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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 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:
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. Government announcementsIt’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.
FamilyBoostParents 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 InstituteWhen 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.
EconomyIn 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.
Out and aboutMinister WattsIt’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 TrustI 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 CatchupsI 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.
Upcoming EventsI’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
Leeston
Lincoln
Tai Tapu
Here to helpAs always, my team and I are here and available to help.
You can get in touch with us by emailing [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 |
 41 Pipitea Street Authorised by Nicola Grigg, Parliament Buildings, Wellington |
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