Category: National Party

Source: National Party – Headline: Govt urged to support Windblown Timber Recovery Bill

National Party List MP Maureen Pugh, has today urged the Government to support her Private Members’ Bill which would enable the harvesting of windblown trees on conservation land following adverse weather events.

“Today I moved a motion in Parliament, seeking support from Government MPs to have my bill adopted and set down for first reading next week. My bill would allow the Director General of DOC to authorise the removal of specified windblown trees on Conservation Land following a significant weather event,” Ms Pugh says. 

“This a practical bill which embraces environmental responsibility and supports regional economic development.”

The proposed Adverse Weather Timber Recovery on Conservation Lands Bill follows on from the legislation implemented following tropical Cyclone Ita in 2014, which saw a number of native forests in the West Coast and Tasman severely impacted.

“This 2014 legislation was supported right through the process by local MP Damien O’Connor and his Labour colleague Rino Tirikatene. These two MPs saw the need for this legislation at the time, but it is disappointing the Government didn’t take a similar pragmatic approach today when they denied my motion to introduce the bill.

“Removing and processing these windblown trees which would otherwise lie decomposing on the West Coast forest floor would provide jobs for region along with clearing space for native regeneration – two areas which NZ First claims to be passionate about. 

“Recent Cyclones Gita and Fehi have made this bill necessary, as large quantities of trees were felled. We need to be prepared by implementing legislation to deal with significant events like this in the future.”

Source: National Party – Headline: Shane Jones rolled on regional roads

Shane Jones has been rolled by Labour and the Greens on transport policy and as a result regional New Zealand will miss out on much needed roading developments, National Party Regional Development Spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.

“Regional New Zealanders are being told to suck up a big increase in fuel taxes, coupled with a big decrease in regional highway investment, all to help pay for new trams in Auckland,” Mr Goldsmith says. “How did Shane Jones let this happen?

“Mr Jones cynically pointed to an increase in the regional roading improvements fund as a boost to the regions. Nobody will fall for that. 

“The increase amounts to around $35 million a year to local roads, a drop in the bucket compared with the $5 billion being taken away from state highways.

Mr Goldsmith says that the previous Government’s plans to upgrade key provincial highways were critical to improving regional development and road safety on main arterials.

“Transport Minister Phil Twyford dismisses those projects as white elephants and about ‘provincial cities’ not regional New Zealand.

“Shane Jones should point out to him that cities like Whangarei, Tauranga and Napier/Hastings are very much in regional New Zealand. He should take Twyford to places like Katitkati, Whangarei, Levin and Tokoroa and tell them their roading projects are white elephants.

“The Green Party was yesterday trumpeting the transport policy as a big win for them and no wonder. The transport policy renders the Government’s regional economic development policy totally incoherent.

“The reality is Shane Jones has been completely dealt to by the Greens. New Zealand First’s claim to support regional New Zealand has been exposed as a sham.”

Source: National Party – Headline: Minister fumbles over KiwiBuild details

Housing Minister Phil Twyford is struggling today to provide any detail on his KiwiBuild policy using the well-worn excuse that it is still ‘early days’, National’s Housing spokesperson Judith Collins says.

“In Question Time today Mr Twyford did not know where the carpenters, plumbers and electricians were going to come from to build the 3000 – 4000 houses that he’s announced will go on the Unitec site.

“He also had no details as to his KiwiBuild visa and where these visa holders will live while building the houses.

“The one thing he has been able to confirm though, is Kiwibuild houses will likely measure 30 square metres for studio dwellings and 45 square metres for one or more bedroom dwellings.

“Incredibly, that’s smaller than a standard double garage and a long way from the aspirational dreams of many first home buyers.

“A major bank has confirmed today that for apartments of less than 30 square metres, there will be no lending and that one bedrooms less than 45 square metres will receive no more than 50% of the value of the property.

“That means that prospective purchasers will be expected to front up with a half of the value of the property and even then, won’t be able to sell it for five years. 

“The lack of attention to detail on Labour’s flagship policy has continued from last week when the Housing Minister did not know that a 10 year warranty is mandatory for all new residential homes.

“Detail matters and, just six weeks out from announcing the details of the $2 billion spend in this year’s Budget, Phil Twyford has been shown to have no grasp of how to deliver on his big promises,” Ms Collins says.

Source: National Party – Headline: Air New Zealand waves goodbye to Kapiti Coast Airport

The last Air New Zealand flight from the Kapiti Coast to Auckland today will be met with much disappointment MP for Otaki Nathan Guy says.

“The National carrier has let down thousands of Kapiti commuters by only giving three weeks’ notice ahead of cutting its last flight today.

“I’ve been working hard with key stakeholders to find an alternate provider since the Air New Zealand decision. Discussions with Air Chathams have been progressing well and I’m hopeful of a positive decision in the next two weeks.

“I lodged my petition in Parliament last week to save Kapiti flights after it had gathered over 8000 signatures in the short time it had been circulating. It now heads to the Finance Select Committee for consideration by MPs from across the Parliament.

