Happy Father’s Day! The dad in our house had to work today so he gets a rain check on breakfast in bed. Found this photo of a recent scooter outing in the meantime. The only thing better than a scooter ride for a four year old, is one where your dad pushes you up the hills. Lucky kid, and a lovely dad x
There’s no doubt we have some hard challenges as a nation, but I am proud of the team we have working hard to address them everyday! A quick snapshot of why from question time this afternoon.
A treat to catch up with Efeso Collins and vote for him on the same day. Efeso has an awesome team of volunteers working with him, and together they’ve been campaigning for many of the same things we have been. Growing public transport options for Aucklanders, addressing climate change, and an inclusive city. Today is the last day that you can post your ballot paper back, but till Saturday you can still have your say by returning your ballot via the vote boxes at 65 Countdown supermarkets, 11 Auckland Transport hubs, libraries, council service centres as well as 29 vote box pop-up locations across Tāmaki Makaurau. #efesocollinsformayor
A treat to catch up with Efeso Collins and vote for him on the same day. Efeso has an awesome team of volunteers working with him, and together they’ve been campaigning for many of the same things we have been. Growing public transport options for Aucklanders, addressing climate change, and an inclusive city. Today is the last day that you can post your ballot paper back, but till Saturday you can still have your say by returning your ballot via the vote boxes at 65 Countdown supermarkets, 11 Auckland Transport hubs, libraries, council service centres as well as 29 vote box pop-up locations across Tāmaki Makaurau. #efesocollinsformayor
A treat to catch up with Efeso Collins and vote for him on the same day. Efeso has an awesome team of volunteers working with him, and together they’ve been campaigning for many of the same things we have been. Growing public transport options for Aucklanders, addressing climate change, and an inclusive city. Today is the last day that you can post your ballot paper back, but till Saturday you can still have your say by returning your ballot via the vote boxes at 65 Countdown supermarkets, 11 Auckland Transport hubs, libraries, council service centres as well as 29 vote box pop-up locations across Tāmaki Makaurau. #efesocollinsformayor
Just off the phone to our Minister for Emergency Management, Kieran McAnulty. Kieran is on the ground in the Nelson Tasman area alongside the Mayor and MPs @rachelboyack and Damien O’Connor. You can see from the images he sent me the devastating impact of the severe weather – hundreds of homes evacuated and many that may be unsafe to return to. The immediate focus is of course on keeping people safe, but we’ve also moved quickly to stand up the mayoral relief fund so we can continue to work with local leaders to meet immediate needs.
We are keeping a close eye on the developing situation in Nelson, Tasman but also the West Coast. We’re expecting more rough weather overnight so please continue to listen to the advice from Emergency Services and stay safe.
Just off the phone to our Minister for Emergency Management, Kieran McAnulty. Kieran is on the ground in the Nelson Tasman area alongside the Mayor and MPs @rachelboyack and Damien O’Connor. You can see from the images he sent me the devastating impact of the severe weather – hundreds of homes evacuated and many that may be unsafe to return to. The immediate focus is of course on keeping people safe, but we’ve also moved quickly to stand up the mayoral relief fund so we can continue to work with local leaders to meet immediate needs.
We are keeping a close eye on the developing situation in Nelson, Tasman but also the West Coast. We’re expecting more rough weather overnight so please continue to listen to the advice from Emergency Services and stay safe.
Just off the phone to our Minister for Emergency Management, Kieran McAnulty. Kieran is on the ground in the Nelson Tasman area alongside the Mayor and MPs @rachelboyack and Damien O’Connor. You can see from the images he sent me the devastating impact of the severe weather – hundreds of homes evacuated and many that may be unsafe to return to. The immediate focus is of course on keeping people safe, but we’ve also moved quickly to stand up the mayoral relief fund so we can continue to work with local leaders to meet immediate needs.
We are keeping a close eye on the developing situation in Nelson, Tasman but also the West Coast. We’re expecting more rough weather overnight so please continue to listen to the advice from Emergency Services and stay safe.
