MP’s spotlight on travel bubble and new mums
Like many people, I was disappointed with the confused messaging during the last community outbreak of Covid and the subsequent lockdown. Although we were able to carry on with most of our day-to-day lives, the shift to level two meant that a lot of events were postponed around the country. Moreover, many local towns were noticeably quieter without regular Auckland visitors. Despite a year of disruptions small businesses have proven incredibly resilient, but they can’t be expected to keep going through this yoyoing in and out of alert levels.
One obvious way the Government could support our tourism and hospitality sectors is to open the trans-Tasman border. The Prime Minister and her colleagues like to bring up the possibility of travelling to Australia, but they often find something to blame for missing their target date.
Australia has no problem with Kiwis travelling there without quarantining, it’s time that the Government stops holding up the process. A trans-Tasman bubble would free up spots in managed isolation to allow New
Zealanders to come home and the prospects of Australian tourists coming here may save our tourism industry, particularly in the South Island.
Finally, it was good to be able to support Ōmokoroa resident Chloe Wright ONZM and her organisation, Mothers Matter, when she visited Parliament to raise awareness of maternal suicide and perinatal depression. It was confronting to learn that maternal suicide in New Zealand is five times higher per capita than in the UK.
Mothers Matter is calling for better wraparound perinatal services and to ensure all mothers, regardless of where they live, have access to the support that they need.
If you ever need to discuss an issue with me, I hold regular constituent clinics in Ōmokoroa at the Old Library. The dates are advertised in the Lizard News each month. Please don’t hesitate to contact my office on 0800 550 330 for an appointment.