Transmission Gully makes big impact
April cost of living package huge boost too
It has been a good week for the Mana and O¯ taki electorates with the opening of Transmission Gully. We both joined the Prime Minister, other colleagues, local mayors, iwi, stakeholders and community at the official opening ceremony.
We had a beautiful welcome from Nga¯ ti Toa, Te Atiawa Ki Whakarongotai, and Raukawa.
The Prime Minister officially opened the Transmission Gully motorway, just in time for the Easter break, school holidays, and the return of tourists to New Zealand.
Transmission Gully will shorten peak journeys by 7 to 15 minutes, carry 25,000 vehicles a day, improve productivity saving travellers 1640 hours a day across the network.
Transmission Gully will make a big impact to both the electorates as people no longer will need to wait in long queues and get to and from our Capital. Commuters will be spending less time spent in cars and more time at work and with family.
Transmission Gully will transform the Wellington region, making it quicker and safer for people and goods to travel through the lower North Island.
The new road is built to the highest safety specifications and will provide a much safer route for road users.
The new motorway will also see fewer vehicles using the old coastal
Manaaki Matters route. Thanks to the ongoing work by Waka Kotahi, in partnership with iwi and local councils, safety improvements will be made on that route and throughout the region. Together, this means that lives will be saved and many serious injuries will be prevented.
The new road provides a safer and more reliable route to ensure Wellington remains connected in the event of an earthquake or major storm severing other routes.
The new motorway will also have economic benefits with faster movement of freight and more resilience in our transport links.
This 27-kilometre motorway from Wellington through Kapiti will help reconnect New Zealanders, reduce emissions and support the economic recovery. This will help New Zealand to bounce back better from Covid-19.
Further good news for the electorates, the April 1 changes are under way.
April 1 marks the beginning of a cost of living package that will see most families and many other households receive extra support to assist with rising cost.
The April 1, 2022 changes include:
Superannuation payments increased by $52 a fortnight, with payments increasing by $80 a fortnight for couples.
Main benefits increased between $32 to $55
Student Allowance increased by $25
Minimum wage increase up to $21.20
Changes to Working for Families increased by an average of $20 a week
Public Transport is 50 per cent off fares.
There’s more to do, but these changes will make a real difference for the families doing it tough right now. We’re committed to responding to the financial challenges New Zealanders face and providing support to those who need it the most.