I can’t tell you how lovely it was to be part of a ceremony this morning to officially welcome back our international students. We’ve had many arrive already (and international enrolments for our universities next year are already at 50% of pre covid levels) but today was a chance to hold an official welcome. In this picture I’m meeting international students from one of our Auckland high schools. One student had wanted to visit New Zealand for so long, that she showed me pictures of her at a rugby game in Japan in 2019, complete with her All Blacks jersey. Such a good reminder that international education is good for our economy, but it’s also amazing for our relationships. These students will have a second home in New Zealand that will last a lifetime – and that’s a lovely thing.
Hard to describe what the city rail link looks like up close. For starters, it’s vast. A huge project, but also one that will make a hue difference to Auckland. When complete, the CRL will carry up to 54,000 people per hour, an equivalent capacity to three Harbour Bridges or 16 extra traffic lanes at peak travel times. Look out for the second “break through” by the tunnel boring machine in a few days – it will be another important milestone in this huge infrastructure project!
Hard to describe what the city rail link looks like up close. For starters, it’s vast. A huge project, but also one that will make a hue difference to Auckland. When complete, the CRL will carry up to 54,000 people per hour, an equivalent capacity to three Harbour Bridges or 16 extra traffic lanes at peak travel times. Look out for the second “break through” by the tunnel boring machine in a few days – it will be another important milestone in this huge infrastructure project!
Hard to describe what the city rail link looks like up close. For starters, it’s vast. A huge project, but also one that will make a hue difference to Auckland. When complete, the CRL will carry up to 54,000 people per hour, an equivalent capacity to three Harbour Bridges or 16 extra traffic lanes at peak travel times. Look out for the second “break through” by the tunnel boring machine in a few days – it will be another important milestone in this huge infrastructure project!
You might have seen that this week we announced new measures we’re taking to ensure our grocery sector is more competitive. Our goal, is to make sure kiwis get a better and fairer deal when they’re at the supermarket. Minister David Clark joined me today to talk about those changes.
It’s been three years since we were all able to gather in person for Koroneihana at Turangawaewae. It was a privilege to be there alongside the team, and to acknowledge the work of Kingi Tūheitia. There are just some things that are never the same unless they are in person, and this is one of them!
Just back from an awesome day in Dunedin! It’s Conservation Week so a good excuse to visit with some of the team working on the Predator Free and City Sanctuary initiatives (supported by DOC and our Jobs for Nature programme.) Then off to the polytechnic where we’ve invested in their new build to train future apprentices and the workers we’ll need for the hospital build down there. Finished up at the ODT class act awards. Always love my visits to Ōtepoti, and not just because of the cheese rolls!
Just back from an awesome day in Dunedin! It’s Conservation Week so a good excuse to visit with some of the team working on the Predator Free and City Sanctuary initiatives (supported by DOC and our Jobs for Nature programme.) Then off to the polytechnic where we’ve invested in their new build to train future apprentices and the workers we’ll need for the hospital build down there. Finished up at the ODT class act awards. Always love my visits to Ōtepoti, and not just because of the cheese rolls!
Just back from an awesome day in Dunedin! It’s Conservation Week so a good excuse to visit with some of the team working on the Predator Free and City Sanctuary initiatives (supported by DOC and our Jobs for Nature programme.) Then off to the polytechnic where we’ve invested in their new build to train future apprentices and the workers we’ll need for the hospital build down there. Finished up at the ODT class act awards. Always love my visits to Ōtepoti, and not just because of the cheese rolls!
50,000. That’s how many apprentices we’ve helped support to stay in training and apprenticeship programmes in the last two years through the Apprenticeship Boost. When covid hit we were worried we’d see a decline in apprentices, just like we did in the global financial crisis. The Apprenticeship Boost was designed to stop that, and it has. In total we have increased the number of people in apprenticeships by more than 50% since we took office. I’m really proud of that – it means we’re training people for high quality decent jobs that will help us build the infrastructure we need for Aotearoa’s future. Thanks for hosting us today Fulton Hogan – and to the apprentices who shared their stories.
