at the Invercargill Workingmen's Club. The following morning we headed out to the Croydon Aviation Heritage Trust's breakfast function at The Moth. The Trust is based at Mandeville.

From there it was off to the Waimumu Field Days where we were joined by Agriculture Minister David Carter and Eric Roy. The field days were highly successful and a great opportunity to catch up with "the locals" as well as businesses and franchises from around the country. The Prime Minister spoke to an assembled crowd in CRT's Village.

I attended the Tuatapere and Districts Schools 100th Jubilee Celebrations and also visited the Winton A & P Show. After so much gloomy weather early in the year, the sun shone for these events and it was a great opportunity to catch up with many people.

I also attended meetings in Lawrence, Balclutha, Owaka, Winton, Gore, and Queenstown. Question time at these meetings is a good opportunity to hear what is on people's minds, and various questions arose, including: a floating exchange rate, tax incentives, Emissions Trading Scheme and GST.

School board elections

Schools are busy planning for their local school board elections in May elections. Schools have to call for nominations by 15 March with nominations closing at noon on 23 April. Election day is 7 May with boards talking office on 14 May.

 

This is a very important election for our schools. Strong leaders make strong schools. Schools need people with a balance of skills and experiences to put their names forward. Anyone from the community, including parents, can be nominated.

Boards of Trustees do a great job at managing our schools and I urge you to consider whether you can put your name forward as a candidate. The NZ School Trustees website www.nzsta.org.nz will give you more information about the role of a trustee or contact one of my offices.

Cycle Trail Winners

It was great news that two proposed cycle trails in Clutha-Southland have been given the green light for feasibility studies as part of the $50 million New Zealand Cycle Trail.

 

The Wakatipu Trail and the Clutha Gold Trail were among 13 winners from a pool of 54 applicants nationally.

The projects will now undergo feasibility studies to ensure they are properly priced, can be built, and will deliver what they promise. If the feasibility studies are positive construction could start by the end of the year.

The selection of these trails, which showcase the best of what New Zealand has to offer, is great news for the region. They will also support regional economic development and employment. That means jobs for locals during the construction phase and more importantly longer-term jobs providing accommodation and other services to cycle tourists.

I'd like to congratulate the organisers of these projects and all of those people in the community who put time and effort into the proposals. Their hard work has been recognised.

I am, however, disappointed another proposal - the Manapouri Cycleway - has missed out, but overall the region has done well.

Once you count the Around the Mountain trail which was selected last year as one of seven Quick Start projects, Clutha-Southland has three of the 20 projects currently being appraised.

http://www.tourism.govt.nz/Our-Work/New-Zealand-Cycle-Trail-Project/

In Wellington

Budget tax package

Over the past month there has been a lot of talk about the tax package I'll unveil in the Budget. Because there has been so much noise I thought it is worth giving you an update. To recap, we are considering a package of across-the-board personal tax cuts, changes in the taxation of property investment and a small rise in GST. Any rise in GST would be matched by increases in NZ Superannuation, benefits and Working for Families.

The package is yet to be finalised, but you can catch up on my thinking on alignment of the top personal, trust and company rates in a speech I gave in Auckland last month.

http://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/lifting+our+economic+game

 

 

Prince in town

I had the pleasure of attending the opening of the Supreme Court of New Zealand by Prince William. It was an honour to meet the Prince who was performing his first official duty for the Queen.

 

Click here for photos from the Prince's visit.

 

Voluntary Bonding Scheme for Veterinarians

 

I was really pleased that Agriculture Minister David Carter announced that the voluntary bonding scheme for veterinarians has been expanded and Clutha vets will now be able to receive the benefits of this scheme.

 

The scheme, launched last year, encourages new graduates to stay in an eligible practice by providing a taxable payment of $11,000 for every year, up to five years, that they are working in the practice.

The scheme was originally aimed at specific rural areas. Twenty vets have been accepted into the scheme, but unfortunately South Otago was not included.

However, from this year, all practices that deal with production animals like dairy and beef cattle, sheep, pigs, and poultry will be eligible, providing the vets receiving the funding spend most of their time working with these animals.

Over the past year both I and Minister Carter had had talks with Clutha vets about the scheme. The changes are the result of feedback from vets and the New Zealand Veterinary Association.

When the scheme was launched, the Agriculture Ministry acknowledged that good data on vet shortages was scarce, so a transition year was agreed while vets and their association, as well as Massey University and the Vet Council, could be consulted on the final design of the scheme.

