Congrats to the Stags

It was a bittersweet moment for Otago supporters last Thursday as Southland lifted the Log of Wood from Canterbury. I was speaking at a meeting in Christchurch and the mood was somber to say the least. While delighted for Southland, one wonders at the number of former Otago players (7?) and what might have been for the Blue and Golds had they stayed in Otago. On the other hand, the Stags broke a 50 year drought - next year it will be Otago's turn to do the same!!!

Securing the future of ACC

ACC has become financially unsustainable and reform is needed to secure its future for New Zealanders.
ACC lost $4.8 billion this year on top of $2.4 billion last year. Its unfunded liabilities have ballooned from $4 billion to $13 billion and its claim costs by 57 per cent in just four years.
That’s why we’ve moved to tighten up some entitlements. This week the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Amendment Bill passed its first reading. The changes in this Bill are needed to make the ACC scheme affordable, sustainable and fair. Our changes will see ACC's proposed levy increases reduced by half.
We hope the public will engage with the select committee. There needs to be an open and honest conversation as to how we’re going to fund ACC’s shortfall.
For more information: http://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/injury+prevention+rehabilitation+and+compensation+amendment+bill+2009

Herceptin helping more women

Just weeks after taking office National honoured an election promise to publicly fund
12 months of Herceptin for women with HER2 breast cancer.
We started the funding from the day we were sworn in and by the end of last month, 191 New Zealand women had received Herceptin under this Government's policy.
Our commitment allows patients and their doctors to have a choice. The nine-week treatment option also remains funded and available. Women who began treatment as private patients have also been reimbursed their costs from the day the Government was sworn in.
The 12-month course is being funded from the extra $40 million the Government is spending on pharmaceuticals this year.
At this time of economic restraint, National is working to achieve better access to medicines for patients.
For more information:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/more+women+taking+12+month+herceptin+course

Hunt for proceeds of crime

A team of hardened fraud investigators will 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 that give police the power to detect and seize the assets and profits gangs and organised crime obtain illegally. By taking away their vast profits, organised crime will have less reason to exist.
The proceeds will be used to fund methamphetamine rehabilitation, Youth Aid programmes and other initiatives that prevent kids from joining gangs.
For more information:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new+unit+hunt+assets+organised+crime

Engaging youth in learning

National is committed to giving students every opportunity to achieve and meet their potential.
Five trades academies will open their doors across the country in 2011.
Trades academies are a key part of our Youth Guarantee and will help keep more students engaged in learning.
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
Academies will be opened at Northland College, Waikato Institute of Technology and Cambridge High School, Wellington Institute of Technology, Taratahi Agricultural Centre and Catlins Area School.
For more information go to:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/five+new+trades+academies+more+come

More help for victims of serious crime

National knows that victims of crime, and in particular victims of serious crimes, face significant financial and emotional costs as a result of the crimes committed against them.
We have made a commitment to increase the amount of support available to victims from November 2009.
Initiatives include:
A significant increase in the funeral grant to families of homicide victims.
A daily court attendance grant of $124 per 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.
Funding for the initiatives will come from the Offender Levy and the disestablished Sentencing Council.
For more information go to:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/more+help+way+victims+serious+crime

MMP Referendum at 2011 election

National is delivering on its pre-election promise to hold a referendum on MMP no later than 2011. We want the public to have their say on this important issue.
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 to change the system, 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.
If voters want to change the system, there will be plenty of time for the public to discuss the merits of MMP and the alternative option before the second referendum.
For more information go to:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/mmp+referendum+be+held+2011+election

Improving health services for patients

National is committed to putting patients first. We want to free up resources for more and better frontline services for patients.
That’s why we’re having a major shake up of the public health service’s back office and administrative functions.
New Zealand’s 21 District Health Boards need to stop reinventing the wheel 21 times in areas like payroll and IT. Shared and better planning of these back office services will free up money for better quality frontline services for patients.
Our changes will save up to $700 million in the next five years. This would pay for 16,000 heart bypass operations or build two large city hospitals.
These changes are about making the current system work better by filling in the missing links, and aiming to provide better, sooner, more convenient, services to patients.
For more information go to:http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/major+push+lift+public+health+performance