50,000. That’s how many apprentices we’ve helped support to stay in training and apprenticeship programmes in the last two years through the Apprenticeship Boost. When covid hit we were worried we’d see a decline in apprentices, just like we did in the global financial crisis. The Apprenticeship Boost was designed to stop that, and it has. In total we have increased the number of people in apprenticeships by more than 50% since we took office. I’m really proud of that – it means we’re training people for high quality decent jobs that will help us build the infrastructure we need for Aotearoa’s future. Thanks for hosting us today Fulton Hogan – and to the apprentices who shared their stories.
This weekend the Rugby World Cup kicks off right here in our backyard! I popped up to Whangarei who are hosting the teams from Wales, Scotland, Japan, Italy and the USA. If you’re up North or in Auckland, join some of the opening matches. On Saturday the goal is to beat the world record for a live audience at a Women’s rugby game, and I absolutely believe we’ll do it (so come and join history!) While I was in Whangarei I also finally managed to visit the Hundertwasser Art Centre and Wairau Māori Art Gallery, a project we financially supported to be built and that is already seeing thousands of visitors. Awesome to hear the people working there talking about the tourists coming through. And it will only grow….
This weekend the Rugby World Cup kicks off right here in our backyard! I popped up to Whangarei who are hosting the teams from Wales, Scotland, Japan, Italy and the USA. If you’re up North or in Auckland, join some of the opening matches. On Saturday the goal is to beat the world record for a live audience at a Women’s rugby game, and I absolutely believe we’ll do it (so come and join history!) While I was in Whangarei I also finally managed to visit the Hundertwasser Art Centre and Wairau Māori Art Gallery, a project we financially supported to be built and that is already seeing thousands of visitors. Awesome to hear the people working there talking about the tourists coming through. And it will only grow….
Today I had the rare privilege of being part of the election of a new speaker, Hon Adrian Rurawhe. I thought I’d share my words from the house here.
“Mr Speaker-Elect, Mā te Māngai o ihoa, te Māngai o te whare e tautoko
I begin with a phrase that will be close to home to you Mr Speaker elect.
Translated it means – may the mouthpiece of ihoa – the temple of Ratana – support and guide the mouthpiece of the House.
I can’t think of a better way to sum up the proud history and mana that you bring with you into this role, something we are all now privileged to be the benefactors of.
It was a few years ago now that I remember having a conversation with our Speaker elect about the possibility of taking on a role in the officers of the house. It was fair to say, there was some hesitancy. In my mind, this was the first sign that you were perfect for the role.
Since that time the house has had the pleasure of seeing the many skills that you bring to this position. And while all are valuable, I place great priority on your ability to perfectly balance a light touch and a firm hand.
But perhaps the most prized asset of all in a speaker, is integrity. And that is the word that those closest to you would use to describe you as a person, and now as a speaker.
Perhaps one of your close colleagues Minister Sio said it best when he described you as a “gentle giant” but also that you “shouldn’t be mistaken for anything else but firm, fair and very considered”
Everyone across this House, knows, or will soon know that there is an honesty and conviction of belief that the Speaker-Elect applies to everything he does. (Cont in comments)
Roughly four years ago now we started a programme in Christchurch and Kaikōura called Mana Ake. It was designed to help support the mental health and well-being of children after they’d been through such a tough set of events. Mana Ake puts teams that include everything from social workers to mental health workers, alongside schools to help support their students. One of the things I especially love is the work I’ve seen them doing to help give kids the tools to look after their mental well being as they grow.
Today we officially launched the programme on the West Coast, meaning 3,000 more children will be covered by Mana Ake.
We’re also expanding into Northland, Counties Manakau, Bay of Plenty and Lakes which means we’ll be able to support an extra 195,000 primary and intermediate age children. I know this programme is making a difference, and it’s wonderful to see it growing at a time when our children and young people need it the most.
Time these days…it’s hard to believe that our free lunches in schools programme has been running for more than two years now! Amazing to see it grow from a small trial to now reaching 220,000 students across the country – that’s 1 million free, healthy lunches every week. To everyone who has made this programme such a success, and helped create more than 2,000 jobs along the way – thank you. I hope you feel as proud of this programme as I do!