“As Air New Zealand waves goodbye to Kapiti commuters, my challenge to the company is to support Air Chathams and Todd Property with the necessary ground equipment, information and expertise to ensure a seamless transition – even if it takes a couple of months for Air Chathams to commence flights.

“I am also calling on Air New Zealand to allow Air Chathams bookings to be accessed through its website – just like a code share agreement.

“It also makes logical sense for domestic bags transferring to an Air New Zealand flight to be jointly tagged to save the hassle of passengers walking to a new check-in counter.

“Frequent flyers on both Air New Zealand and Air Chathams would also appreciate having access to the Air New Zealand regional lounges.

“Since Air New Zealand has a habit of ditching regional services and leaving Air Chathams to pick up the slack, it’s about time the national carrier struck a formal agreement with Air Chathams to provide similar services for those in the regional areas they’ve deserted – and I’d expect this to be given some serious consideration,” Mr Guy says.

Source: National Party – Headline: Government not transparent on partnership schools

The Government needs to put ideology aside and be open about its intentions for the future of children and young people attending partnership schools who just want to know that the schools they love can stay open, National’s Education Spokesperson Nikki Kaye says.

“National supports both the existing charter schools and the schools that were set to open in 2019.

“Education Minister Chris Hipkins has made it clear that he has no interest in allowing partnership schools to flourish under the current model, but the entire process for terminating the model has been flawed from the start.

“Mr Hipkins said during a press conference this week that partnership schools that become designated character schools will get funding comparable to what they currently get, which is surprising given the fuss he’s kicked up in the past about these schools being overfunded.

“However, with negotiations being held behind closed doors it is not clear how much funding each school is likely to get. It has become clear that a number of schools have received establishment grant funding at a time when the Government has been proceeding to try and shut down the partnership school model.

“We also know the costs of scrapping the partnership school model could be around $15 million due to potential compensation payments. But Mr Hipkins has failed to front up about the potential cost implications for the partnership schools’ property.

“He’s also failed to mention that he has considered merging partnership schools with state schools. These schools want to stay open under the existing partnership school model, not be integrated into a state school or forced to become a designated character school.

“The schools are being asked to get applications to transition to a different model in before May, prior to the legislation being progressed through Parliament which can provide an alternative constitution for partnership schools.

“It has also come to light that while the Government has scrapped National Standards, it has recently told some partnership schools they must still report to National Standards. The inconsistent approach begs the question why partnership schools are being to a higher standard than other schools.

“And we’re still waiting for the release of the latest Martin Jenkins report which I understand shows partnership schools are achieving positive results. Schools provided data for this report in September, so the Government needs to explain why it is hiding this report.

“I have made a complaint to the Auditor-General regarding the process around scrapping the partnership school model and potential perceived conflicts of interests or preferential treatment by several ministers.

“These recent developments build an even stronger picture of a confused, ideological Government that puts politics ahead of what’s right for children with very complex needs.”

Source: National Party – Headline: Health project’s ‘independent review’ a clear conflict

National Party Associate Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti has revealed a supposed ‘independent review’ of the failing $90 million National Oracle Solution programme is, in fact, being carried out by the owner of the company that installed it in the first place.

“Health Minister David Clark describes the programme as having ‘challenges’ and needing an independent review but has then overseen the appointment of Deloitte to carry that out,” Dr Reti says.

“However, Deloitte owns the IT company, Asparona, which helped implement the project, meaning it potentially bears some of the responsibility for the issues we are seeing today.

“I don’t think it takes a genius to see a clear conflict of interest here.

“This is at best a lack of oversight that shows that Dr Clark has no idea what is going on and at worst an attempt to avoid real scrutiny of a $90 million-plus project which has real promise but has gone off the rails.

“This project is funded by DHBs to provide a replacement for ageing finance and supply chain systems. If implemented right it would allow the sector to significantly reduce non-labour costs, and invest more in patient care.

“But it is clearly being mismanaged on the Health Minister’s watch.

“This self-titled ‘open and transparent Government’ is appearing less and less so by the day and undermining the independence of this review is just one in a long list of questionable actions.

“The Minister’s poor judgement and the clear conflict of interest here calls into question his other appointments and the public will rightly be asking what else he has got wrong?

“The Minister needs to sort this quickly by appointing an independent body to review the National Oracle Solution project. He also needs to urgently explain how this contract came to be awarded and seek an assurance from his ministry that its processes for awarding contracts are robust because this just doesn’t pass the sniff test.”

Source: National Party – Headline: Second CE to reappear at Select Committee to answer inconsistencies

Not one, but two, chief executives will reappear at a Select Committee this week to correct the record following inconsistencies exposed by National MPs, National’s Environment spokesperson Scott Simpson says.

“In the same week as Radio New Zealand’s CEO and chair are being recalled to correct the record regarding the Carol Hirschfeld-Clare Curran saga, the chief executive of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) will reappear to answer a number of questions around contradictory evidence given to the Environment Select Committee in February,” Mr Simpson says.