Making our communities safer

For far too long residents of many of our towns and cities have had to put up with excessive noise, danger, and intimidation from boy racers.
High-powered cars and younger drivers have created a lethal combination on our roads.
A culture of dangerous driving has evolved, putting lives at risk.
It is a culture that has pushed some communities to the very edge of their tolerance limit.
In one case, a lone policeman was cornered by several hundred boy racers. His patrol car was pelted with bottles and peppered with pot-shots from an air rifle.
In another case, about 100 of these cowardly bullies trapped a lone aviation security guard in her car. She was left covered in shattered glass after the car windows were smashed.
Hospital patients have had to be moved from rooms overlooking the street because of a noise likened to squadrons of dive bombers circling the hospital.
Moteliers tell of losing tens of thousands of dollars because of rooms that can’t be used.
And then there is the road carnage – on average there are 10 deaths from illegal-street racing a year.
The National-led Government has moved quickly to show that this dangerous, disruptive, antisocial behaviour will not be tolerated.
Less than six months ago, we introduced two bills to strengthen the laws around illegal street racing and give police greater powers to deal with it. I was on the Select Committee that heard submissions into those bills.
Through public submissions you made it clear you wanted safer communities. This week we passed those two bills into law.
The Land Transport (Enforcement Powers) Amendment Act allows councils to make by-laws to stop cars cruising the city and suburbs. This legislation significantly increases demerit points for illegal street-racing offences and closes loopholes which have allowed boy racers to get away with ignoring fines.
The Vehicle Confiscation and Seizure legislation introduces a suite of changes including the ultimate sanction of giving the courts the power to send cars driven by repeat offenders to the crusher.
Everyone has the right to feel safe in their homes, their streets, and their communities.
The boy racer laws are part of National’s package of law and order reforms to make our communities safer and to promote the security of law-abiding families.

More patients getting elective surgery

National is delivering on its election promise to provide better, sooner, more convenient
healthcare to New Zealanders.
In 2008/09, more patients than ever got the elective surgery they needed. Elective surgery is
for procedures that are necessary but not always urgent.
During the year, there was an increase of 11,805 operations – which is eight times the
average annual increase since 2001/02. The largest increase was in the first six months of
this year.
The average caseweight, which measures the complexity of the operations, has remained
unchanged from the previous year but more patients are getting the treatment they need.
National is committed to putting patients first. These figures give patients and their families
more certainty that the surgery they need gets done. We promised to deliver an extra 4000
elective procedures a year over the first three years. We have already reached our goal.
For more information visit:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/more+patients+getting+elective+surgery+-+ryall

Focusing on sustainable jobs and growth

National’s economic policy during the global recession has been focused on sustainable jobs
and growth.
We’ve taken steps to keep people in employment or assist them when they lose their jobs.
And we’ve put in place policies that encourage economic growth built on exports and
investment, rather than Government or consumer spending.
In addition, the Government has taken the necessary, and prudent, steps to get the books in
order after inheriting a decade of deficits from the previous government.
New data out this week shows New Zealand's economy is on the right track. The current
account deficit has hit a five-year low and GDP data shows the economy grew 0.1 per cent in
the June quarter following five quarters of contraction. This is ahead of forecasts made in
Budget 2009.
This shows that our economy is stabilising, but there is a lot of work to do if we are to have a
strong recovery that leads to sustainable jobs and growth.
We know that many individuals and families are still struggling. That is why we are continuing
to roll out initiatives to help people back into work or training, and we are maintaining support
to low-income families and those most vulnerable during these tough economic times.
For more information:
http://statistics.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/economic_indicators/balance_of_payments/Balance
OfPayments_MRJun09qtr.aspx
http://statistics.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/economic_indicators/GDP/GrossDomesticProduct_
MRJun09qtr.aspx

Lifting Education Standards

Your children deserve the best possible start in life. All young New Zealanders should have a chance to climb the ladder of opportunity.

Currently, one in five school leavers don’t have the numeracy and literacy skills they need to succeed. The National-led Government is determined to change this. We are committed to securing a brighter future for all New Zealanders, and this relies on unlocking the potential of our next generation.

It’s timely to look at the progress your children have made this year. We know parents want to know how their children are doing at school, and what they can do to help them at home.

From next year, our National Standards initiative will make this easier for you. National Standards will ensure all primary and intermediate schools assess your children’s progress in reading, writing, and maths. The standards will describe what children should have learnt by a certain age or year level. They will help teachers identify when children are falling behind, help get them on back track, and help them achieve. Parents will get plain language reports on their children’s progress, giving you a better idea of how your children are doing at school and what you can do to make a difference.

Teachers will use the same tools they work with now to measure children’s progress, and all children will be assessed against the same standard – no matter what school they are at.

Schools will begin using the standards next year, and parents will receive reports on their child’s progress. Schools will report back to the Ministry of Education in 2012.

National is dedicated to providing all children with the opportunities and tools they need to fulfil their potential. It’s been great to receive positive feedback about National Standards and our other education initiatives from parents in Dunedin.

We’re delivering on our promise to help all New Zealand children learn the basic skills they need to do well at school, prepare for the workforce, and climb the ladder of opportunity.

Thank You

My very grateful thanks on behalf of the family to all those who expressed condolence after my Mother passed away on October 1st. Very much appreciated.