Its main limitation appeared to be the targeting of specific regions. Many practices reported they faced similar shortages and recruitment difficulties as those in the eligible areas, but were not able to use the voluntary bonding incentives to recruit and retain staff.

http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government+expands+vet+incentive+scheme

Youth Parliament 2010

Young people who have a passion for the future of New Zealand and are willing to stand up and have their voice heard are encouraged to apply to attend Youth Parliament 2010.

 

The Youth Parliament is an opportunity for young New Zealanders to learn about New Zealand's democracy and influence public decision-making.

It has been held every three years since 1994. The next Youth Parliament is this July. Daniel Louni from Gore was my representative at the previous Youth Parliament.

During Youth Parliament, Youth MPs have the opportunity to debate legislation, sit on select committees and ask parliamentary questions of Cabinet Ministers. At the same time, their Youth Press Gallery colleagues report on their activities and make sure they are held accountable to the public.

If you are aged 16 to 18 and are interested in representing Clutha-Southland at Youth Parliament contact one of my offices for an application pack. The closing date for applications is Wednesday 17 March.

http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/youth+parliament+selections+begin

Affordable, sustainable, and fair ACC

Legislation passed recently will ensure ACC is affordable, sustainable, and fair for current and future generations.

ACC claim costs have risen 57 per cent in the past four years - five times the rate of inflation - and the unfunded liabilities have grown from $4 billion to $13 billion.

The scale of levy increases required this year without these law changes would be crippling for workers, motorists, and businesses.

 

The law changes enable the levy increase this year for the average worker to be reduced from $550 to $150. The levy increase for motorists is $30 a car, down from $104. And for employers the average levy increase is 12 per cent instead of 44 per cent.

 

These changes are part of the Government's objective to secure the long-term future of ACC as an effective and fair 24/7 no-fault insurance scheme for all New Zealanders.

http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/affordable+sustainable+and+fair+acc

Regards,

 

Hon Bill English MP

Gore Office

15 Main St.  PO Box 266,  Gore  9740             
Phone +64 3 203 3000          
gore.eo@parliament.govt.nz

Balclutha Office

68 Clyde St. PO Box 2192, Balclutha 9240
Phone +64 3 418 4288
balclutha.eo@parliament.govt.nz

Queenstown Office

1085 Frankton Rd. PO Box 103, Queenstown 9349
Phone +64 3 441 4093
queenstown.eo@parliament.govt.nz

Out and About

The year has flown by and Christmas is almost upon us. Over the past month I have been around the electorate for openings, school visits, and meeting constituents.

Among the schools I visited were Gore High, St Peters College, Southland Boys and Kaitangata Primary.

I had the privilege to open several projects. At Kaitangata, I opened the new gymnasium. The community was well represented and the kapa haka group and school performed items for the event.

Cutting the cake at Kaitangata Primary School

At Southland Boys High School I opened the JR Page Gymnasium and the Alex Lindsay Performing Arts Suite. The gymnasium is named in honour of JR Page, a former physical education teacher, while the performing arts suite is named after Alex Lindsay, a prominent musician and old boy of the school.

I also opened Quinn's Pharmacy's new building and Stage 3 of the Gore Sports Stadium. The stadium is a great asset for the Gore community. I spent a number of days watching netball in the rain at the Preston Street Courts so certainly know that players and spectators alike will enjoy this new facility.

It is also good to see the ground for the new hockey turf being prepared next door. Our young people are so fortunate to have volunteers giving up their time, supporting sports and building facilities like these.

Gore Sports Stadium a great community asset

The Clutha Southland Electorate Christmas Party was an opportunity to catch up with many people from around the electorate. It was great to see young people interested enough in politics to attend and I enjoyed talking to these inspiring young people.

I was guest speaker at the Otago Southland Film Industry evening in Queenstown. I was impressed with the professionalism of the people involved in the film industry, which has gone from strength to strength, utilising our incredible scenery to sell New Zealand overseas.

In Wellington

Budget policy statement

The Government's firm focus in 2010 will be achieving higher economic growth and giving businesses the confidence to invest and create jobs.

Responsible management of the country's finances will also be essential, with another six years of forecast Budget deficits.

Growth matters because it creates jobs, increases incomes and improves the living standards of New Zealand families.

This week, as Minister of Finance, I issued the Half-Year Economic and Fiscal Update and 2010 Budget Policy Statement.

