Dear John,


July has been an incredibly productive month, both in Parliament and here in
Selwyn.

 

One of the biggest highlights was having Minister Watts in the district for a
day. It was great to have the Minister launch Selwyn Water Ltd, New Zealand’s
first council-controlled water service, as well as show him some of the
incredible local innovations happening in the Energy and Climate sectors


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SELWYN WATER




 


Selwyn Water Ltd has been officially launched as the first water services entity
in the country under our Local Water Done Well initiative.


Selwyn Water has been established as a Council-Controlled Organisation (CCO) to
deliver drinking water and wastewater services across the district, with
potential to expand this delivery model to other councils.


This entity represents a shift to a more service-minded, future-focused
organisation, ensuring the right projects are prioritised to deliver lasting
value for communities.


Water infrastructure is essential to the wellbeing and prosperity of our Selwyn
district. Investment in water services must also be long-term, coordinated, and
designed with tomorrow in mind.


Selwyn Water is building a platform that:

* Enables housing, agriculture, and industry

* Protects public health and natural ecosystems

* Builds climate resilience and adapts to change

* Supports financially sustainable services

* Provides a scalable model for other councils to join


Our Government will be closely watching how Selwyn Water manages the projected
price increases for consumers during the initial years of their plan. I am
excited for Selwyn Water to deliver affordable and high-quality service for our
district and communities.



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GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENTS


It’s been an action packed month in Parliament with many key pieces of
legislation being introduced to ensure our economy gets back on track.

 


LOCAL GOVERNMENT

 

Our government is refocusing councils on core services such as roading, core
infrastructure, water, and rubbish.


The Local Government (System Improvements) Amendment Bill has been introduced to
parliament to help restore discipline, transparency and performance to the
benefit gf the ratepayer. Kiwis are frustrated with rising rates, expanding
bureaucracy, and poor value for money. This Bill puts councils back to work on
the basics, their core services, so ratepayers see real results for what they
pay.


I have heard from many Selwyn ratepayers about their concerns with council
spending and priorities, so this Bill is a direct result of your feedback. I
look forward to seeing how these changes will create the practical results that
you deserve.

 


FAMILYBOOST


Parents of pre-schoolers will be fully aware of how the costs of Early Childhood
Education (ECE) impact upon family finances.

 

As a result, from the start of this month, families will get larger rebates on
the ECE fees they pay.

 

FamilyBoost rebates are calculated according to the weekly fees parents pay, so
the maximum payment is also increasing, from $75 a week to $120 a week. The
maximum refund is only available to those who pay weekly fees of $300 or more,
however it’s important to note that parents at all fee levels can now claim 40
per cent of their total fees, so these changes will result in bigger payments
for many families who already take part in the scheme.

 

The changes we are making will make around 22,000 more households eligible for
the scheme. Based on the current up-take, officials estimate this may result in
up to 16,000 more families accessing the payment.

 

I strongly encourage you to see if you and your family are eligible for
FamilyBoost as these changes will make a difference to many of our local
families.




 


BIOECONOMY SCIENCE INSTITUTE


When we announced that we were reforming the public research organisations, I
advocated persistently for one of the institutes to be headquartered here in
Selwyn, reflecting our district’s world leading food and fibre innovations.

 

As a result, the Government has decided that the New Zealand Institute for
Bioeconomy Science will be based in Lincoln – which is brilliant news for our
local scientists, researchers and students.

 

The Institute will focus on advancing innovation in agriculture, aquaculture,
forestry, biotechnology and manufacturing; protecting ecosystems from
biosecurity threats and climate risks; and developing new bio-based technologies
and products. I couldn’t think of a more perfect fit for the Institute than
Lincoln.

 

The Institute's new Chief Executive Mark Piper talks more about the new
announcement here.
[link removed]

 


ECONOMY


In good news for the economy, this month the Reserve Bank has decided to keep
the Official Cash Rate (OCR) low at 3.25 per cent.

 

This means that more Kiwis will benefit when they re-fix their mortgage and the
positive effects of previous rate drops will continue to flow-through our
economy. It will also provide relief for interest-rate sensitive sectors of the
economy like building and construction.

 

Despite global uncertainty, the Government is continuing to drive New Zealand’s
economic recovery forward. Our careful stewardship of the Government books and
our ongoing efforts to reduce costly laws and regulations mean inflation and
interest rates can stay lower than would otherwise be the case.

 

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OUT AND ABOUT



MINISTER WATTS


It’s always a pleasure to host Ministers in our district but it was especially
delightful to host my ‘Class of 2020’ colleague Hon Simon Watts earlier this
month.


We started the day with the launch of Selwyn Water Ltd, the first CCO in the
country under our Local Water Done Well initiative.





Next up we stopped by Lincoln University to check out some of their climate and
energy innovations. We visited the Lincoln University Dairy Farm where
Ravensdown and the university have created an EcoPond effluent pond that reduces
methane emissions by over 90 percent. We then toured the main campus to see
where decarbonisation measures have been implemented. We got a sneak peek of
their upcoming agrivoltaics project – growing crops under solar panels to put
the arable land and surface area to best us.





Finally, we took the Minister to Fonterra’s Darfield Dairy Plant to see their
Biodigester which recovers and uses biogas and CO2 from the factory’s processes.
It’s a unique project partnership between Fonterra, Ecogas and Lincoln
University.







NOVA TRUST


I recently stopped by Nova Trust in Templeton to get a tour from Andy and Harry
to see the important community work that they provide.

 

They’re a NGO and social enterprise focused on assisting those who are affected
by drugs, alcohol and other challenges.

 

They have five groups which include recovery, growing produce, producing native
plants, care provider, and respite services.

 

The awesome work they get up to makes a significant difference to those who use
their services and they are a real gem for the Canterbury community.






COFFEE CATCHUPS


I headed out across Selwyn to hold Coffee Catchups in Darfield and Prebbleton
this month.

Thank you to everybody who swung by, it is great to canvas the most important
issues that matter most to you.





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UPCOMING EVENTS


I’m across the district this August, an important part of my role as a local MP
is checking in with you to see if I can help with any concerns or issues that
you face. Check to see if I’m going to be in your neighbourhood soon.


Dunsandel

* Dunsandel Store

* Friday 8th August 11:30am-12:30pm


Leeston

* Suburban Eatery

* Friday 8th August 1:00pm-2:00pm


Lincoln

* Robert Harris Café Lincoln

* Monday 25th August 12:15pm-1:15pm


Tai Tapu

* The Store @ Tai Tapu

* Monday 25th August 11am-12:00pm

 

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HERE TO HELP

As always, my team and I are here and available to help.

 

You can get in touch with us by emailing [email protected]
[email protected], phone 03 344 2800, or pop into the office in
Rolleston Square between Monday and Fridays, 10:00am - 4:00pm.

 

Kind regards,



Hon Nicola Grigg

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New Zealand

Authorised by Nicola Grigg, Parliament Buildings, Wellington

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