As an integral part of the Canterbury earthquake rebuild “Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart is making a real difference to people in Christchurch and Canterbury.  To date 24,652 houses in the Canterbury region have been retrofitted under the scheme”  MP Nicky Wagner said.

“Each of those homes represents around two to three people so up to 73,956 people in Canterbury are now better off.

“Delivering better public services is one of National’s four key priorities, and insulating homes is a great example of this.  Insulated homes are easier and cheaper to heat and keep at healthy temperatures.  Warmer homes mean fewer visits to the doctor, and less need to take time off work or school.

“The scheme is run by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority and offers funding to homes built before 2000 to help homeowners get ceiling or underfloor insulation.  The programme is also a key part of our Relationship Accord with the Maori Party and our Memorandum of Understanding with the Green Party.

“I’m pleased that we have reached the milestone of 150,000 homes insulated under the scheme, and particularly delighted that 24,652 Canterbury households are now living warmer and healthier lives,” MP Nicky Wagner said.

Championing the National-led Government’s commitment to Pacific education, Alfred Ngaro MP, recently visited the Pasifika Education Centre (PEC) in Manukau.  

Meeting with Clyde Young, acting CEO, he endorsed their vision of educational success for all Pacific people and reiterated the vital role that Pacific languages, cultures and heritage play in achieving this vision.

“My mother taught me that attitude is the key to success and that education with the right attitude can achieve anything.”

 
PEC staff with Alfred Ngaro MP
Left to right: Temukisa Lemoa, Alfred Ngaro MP, Clyde Young, Beverly Manetoa and Malianive Manuokafoa Atkinson

Alfred Ngaro acknowledged that progress is being made. Nearly 90 percent of all 2010 Pasifika school leavers achieved the NCEA level 1 literacy and numeracy requirements.  That number is forecast to increase this year.  The number of Pasifika teachers is on the rise and Pacific participation in early childhood education is continuing to improve.   However, he recognised there are still real challenges to address around Pacific literacy, numeracy and academic achievement.

On the back of his visit to PEC, Alfred Ngaro welcomes the recent announcement of an Inquiry into Pacific languages in early childhood education.  The Education and Science Select Committee will look into what is currently done to support Pacific languages in early childhood education.  Public submissions are now being invited, closing Monday 25 June 2012.  To find out how to make a submission, please contact the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives.

At the same time, consultation for the Ministry of Education’s Pasifika Education Plan is underway with meetings being held nationwide.  “Your feedback will help the Ministry enhance their four year plan,” says Alfred Ngaro.  Please contact the Ministry of Education for details of upcoming meetings or, alternatively, for guidance on giving feedback online, by email or post.  Consultation closes 23 May 2012.

Alfred Ngaro actively encourages members of the Pacific community to take these, and all future opportunities to help achieve educational success for all Pacific people. 

In the National-led Government, List MP Alfred Ngaro is a member of both the Social Services Select Committee and the Justice and Electoral Select Committee.  He is also a member of the newly formed National Party Pacific Affairs Caucus Committee and Chairman of the Pacific Friendship Group of Parliament.

Statistics above taken from: http://www.minedu.govt.nz/NZEducation/EducationPolicies/PasifikaEducation/PEP2013Consultation/ProgressToDate.aspx

Quote taken from the maiden speech of Alfred Ngaro MP, 21 December 2011

Photo taken at PEC visit on 7 May 2012
 

A website to provide New Zealanders with information about the Government’s mixed ownership programme has been launched.

The website, www.governmentshareoffers.govt.nz, gives New Zealanders information about the proposal to sell up to 49 per cent of four State Owned Enterprises –  Mighty River Power, Genesis Energy, Meridian, Solid Energy – and a further stake in Air New Zealand.

The website provides information about the share offer programme including what mixed ownership means, why the Government is undertaking the programme, and how a public share offer works.

The Government expects to receive $5 billion to $7 billion in proceeds. This will help control debt and allow us to invest in new infrastructure, such as schools.

More information: http://www.national.org.nz/Article.aspx?articleId=38427

Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, MP for Maungakiekie and chairman of the Social Services Select Committee, advises that the deadline for public submissions on the Social Security (Youth Support and Work Focus) Amendment Bill closes at 5pm on Friday, 13 April.