Updated Treasury forecasts show that both economic growth and the fiscal outlook are a little better than forecast in the Budget in May.

This reflects the fact that the global economy has stabilised and the success of significant Government initiatives in the past year to fight the recession.

However, that does not mean that all of the problems of the recession have passed - risks remain that growth could weaken again.

Unemployment is forecast to peak sooner and lower than previously predicted - 7 per cent in early 2010 as opposed to 8 per cent in the second half of 2010. However, it is likely to remain at elevated levels throughout 2010, even as the economy improves. So the year ahead will remain difficult for many New Zealanders.

Energy sector moves will benefit consumers

Measures to improve the New Zealand electricity system will give consumers confidence that power bills will not keep skyrocketing.

Our reforms, introduced this month, will also increase security of supply, and ensure effective and streamlined governance.

Power bills climbed rapidly during the previous government's term, well above the rate of inflation. We also faced many power shortages in dry years.

Among our initiatives is a requirement for generators to compensate consumers if consumers are asked to save electricity through a national conservation campaign.

The Electricity Industry Bill passed its first reading this week and has been referred to a select committee for public submissions. The Bill will improve retail competition, while ensuring that signals for investment in new generation are clear.

Helping prevent child abuse

We are taking action on preventing child abuse.

The statistics in New Zealand must change. Vulnerable young babies and toddlers are at greatest risk of abuse, as they are completely dependent on the adults who care for them.

The "Never, Ever Shake a Baby" campaign, launched on 6 December, is part of a wider programme to protect young children. We are starting with this multi-media campaign, raising awareness about the vulnerability of young children, and making sure every New Zealander understands why you must never, ever shake a baby.

We need every New Zealander to take a stand on this issue, and look out for the children who can't look out for themselves.

Electronic road user charges will cut costs

National is working hard to reduce compliance costs across industry.

Moving to electronic road user charges is another concrete example of a simple change that will bring real benefit to the transport industry, and to the economy.

Trucking companies will be able to replace mechanical hubodometers and paper licences with electronic distance recording and electronic licences from next year.

These and other steps that we are taking in transport will reduce compliance costs for the transport sector, and help to lower the costs for exporters to get their goods to the market.

ACC levies set

We announced this month that levies will rise next year. However, these increases will be considerably less than those recommended by ACC.

These levy increases are necessary because the cost of ACC claims have increased 57 per cent in the past four years.

We're moderating the increases by pushing out the full funding date to 2019, pulling back on extensions to the scheme made by the previous government, and putting in place a wide range of cost-saving measures.

Setting the levies has been a difficult balance between minimising the cost increases and families and businesses, keeping the pressure on ACC to better manage its costs, and ensuring ACC's long-term sustainability.

These changes will help get ACC back on a more sustainable path and protect our 24/7, no-fault accident insurance programme.

Every fish counts

Four million guardians - this is the way we should be thinking about New Zealand's fisheries this summer.

We are all privileged to have access to one of the world's most abundant and well managed fisheries. With this privilege comes responsibility - know the rules, ask yourself whether you really need all those fish - and return fish to the water in a way that will ensure their survival.

This is the message from the Ministry of Fisheries' summer education campaign.

Summer is the time when Fishery Officers see many New Zealanders in their aquatic environment. Fishery Officers and Honorary Fishery Officers are out and about helping and supporting the 4 million guardians of our fisheries.

This Government is committed to supporting their efforts as we work together to sustain and enhance our fisheries and ecosystem.

I take this opportunity to wish you a very happy Christmas and a safe and fun filled New Year…

…and to assist, I've put Santa on a tight budget!

Kind Regards,

Bill English MP
www.billenglish.co.nz

The Shield is ours

I was so proud to be one of the more than 14,000 people who took part in the Invercargill street parade to celebrate the historic Ranfurly Shield win.

What a great way to congratulate the Southland Stags players, coaches and management for the Shield victory over Canterbury. It's been 50 years since we held the Shield and it's tremendous to have it back.

This is a fantastic result for the province and it will be a great boost for communities across Southland.

I've been following the Stag's progress closely throughout the season. To win the Shield, as well as make the Air New Zealand Cup semi-finals, is tremendous.

I am hoping we will be celebrating again in Southland this weekend, after the Stags meet Wellington in the Air New Zealand semi-final clash in the capital.

Day to remember: Southern National Party MPs Bill English and Eric Roy with Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt.

