Youth Smoking Snapshot Survey Shows a Positive Result for Rangitata

In New Zealand, the average smoker starts at the age of 14.6. As a result, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) New Zealand has been conducting an annual survey on Year 10 smoking rates since 1999. This year's results show that in line with the national trend, Rangitata's smoking rates are continuing to decline.

In 1999, just under 20% of 14- and 15-year-olds in Rangitata were daily smokers, compared to the national figure of 15.6%. However, in 2009, the figure had dropped to less than 5%, while the figure for the rest of the country was reported at 5.9%.
Over recent years I have met with the South Canterbury Smokefree Ambassadors. It is quite likely that they can take some of the credit for this result, as they work actively to discourage young people from starting smoking.

While there is still work to be done, it is encouraging to see that smoking among both New Zealand and Rangitata youth are continuing to decline.

Alcohol Reform

This month, the National government demonstrated its commitment to addressing the issues of alcohol-related harm with the announcement of a comprehensive alcohol law reform package. The package aims to achieve three things:

• Less alcohol-related harm (including deaths and family violence)

• A reduction in New Zealand's binge drinking culture, especially amongst youth

• A reduction in the number of alcohol outlets and their trading hours
Alcohol is estimated to contribute to around 1,000 deaths a year in New Zealand. It is implicated in 30 per cent of all police recorded offences and in 50 per cent of all homicides. National is responding to the public's call for action and as a result, our law reform package adopts in full, or in part, 126 of the 153 recommendations made by the Law Commission.

Among the key features of the package are:

• Introducing a graduated approach to purchasing alcohol - 18 years for on-licences and 20 for off-licences
• Increasing penalties for licence breaches
• Requiring more parental and individual responsibility for supply to minors
• Setting maximum hours of 7am to 11pm for off-licences and 8am to 4pm for on-licences and club licences
• Improving public education and treatment services for people with dependency issues

The package is a careful balance of managing the harm caused by alcohol and of trusting responsible New Zealanders to make their own decisions about their alcohol consumption. We acknowledge that legislation alone will not turn around binge drinking culture but these reforms can and will support a culture change.

We hope to pass this legislation into law before the end of this parliamentary term. We will listen carefully to the public through the select committee process - information on the bill and on making a submission can be found at www.parliament.nz. If you would like further information on the alcohol reform package, please contact my electorate offices.

Foreshore and Seabed Legislation

Recently, an organisation called the Coastal Coalition launched a billboard campaign accusing the Government of giving control of the seabed and foreshore to Maori iwi. However, these claims are not true. Our bottom line has always been to guarantee free and public access to all New Zealanders. 

The replacement law will allow for Maori to have access to justice through the Courts to seek customary title. The 2004 Act took this away. Where customary title is recognised, public access and public rights are still guaranteed.

Where customary title can be proved, it will sit alongside the "public space" rights of public access, fishing, navigation, and existing use rights. Customary title does not exclude these guaranteed public rights - it includes them.

The Government's proposal will introduce a non-ownership regime to the foreshore and seabed. This will allow the interests and rights of all New Zealanders in that public space to be recognised and protected. This will also ensure it can never be sold.

TrustPower District Community Awards

I recently had the pleasure of attending the TrustPower Timaru District Community Awards and I would like to congratulate the Rotary Clubs of South Canterbury, who were the supreme winners. Their project involves the distribution of a free illustrated dictionary to every Year Four pupil in the region. This is a fantastic initiative and I congratulate the Rotary Clubs of South Canterbury for their sterling work.

I also had the pleasure of attending the TrustPower Ashburton District Community Awards in May and I would like to congratulate McClimont's Green Development Committee (Mt Somers), who were the supreme winners. In 2004, a section of open land in Mount Somers was purchased by this committee thanks to generous donations from local residents. The initial purchase was to prevent the region‘s growth from impacting on the open nature of the land, and views of the surrounding mountains.

