A promise, good news and some concerns
Yes, it’s true. If elected in 2020, National will reinstate full services to the Lumsden Maternity Centre. It’s scheduled to be downgraded in February but we understand the importance of the centre to rural Southland and have announced we will reinstate full services if elected in 2020.
We’ve had some good news, with the announcement the Te Anau Rescue Helicopter base in here to stay. Together with the community, I lobbied the minister to keep the service that is so vital to rural Southland and Fiordland.
He could not cut more health services in rural Southland and it is because of this outcry he has been forced to come to his senses.
A major part of my job as your MP is to create awareness, to put pressure on Government to get the best outcome for Clutha-Southland.
Another lot of good news was Queenstown family Sam Wijerathne and Dinesha Amarasinghe being granted residency.
When I met the family last year I promised I would do everything I could to gain them residency, which is why I organised the protest march last year and lobbied the Minister during the past 12 months.
This ordeal has been an emotional rollercoaster for the family and I want to thank the Queenstown community once again for supporting Sam, Dinesha and their three boys, particularly Tam Schurmann from Baskets of Blessings and the St John’s Presbyterian Church.
My thoughts are with the farmers still battling Mycoplasma bovis. While the response to compensation claims has improved, I have been continuing to talk with the Minister of Agriculture for further improvements. It is great to see there will be an increase in staff on the ground to better manage the compensation process.
A capital gains tax is back on the table with this Coalition Government, as is a water tax. This, along with the Emissions Trading Scheme tax, will cost farmers on average $5000-$10,000 a year.
However, it is the latest policy announcement that is of greatest concern to me. The Environment Minister released the document Essential Freshwater: Healthy Water, Fairly Allocated.
Alarm bells had already been ringing for southern farmers before the announcement, with numerous people raising concerns with me about the topics. This policy announcement of a ‘‘noticeable improvement in five years’’ is not taking into consideration the improvements farmers have already made.
These sustained attacks on rural communities will affect communities nationwide that rely on farming and the primary sector.
Clutha-Southland relies heavily on winter grazing, so this proposal has serious implications for our farmers. It poses some difficult questions around Southland’s Water and Land Plan and these questions need to be answered.
I have written to both the Environment Minister and Rural Communitites Minister outlining my major concerns.
I joined our leader Simon Bridges in my role as associate agriculture spokesperson as we launched our rural ‘‘Have Your Say’’ campaign.
It’s part of our focus of listening and we will continue to listen going forward.
I’ll be out and about at A & P shows these next few months and I’m keen to hear what you have to say.
Otherwise feel free to head online and put down your thoughts at national.org.nz/haveyoursay Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Galatians 5:24