"This is a significant step in a series of welfare reforms being introduced and I encourage the public to have their say before submissions close,” says Mr Lotu-Iiga.

The bill addresses three comprehensive areas:

1.    The introduction of a new system of income support for young people (the Youth Package) including provision for external contractors to provide wrap-around services to these young people.

2.    Providing support to youth aged 16 and 17 years who may need help to prevent them from coming on to benefit when they turn 18, and information sharing to allow identification of these young people.

3.    Strengthening work availability expectations and work preparation requirements for sole parents, widows, women alone, and partners of people receiving a main benefit.

“In doing so, these reforms will modernise the existing welfare system and provide additional support for our young people. However, further obligations will be required. They will have to be in either education or training to receive a benefit,” says Mr Lotu-Iiga.

“Too many of our young people are being let down by the system. These reforms will address this and end the cycle of dependency.

Submissions should be forwarded, either online using Parliament’s website www.parliament.nz or in writing to Social Services Committee, Parliament Buildings, WELLINGTON 6160. Submitters who wish to appear before the committee need to state this clearly and provide: name, daytime phone number, and email address.

“We are delivering on the welfare reforms we campaigned on. I look forward to hearing what the public have to say on this very important issue,” says Mr Lotu-Iiga.

Hearings will be held in mid to late April and will take place in Wellington, and if required, Auckland and Christchurch.

The committee intends to report back to the House by 31 May 2012.
 

Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean says moves to liberalise Easter trading laws will not see workers being forced to turn up for the job.

“The unions are at it again with their usual scaremongering tactics,” Mrs Dean said.

“Claims that staff will be forced to work at Easter could not be further from the truth, with the proposed law changes all about giving people choice.

“In fact retailers tell me that they will have no trouble finding staff willing to work at Easter, with those wanting time off with their families being given that option.

“My bill is all about promoting economic growth and ensuring that our communities can prosper.

“Tourist hotspots like Wanaka have long been frustrated that they are unable to open their doors to tourists and visitors over the holiday period. Easter is their biggest weekend of the year and they should be allowed to capitalise on that.

“The union might claim that Easter trading in unnecessary, but I have the support of retailers who tell me that in the current economic environment the freedom to open at Easter is exactly what’s needed.

“As I have said all along, my bill is about choice and meeting the needs of communities in my electorate, the sooner the unions accept that and move on, the better.”

Last week Prime Minister John Key released a list of 10 challenging results he expects to see achieved over the next three to five years, results that will make New Zealand a better place.

These results fall within five themes: reducing long-term welfare dependency; supporting vulnerable children; boosting skills and employment; reducing crime; and improving interaction with government.

I have listed the 10 targets announced below.

I believe New Zealanders deserve high-quality services that deliver better results for them and their families.

Achieving the targets being set will be difficult and demanding – in fact, for some of them, it will be extremely difficult

I support Mr Key when he makes no apologies for high expectations. We need to focus clearly on what we need to do to make New Zealand a better place.

Ministers will lead each of the 10 results, along with public service chief executives who are accountable for demonstrating real progress against the results.

A measurable and stretching target will sit underneath each result. For example, under result five below, Education Minister Hekia Parata has set a target of 85 per cent of 18-year-olds having NCEA level 2 or equivalent in five years. This will be a real challenge, as the current rate is 68%.

The rest of the targets will be agreed and announced by Cabinet by 30 June 2012 and will be regularly measured.

The information will be publicly available, so New Zealanders will be able to judge for themselves how well we are doing in achieving the results we have set.

The 10 public service results set for the next three to five years are:

Reducing long-term welfare dependency

      1.    Reduce the number of people who have been on a working age benefit for more than 12 months.

Supporting vulnerable children

      2.    Increase participation in early childhood education.

      3.    Increase infant immunisation rates and reduce the incidence of rheumatic fever.

      4.    Reduce the number of assaults on children.

Boosting skills and employment

      5.    Increase the proportion of 18-year-olds with NCEA level 2 or equivalent qualification.

      6.    Increase the proportion of 25-34 year olds with advanced trade qualifications, diplomas and degrees (at level 4 or above).