The community decided to landscape the area in a way that would increase understanding and awareness of the region‘s varied and often unique plants and landforms.

The TrustPower Community Awards were initially set up with the Western Bay of Plenty District Council in 1994 when TrustPower became a listed company.

Since then, TrustPower has established Community Awards in cities and districts right around the country, as a way of giving something back to its customers and their community.

The TrustPower Community Awards are run in 24 districts around the country, in conjunction with local district or city councils. Any voluntary group or volunteer-based not-for-profit organisation is eligible for the Awards, which recognise past achievements or work undertaken by volunteers over the previous 12 months.
Each year I try to attend these awards as it gives me a chance to hear about and meet many amazing volunteers.

Snippets
• Monday 30 August: Ashburton business professionals' group dinner at Hotel Ashburton

• Tuesday 31 August: Minister of Education Hon Anne Tolleys visiting Rangitata electorate

• Wednesday 1 September - Friday 3 September: New Zealand Business in Parliament Trust Attachment with New Zealand Post

• Friday 3 September: ECAN Commissioner's update

• Saturday 4 September: Attending Temuka Fire Brigade Gold Star & Honours Awards at St Joseph's Hall, Temuka

• Monday 6 September: Rangitata Electorate meeting at Hinds Church Hall

• Thursday 9 September: Aoraki Business Excellence Awards at Caroline Bay Hall

• Saturday 11 September: Bullrush Chocolates world record attempt in Ashburton

Regards,

Jo Goodhew MP
www.goodhew.co.nz

Please do not reply directly to this newsletter. If you wish to share your reactions with Jo Goodhew, please send her an email at jo.goodhew@national.org.nz If you wish to subscribe, please visit www.national.org.nz and follow the links. If you wish to UNSUBSCRIBE or update your subscriptions, please follow this link to update your subscription details. If you are unsubscribing, please drop us a line at jo.goodhew@national.org.nz

Posted by admin in Newsletter at 10:34

Artwork for Women's Refuge

I recently had the pleasure of painting a small canvas to raise money for Women's Refuge South Canterbury. I was delighted to deliver a speech on the evening at the close of the exhibition and I thought I would include a couple of paragraphs from the speech:

"Creating the artwork that hangs amongst so many tonight took me out of my comfort zone. It is that concept, of being out of one's "comfort zone" that I wish to now focus on.

Posted by admin in Newsletter at 10:43

Click here - or on the image - to watch my latest video update.

Survey Responses

I have been delighted with the responses to the survey I sent out to constituents in late June. I am currently working my way through the survey responses and I want to assure you that those who have written letters and asked questions will receive responses as soon as possible.

Posted by admin in Newsletter at 11:05 | Trackbacks (0)

Youth Parliament 2010

Georgia Robertson, an Ashburton College Yr 13 student, represented the Rangitata electorate at the recent Youth Parliament.

She was one of 122 young New Zealanders, aged 16 to 20 years, representing each sitting MP who took over Parliament for two days during the school holidays. Youth Parliament is held once each Parliamentary term.

Posted by admin in Newsletter at 10:28

Rangitata Electorate Schools to get Broadband Boost

Twelve Rangitata electorate schools will share in a $37.5 million allocation for ICT upgrades announced on 30 June.

The twelve Mid and South Canterbury schools are among 239 schools around the country that are set to receive ICT upgrades as part of the second phase of the Government’s commitment to high speed broadband in schools. Funding for this phase was announced in Budget 2010.

I am delighted that Rangitata schools are included in the allocation in this latest round of the $150 million boost for school network upgrades, part of the government’s $1.5 billion six-year Broadband Investment Initiative.

Mid Canterbury schools to receive funding are Ashburton College, Carew Peel Forest School, Dorie School, Hampstead School, Longbeach School and Tinwald School. Timaru District schools are Highfield School, Mountainview High School, Opihi College, St Joseph’s School (Pleasant Point), St Joseph’s School (Temuka) and Temuka Primary School.