“At his last select committee appearance on 15 February, chief executive Dr Allan Freeth assured us there had been no discussion, questions or issues with the Associate Environment Minister, Eugenie Sage, over the Chief Scientist or over the EPA’s role, independence or expression of views.

“He said this despite Eugenie Sage later stating publicly that she had actually met with the EPA on the issue, and the paper record shows she sent emails to the EPA that were critical of the Chief Scientist.

“We also know that this issue was discussed at the first meeting between Eugenie Sage and the Dr Freeth in late November. The Chief Scientist resigned in February.

“If the EPA is to be an effective environmental watchdog, then it needs to be completely free of any ministerial interference.

“It is critical for the Government to be held responsible for its repeated attempts to cover up examples of Ministerial interference.

“It is without question that in New Zealand environmental regulatory decisions should be made on the basis of science and not politics. 

“We intend to hold the Government to account for inappropriate ministerial interference in public agencies like the EPA and RNZ. New Zealand’s public sector needs scientists and journalists that are independent of the Government of the day,” Mr Simpson says.

Source: National Party – Headline: Tomorrow’s the day we all start paying

This weekend marks the point where ordinary hard-working New Zealanders start paying for the misguided policies of the Ardern-Peters Coalition Government, National Party Finance Spokesperson Amy Adams says.

“National’s 2017 Budget would have made workers on the average wage $1000 a year better off starting from this weekend thanks to tax threshold changes,” Ms Adams says.

“Also from this weekend superannuitant couples would have been better off by $676 a year in their superannuation.

“Instead, under the Labour-NZ First Coalition Government most hard-working wage earners get nothing on 1 April, and superannuitants and those receiving working for families will have to wait an extra three months for any gain. Even then superannuitants will simply be given the poorly conceived and designed winter energy payment which is neither for energy nor for winter.”

Ms Adams says workers and superannuitants are paying a big price just so that first year university students can get one year’s free tuition.

“All the money Labour saved from cancelling the tax changes has gone straight to first year tertiary students in a failed policy that has resulted in no extra people studying.

“Meanwhile the health sector has so far seen less than nothing – with the previous Government’s $100 million investment in new mental health initiatives sitting on the shelf. The allocation for health in the next budget is unlikely to be any more than what National would have provided.

“Cancelling National’s tax changes for hard working Kiwis and giving the money to tertiary students is poor policy.

“Unfortunately it’s now happening under Ardern and Peters.”

Source: National Party – Headline: Funding for Christchurch rebuild confirmed

There has been widespread concern in the Christchurch community that Labour has rescinded some of the funding appropriated by National to support the rebuild of Christchurch, National Party Spokesperson for Greater Christchurch Regeneration Nicky Wagner says.

“With Labour’s recent record of promise and back track, it’s not surprising that the Christchurch community was worried that the funding set aside by National for Christchurch may not be available,” Mrs Wagner says.

“Fortunately, in response to my questions in the House today the Minister for Greater Regeneration Megan Woods has confirmed that they will honour National’s funding appropriations for Christchurch.

“Furthermore, in response to my questions concerning the $300 million extra for the rebuild Labour promised during the election campaign, both the Minister of Greater Christchurch Regeneration and Minister of Finance hinted that it would be part of Budget 2018.

“We look forward to the continuation of the funding that was promised by the previous National Government and know that the Christchurch community will be happy to have assurances that the rebuild will progress as planned.”

Source: National Party – Headline: Peters takes Govt right back again on Russia

There is obviously something both confusing and concerning about Russia and its effect on Winston Peters as evidenced by his performance in Parliament this afternoon, National Foreign Affairs spokesman Todd McClay says.

“Mr Peters simply can’t bring himself to do what dozens of Governments already have, and hold the Kremlin accountable for the attempted assassination of Sergei and Yulia Skripal.

“Again today Mr Peters was dancing around the issue of who poisoned the Skripals, suggesting some other party besides the Kremlin might have been responsible.

“When asked in Parliament ‘has he received sufficient evidence that Russia is responsible for the Salisbury nerve agent attack on British soil?’ Mr Peters responded: ‘To the best of anyone’s investigations of thus far, the product looks like it was manufactured in Russia, that it was sourced out of Russia, about as to who the perpetrators of that violent terrorist crime, that is still a matter of substantial investigation in the UK.’

“That answer is simply astonishing,” Mr McClay says.

“It suggests dozens of countries have jumped the gun in expelling suspected Russian intelligence agents from their countries.

“Winston Peters has taken the Government right back to where it was when the Prime Minister instigated damage control last Friday evening by issuing a clarifying statement that didn’t quite finger Russia as responsible, but at least said ‘Russia has serious questions to answer.’

“Has Mr Peters’ bought into the Kremlin’s theory that the UK Government might be responsible for attempting to kill the Skripals?

“Is the New Zealand Government saying Theresa May and the Governments who have supported her have got this wrong?

“Is this the real reason New Zealand hasn’t expelled any diplomats?

“It’s time for Jacinda Ardern to step up, pull Mr Peters into line, and finally show some real leadership in what is becoming an Achilles’ heel for this Government.”