Out and About

I shared a great day with 200 others for the opening of a new road sealing project in Kaka Point. Along with long-time Kaka Point identity, Mrs Rona Williamson, I cut the ribbon that signalled the completion of the sealing of an important link for both locals and tourists. The two roads covered are part of the Kaka Point loop of the Southern Scenic Route, connecting the township to the Owaka Highway and The Catlins.

The day ended at the Kaka Point Community Hall with speeches and afternoon tea and gave me the opportunity to talk to many people in this beautiful part of the electorate.

Queenstown office blessed

And from one beautiful area to another - I hosted a morning tea in Queenstown to celebrate the opening of my office at Frankton. Tare Bradshaw from the Hokonui Runanga performed a Mihi and blessed the office.

Honouring community volunteers

Volunteers are the "glue" that hold communities together. They are vital to the running of most organisations, schools, churches, fire brigades and sports teams. They often behind the scenes and with little or no fanfare so I was pleased to acknowledge their work when I hosted two further volunteer functions recently.

The first was at the Queenstown Senior Citizens Rooms and the second at the Winton Salvation Army.

Winton schools focus on values

While in Winton I visited St Thomas School, my old school and spoke to the senior pupils about values, leadership, strength of character and perseverance.

At Central Southland College I spoke at the launch of the school's mission and values statement. I also joined the pupils at Winton School for assembly. Values are something I was brought up with. People in the South appreciate values and strength of character and perseverance.

Boost for tourism

In Milford Sound, I had the pleasure of being guest speaker at the launch of Real Journey's new tourism boat MV Sinbad. This purpose-built monohull is being used for Nature Cruises in Milford Sound. Real Journeys does a tremendous job for tourism in Fiordland and the $2.5 million boat reflects the strong confidence the company has in the future prospects of the New Zealand tourism sector. The day was spectacular and I enjoyed catching up with innovative Southland people.

You can see photos of some of these visits on my website www.billenglish.co.nz

Trades Academy for Catlins

It is good news that Catlins Area School will be the base for one of five new Trades Academies set to open throughout the country in 2011.

Trades Academies are part of the Government's Youth Guarantee programme. They'll provide more career choices for 16- and 17-year-olds, and give them greater opportunities to develop their knowledge, skills and talents through trades and technology programmes.

The New Zealand Virtual School will be a pilot for an ICT-focused way of delivering industry-related education. It will provide distance learning to students throughout the country, and will broker work placements for students and hold trade camps once a year for students to receive face-to-face teaching and learning along with detailed career guidance.

The New Zealand Virtual School proposes to work with three other southern schools, a tertiary institution and several industry training organisations and industry partners. It will give students a head-start in an industry-related career, earning both NCEA credits and a tertiary qualification.

This Government is committed to bringing out the best in our young people. We want to see more students gain qualifications which will set them on a strong career path and help them achieve in their chosen field.

Warm up New Zealand

September was a record month for homes in Otago and Southland being retrofitted with insulation and clean heating under the Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart programme.

Figures for September show that 506 homes in the two provinces were retrofitted, giving a total figure of 1225 houses in Otago and Southland during the first three months of the programme. The Government scheme being delivered by Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) is proving a great success.

In Wellington:

The Government has been sitting in urgency to complete the passage of a number of bills before the end of the year.

Hunt for proceeds of crime

A team of specialist investigators is to be formed to hunt down and seize the millions of dollars in profits made by organised crime.

The new 22-strong Assets Recovery Unit will be at the sharp end of our fight against organised crime and methamphetamine.

The unit will support new laws giving police the power to detect and seize the assets and profits gangs and organised crime obtain illegally.

The proceeds will be used to fund methamphetamine rehabilitation and other initiatives that repair the damage organised crime has caused in our communities.

Levy on offenders to help victims

Among legislation passed under urgency was the Sentencing (Offender Levy) Act that helps address the financial and emotional costs that fall on victims of crime. It is part of the National-led Government's Action Plan on Violent Crime.

Convicted offenders will be levied $50 at sentencing with $13.6 million expected to be collected in the first four years to fund additional entitlements and services for victims of serious crime.

Eight new entitlements and services for victims will be funded by the levy. They will be implemented over the next nine months and include:

A significant increase in the funeral grant to families of homicide victims.

A daily court attendance grant of $124 a person for up to five adult members of a homicide victim's family.

