Parliament's back in action and there's plenty to talk about!

Busy week in Parliament!
Dear John,

Parliament's been back in action after the winter recess break and it's been good to get back into the swing of things after some time off for paternity leave. This week the conversation has been dominated by Labour's "Cost of Living Payment" scheme. To call this is a shemozzle is to understate the case: Labour claimed 2.1 million people would get it (and even sent out a misleading email ([link removed]) ) to its email list saying so, when the reality is only 1.3 million people got it. As it happens, lots of people getting the payment actually live overseas - including wealthy lawyers in London who left New Zealand years ago - and I was contacted by someone yesterday who got it who left New Zealand in 2004! It turns out you don't even need to be a New Zealander - there have been reports of French backpackers who left New Zealand 5 years ago getting it. On Thursday David
Parker confirmed in Parliament some people have passed away have received the payment. This is what happens when you dream up a policy at the last minute - and it's a total shambles, and disrespectful ([link removed]) to taxpayers. The real solutions to the cost of living lie in National's plan - and it was good to have Nicola Willis in the Hutt last Wednesday for a public meeting to talk about the issue. Thanks to those who came along.

Families in cars: On Sunday TVNZ reported ([link removed]) on a uncomfortable fact I uncovered: as at the end of June, 480 families are living in cars ([link removed]) . This is a four-fold increase since Labour took office. Megan Woods claimed last year ([link removed]) that kids don't live in cars anymore, but the truth is the opposite. Labour MPs spent most of the 2014-17 period lashing National for families living in cars (see here ([link removed]) for some examples) but the sad reality is that things are far, far worse now, with hundreds of families (including kids) living in cars and thousands of families living in motels. New Zealand deserves better. As it happens, 480 is almost the precise number of new Kainga Ora staff
([link removed]) that they're planning on adding in 2023...

Equal suffrage: Something that hasn't had a lot of attention (unfortunately) is the government's quiet (almost by stealth) removal of equal suffrage rights in New Zealand. I think almost all New Zealanders would agree on the principle of "one person, one vote", and that each vote should be equal. Sadly the government is actively undermining this principle. This week Parliament passed legislation to give Ngāi Tahu the right to appoint two Councillors to Environment Canterbury. Since people affiliated to Ngāi Tahu will have had an equal vote in the appointment of the other 14 councillors, this arrangement gives Ngāi Tahu voters extra voting power - and there's no way to throw out the councillors if they do a bad job - Ngāi Tahu appoint them, not voters. National has said we will repeal this legislation when in government. There's a second bill undermining equal suffrage also before select committee at the moment - the legislation will give voters on the Maori electoral roll in Rotorua greater
voting power than voters on the general roll. National opposes this too and I'll keep you posted.

Shortland St: The health system is under significant pressure but it was comical (and depressing) to hear the government's plan is to use Shortland St to advertise for more nurses. I asked Megan Woods in Parliament ([link removed]) if she'd had any conversations about using "The Block" to work out how to build more houses...I don't think she liked it much!

Around the Hutt: Sadly my regular Saturday morning session at the Riverbank markets was cancelled last week because of the weather, but it's been good being out and about in the Hutt recently, including a visit to St Michael's school in Taita, collecting for Women's Refuge, a special Hutt citizenship ceremony, and much more. If you see me out and about, please say hello :)

Have a great weekend. I'm off to Christchurch today for the National Party Annual Conference. Watch out for Christopher Luxon's big speech on Sunday morning!

Chris

Families in cars
When they were in Opposition, Labour used to talk a LOT about families living in cars. Now? Not so much. ([link removed])
Fighting hard for locals
Little Footprints is an early learning centre in Pharazyn St in the Hutt. The land they're on is being taken by the Regional Council for the new Melling Interchange/RiverLink project under the Public Works Act and they want to move to a new site not far from the current site.

Annoyingly and unfortunately the government has a Bill going through Parliament that changes the way early childhood education licenses work and so there is no guarantee they can have a license at their new site. This is clearly an anomaly and should be fixed.

I've written to Chris Hipkins about this and also raised it in Parliament on Tuesday. Erica Stanford and I moved an amendment to ensure that centres like Little Footprints that are affected by public works changes can move with the knowledge they will still have a license. The government didn't support so it hasn't passed but Chris Hipkins said "I have made a commitment that I will make sure that services like that have the opportunity to relocate given that it's beyond their control that they have to vacate their current site."

I'll be holding him to this!
Hutt Citizenship Ceremonies
Real pleasure to attend a special ceremony to celebrate people from all over the world who became New Zealand citizens between July 2021 – March 2022 on Thursday night at the Lower Hutt Town Hall. Ceremonies were paused during Covid last year, necessary but a real shame as they are fantastic events.
Congrats to all new citizens!
Equal Citizenship
Proud to stand up for this important principle.
Collecting for Women's Refuge
Collecting for Women's Refuge Hutt Valley on the weekend at Bunnings Petone. Thanks to everyone who donated to this very worthy cause.
Where's Andrew?
Andrew Little agreed to debate Dr Shane Reti.... but never showed.
Sone's Sauces
Have you tried Sone's Sauces before? Incredible local artisan sauces made on the Kapiti Coast. Peanut satay is some of the best I’ve tried. All hand made. Highly recommended. You can get them from one of my favourite stores, Forage Merchants of Wellington ([link removed][0]=AZWZe0q91bpGqpfAQeR2Zw_PTSRcC7_GPClxxazhbwK4poWPwdua7sLo9RjmlZYrnbxo7s7p0YcNTmsBVBhDfPufNnwJdSDBxHn8YRBU1lW_IvxhM686jn4PhWoS9LHlUPVuMoaYRVdNH1tGiLelh6Dz0koDJ9CmR-vx4gG3_cuuLQ&__tn__=kK-R) in Alicetown. Keep up the great work Sone and Mark!
Regular Jeremy photo
A combination of Ladyhawke and Jeremy this week - they came to visit me at Parliament last week!
SHE Trust Applications Open
The SHE Trust's purpose is 'to assist school leavers wishing to continue their education where cost and family circumstances may create a barrier; and for women seeking a second chance at education for whom the cost of study may put this goal out of reach.' Applications have just opened for the 2023 Scholarships. Please find details here. ([link removed])
Friday Funny
Almost reported my colleague Joseph Mooney to the Speaker for his fashion crime in Parliament last week!

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