Reducing crime

     7.    Reduce the rates of total crime, violent crime and youth crime.

      8.    Reduce re-offending.

Improving interaction with government

     9.    New Zealand businesses have a one-stop online shop for all government advice and support they need to run and grow their business.

     10. New Zealanders can complete their transactions with the Government easily in a digital environment.

VIP Visits

We’ve had a number of significant visits to Tauranga in the last couple of weeks which I have enjoyed being a part of. Prime Minister John Key was here for a day and I took him to Otumoetai College to talk with senior students and to formally open the Susan Devoy Squash Centre on Devonport Road. In addition, the Prime Minister spent time being updated on developments in regard to the Rena disaster.

I’ve also enjoyed having the Associate Minister of Tourism and the Minister of Agriculture, Chris Tremain and David Carter, here. With Chris I visited a number of tourism-related organisations and with David we spent time on Psa and at Ballance Agri-nutrients.

Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae has been in Tauranga this week and it was good to see him officially open Tauranga Riding with Disabled’s wonderful new arena. Other guests to our city having included hundreds of people making up about 58 bag pipe teams from all over New Zealand who you might have seen competing in our CBD as part of the National Pipe Band Championships last Saturday. I loved watching this and found the combination of music and regalia very stirring. I was also impressed by the number of young involved. The event almost made me feel Scottish! Tauranga’s organising committee under Chair Kevin Nally are to be commended for their work in getting the event here. I’m sure it was a significant economic boost for our city.

Last but not least on events, I enjoyed getting along to a thank you bbq for Rena recovery volunteers last Sunday in spite of some pretty bad weather. All who helped out on our beaches are heroes in my view. Tomorrow, I will be at the now very well established Tauranga Multicultural Festival at the Historic Village. I hope I see you there!

Making welfare work

National believes that those who can work, should work, and we’ll help them to do just that. Delivering better public services is one of the National-led Government’s four key priorities for our second term, and welfare reform is a significant part of this.

The benefit system is simply not working and not delivering for New Zealand. One in eight New Zealanders of working-age, is on a benefit, while 220,000 children live in benefit-dependent homes. This is creating too many vulnerable people and trapping them in a life of limited choices, poverty, and poor health. Evidence clearly shows children are better off when their parents are in work and not on welfare.

At the beginning of this month we announced a two-stage programme to fundamentally alter the welfare system with a new work-focused benefit, greater work expectations, and an approach that focuses on the long-term cost of welfare dependency.

By the end of this month we will introduce legislation that will require some beneficiaries with children to be work available, as well as those on Widow’s and Women Alone benefits. It will also target support for youth who are on a collision course with long-term welfare dependency.

Later this year we’ll introduce more legislation to overhaul benefit categories and clamp down on fraud.
 

North Shore MP Maggie Barry today announced the hosting of the 13th Bluegreens Forum at Lake Pupuke this weekend (March 3 and 4).
 
“Environmental issues are too important to be left on the fringe of New Zealand politics. National is committed to a balanced agenda of growing the New Zealand economy, while improving our management of the environment,” Ms Barry says.
 
“The forum will be reporting on National’s progress in our first term in Government, and setting out our plans for this term. The programme covers a diverse range of topics including greening New Zealand’s growth, saving our kauri, lessons in collaborative decision-making, cleaning up our rivers and lakes, and protecting our oceans.”
 
Bluegreens was established in 1998 as an advisory group to National to help develop sound environmental policy, and now has several hundred members across New Zealand. The group represents a practical brand of environmentalists who want to bring together good economic, and sound environmental, policy.
 
“The North Shore is an ideal venue for the Bluegreens Forum as we are community that understands how important it is to have a growing economy but who also put a high value on our quality of life and great outdoor environment.” Ms Barry says.
 
The forum includes a Sunday field trip to see the successful regeneration of pest-free Motuihe Island in the Hauraki Gulf.
 
Speakers include the Ministers for the Environment, Conservation and Climate Change, Ecologic NZ, Environment Defence Society, Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society, the Prime Minister’s Science Advisor Sir Peter Gluckman, Pure Advantage, Business New Zealand, Straterra, the Land and Water Forum and chairs and chief executives of regional councils.  
 
“The weekend is all about National bringing together the best ideas to ensure we deliver both economically and environmentally over the next 3 years,” Ms Barry says.