An increase in the discretionary grant for families of homicide victims which are suffering financial difficulties, from $1500 to $5000.

A court service for victims of sexual violence which give them access to a trained adviser who understands the dynamics of sexual violence cases and the needs of victims

I'm confident these entitlements and services will make a real difference in the lives of victims of crime. I don't pretend we can take away the pain of victims' loss or injury, but we can help smooth the path to resolution.

I'm particularly pleased that every convicted offender will provide funding for these new services. It's important they contribute to addressing the harm their behaviour causes victims.

MMP referendum at 2011 election

National is honouring an election promise with the announcement of an MMP referendum. At the 2011 general election voters will be asked two questions - if they want to change the system, and what alternative voting system they would prefer.

If a majority of voters want a change, a further referendum will be held in 2014 asking voters if they prefer MMP or the alternative voting option that receives the most votes in 2011. The 2017 general election will be held under the alternative system if more people prefer that option.

After five parliamentary terms under MMP, it's important that New Zealanders get a chance to have their say about which electoral system they prefer. By holding the referendum at the same time as the 2011 election, the Government expects a higher voter turnout that more accurately reflected the public's views. I hope the people of Clutha-Southland take up this opportunity.

ETS Changes and Agriculture

This Government takes climate change seriously, and we are balancing our economic opportunities with our environmental responsibilities.

Our plans for the ETS, which are before a select committee, ensure we don't destroy peoples' jobs and the backbone of our economy by jeopardising the key agriculture sector. They defer agriculture to the more realistic timetable of 2015. The changes also encourage tree-planting by creating internationally valuable credits for forest owners.

Kind regards,

Bill English MP

Youth Opportunities

While in Balclutha recently I visited South Otago High School and spoke to the Year 12 & 13 assembly. I met the head students, school council and met Rachel Dick, who is training as a hairdresser at a Balclutha business.

Learning the ropes: Hairdressing apprentice Rachel Dick is enthusiastic about work.

It can be tough for young people starting out in the workforce when they have no work history and a limited number of people willing to give them a chance. That's why we're backing them to get a start.

Youth unemployment far outweighs any other segment of the community with 18- to 24-year-olds making up a third of those on the Unemployment Benefit. The number of young people who want a job but can't get one has more than quadrupled in the past year from 4000 to 17,000.

We can't afford to leave young people languishing on a benefit. This risks diminishing the potential of an entire generation of Kiwis.

That's why we have announced our Youth Opportunities Package. It invests $152 million and aims to create up to 16,900 new opportunities for under 24-year-olds over the next 18 months.

Job Ops backs businesses that create work opportunities for young people. We are asking firms to provide up to 4000 young people with an entry-level job for at least six months. We will pay a $5000 wage subsidy for each placement.

Community Max invites local councils, mayors, community groups, and iwi to play a role creating up to 3000 work opportunities. We want community organisations to come to the Government with local projects that could employ young people and engage them in our communities. We will pay the minimum wage for 30 hours a week for up to six months, a training payment, and one supervisor for every four participants.

We are jump-starting our Youth Guarantee initiative. Some kids learn more from ripping an engine apart than studying Macbeth. Up to 2000 16- and 17-year-olds not engaged at school will get the opportunity to do fees-free training at polytechs, wänanga, and private training institutions.

Other initiatives in the package include extra training places for careers in the Defence Force, 1600 summer scholarships for university students, and 2500 new places in military-style training programmes. The package also includes up to 500 jobs for young people on National Cycleway projects, 600 new Industry Partnership training opportunities, and a funding boost for polytechs and technology institutes.

By providing these opportunities we are bringing a brighter future to our young people who want to get ahead in life.

It's up to the individual to make the most of the opportunity and get their careers going.

Coming up:

Friday, 25 September: Opening of Queenstown electorate office and Thank you function for volunteers, Queenstown.

Sunday, 27 September: Bluegreens function at Queenstown Senior Citizens Centre with Nicky Wagner, List MP based in Christchurch Central.

Wednesday, 30 September, and Thursday, 1 October: Todd McClay, MP for Rotorua, will be in the electorate.

Ultra-fast broadband for local school

The Catlins Area School is set to receive a major upgrade to its Information and communication technology infrastructure, as part of the Government's $34 million boost for broadband in schools.

The school will receive internal network upgrades, providing opportunities for teachers and students to make greater use of digital learning technologies and improving access to online learning tools.

This is great news for the school and the community. I'm very pleased that The Catlins Area School has been selected as one of the first 14 schools nationwide to receive an upgrade.

Ultra-fast broadband has the potential to enhance the teaching and learning experience for students in every New Zealand school. It will allow schools like Catlins to access a wider range of online resources and tools, and deliver programmes that are relevant and engaging for students.

Broadband in schools is a major part of the Government's commitment to roll out ultra-fast broadband to New Zealanders where they live, work and study.

We believe ultra-fast broadband will deliver a social and economic step change in New Zealand - schools are one of our first priorities as the benefits of greater broadband capacity will be felt very quickly.

Critical social services get funding boost

Three social services groups in Clutha and Southland have been given more than $180,000 from the Community Response Fund.

It is part of almost $9 million given to 164 critical social services groups under severe financial pressure.

Wakatipu Abuse Prevention Network receives $10,000, Queenstown Lakes Centre/Families First Trust $57,655, and Invercargill-based Jubilee Budget Advisory Service $25,000.

The new fund was set up in May to help those groups providing vital social services during the recession, which are under severe financial strain or experiencing increased demand. Up to $104 million is being made available over two years.

Organisations that missed out in this round are being encouraged to apply again. Applications for the second round of the Community Response Fund close on 25 September. More information is available at

http://www.familyservices.govt.nz/our-work/funding-resources/grants-round-one.html

Biosecurity package a faster, fairer system

A range of measures to boost biosecurity readiness and strengthen partnerships with industry has been announced by Biosecurity Minister David Carter.

This package delivers on the Government's election commitment to provide a more efficient post-border biosecurity system and significantly lift New Zealand's ability to deal with introduced pests and diseases. At the same time, the introduction of some cost-sharing arrangements will enable primary industries to have a better say in biosecurity readiness and response activities.

The measures include:

• Agreement-in-principle to continue Crown funding of $30 million a year for managing bovine tuberculosis, to 2015.
• A move towards implementing joint decision-making and cost-sharing agreements with primary industries for biosecurity preparedness and response activities.
• A $25 million, 10-year deal between MAF Biosecurity New Zealand and AsureQuality to build and deliver biosecurity response field operations.
• The go-ahead for a biosecurity surveillance strategy that will encourage collaboration with industry which will result in swifter response capabilities.

Keeping funding for bovine Tb at existing levels, despite the challenging economic conditions, is crucial for our beef, dairy and deer industries and their ability to compete in global markets.

However, the future success of the Tuberculosis Pest Management Strategy will depend on industry and local government showing a commitment to ongoing funding now that the Government has signalled its contribution.

A move towards a cost-sharing agreement with primary industries will increase incentives to invest in biosecurity readiness, resulting in faster and less costly responses.

Fiordland wins health funding

Fiordland Medical Practice has gained funding for a 12-month teleradiology project been awarded $50,000 from the Health Ministry's 2009/2010 Rural Innovation Fund.

The one-off grant is one of six of up to $50,000 awarded throughout the country from the Health Ministry's 2009/2010 Rural Innovation Fund.

The Government wants better, sooner, more convenient care in rural areas. There were 22 applications for the annual fund of $300,000.

Teleradiology improves patient care by allowing radiologists to provide services without actually having to be at the location of the patient.

Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart scheme

Homeowners in Southland and Otago and will be able to get their homes insulated sooner with 40 more providers in the region approved under the Government's Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart scheme.

Contracts for the 40 providers of insulation and clean heating devices are expected to be in place by the start of next month, Southland gets another 19 providers and Otago gets 21.

This is good news for the two regions. An insulated house helps reduce energy consumption, puts less pressure on our electricity network and cuts energy bills.

People living in insulated homes are healthier. Warm and dry homes also help people with respiratory or medical problems which can be made worse by living in a cold, damp house.

The scheme is also a much needed boost for our economy, boosting employment.

Top tourist operator

Congratulations to Bryan McChlery - tourism owner and operator who manages Te Anau Top 10 Holiday Park, Driftaway Rental Campervans and Go Milford - is one of four finalists for the PATA Young Tourism Professional Award.

Bryan has developed and manages three tourism businesses in Fiordland, with plans to open a fourth this year. Under his management Te Anau's Top 10 Holiday Park has expanded significantly and developed new and related tourism activities. These include the Top 10 Milford Sound Coach and Cruise business (rebranded Go Milford) and Driftaway Rental Campervans.

Kind Regards,

Bill English MP

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