Upgrading the schools’ networks will mean teachers and students in every classroom will have the capability to access ultra-fast broadband. Access to high-speed broadband is a vital part of ensuring students get a 21st century education in a 21st century economy.

We want to enable as many students as possible to take full advantage of the benefits provided by this technology. This roll out will contribute to the government’s goal of ensuring our schools provide the best possible education to their students.

Most children currently at school will spend much of their working lives online.  It’s important that our schools have the capacity to prepare them for that.

Commonwealth Parliamentary Whips Network

I am privileged to be representing both the New Zealand Parliament and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Pacific Region at the first Commonwealth Parliamentary Whips Workshop, which is being held in New South Wales, Australia for four days from Tuesday, 13 July 2010.

Funded by the CPA and in association with the Commonwealth Parliament of Australia, the workshop will launch the Commonwealth Parliamentary Whips Network which aims to develop links between whips from throughout the Commonwealth in order to share information about their role and work.  It will also provide a professional development opportunity for whips.

Topics for discussion at the workshop include managing the business of parliament, the functions of party whips, liaison with parliamentary staff and combining the whip’s role with electorate responsibilities.

Whips from Parliament’s throughout the Commonwealth will attend the meeting.

1 July Changes

The majority of New Zealanders will be better off over the next few years, even after including the one-off impact of the Emissions Trading Scheme and ACC motor vehicle levy changes that take effect on 1 July.

On 1 October, the average family will be about $25 a week better off from the income tax-GST switch announced in the Budget.

This is considerably more than the cost of the ETS to the average household, which is estimated to be $3.17 a week – half what Labour’s ETS would have cost.

Come 1 October, New Zealanders will have had three rounds of tax cuts in two years. These three tax cuts will make someone earning the average wage about $64 a week better off than they were in August 2008, and the average family just under $100 a week better off since that date.

Law & Order: Putting victims first

Having worked with Victim Support in the past I believe it is vital that victim’s needs are recognised. National is committed to placing victims at the heart of the justice system.

We are enhancing services to victims of violent crimes with a range of initiatives that address the financial and emotional costs that fall on them. Convicted offenders will now pay a $50 offender levy towards these services.

Late last year, we began rolling out initiatives funded by this levy. From 1 July 2010 further measures will come into effect including enhanced homicide support services, a court service for victims of sexual violence, and new information sources for victims and their families. Police will also be able to issue on-the-spot safety orders, giving immediate protection from dangerous situations for victims of domestic violence.

More information:http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/convicted+offenders+pay+50+levy+victims+thursday

Voluntary Bonding

South Canterbury DHB has benefitted greatly from its inclusion earlier this year in the Voluntary Bonding Scheme launched in 2009 by Health Minister Tony Ryall.

In October last year I wrote to the Minister of Health and asked him to consider adding SCDHB to the list of DHBs eligible for voluntary bonding. Earlier this year he announced his agreement to this. Now we see the concrete results of this.

Fifteen health graduates are likely to start work at the SCDHB this year as a result of the scheme which encourages graduate doctors, nurses and midwives to establish careers in communities and medical specialties that need them most by offering them student loan write offs, or cash incentives for those without student loans, if they work in these areas for three to five years.
South Canterbury DHB was added to the list of hard to staff regions in February.
Nationally, the voluntary bonding scheme has been over subscribed for the second year in a row with a total of around 1,400 graduates now accepted into the scheme.
This year 501 graduates - 64 doctors, 45 midwives and 392 nursing graduates - have joined the scheme which aims to keep our home grown health graduates living and working in New Zealand.

Lottery Grant Boost to Aquatic Centre

I am delighted the Caroline Bay Aquatic Centre project has been granted $750,000 from the Lottery Community Facilities Fund. The grant, announced last week, is a significant contribution towards the $23.5 million project and helps support the tremendous effort the community is putting in to make this project a reality.

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) also contributed $100,000 to the project last week due to the Timaru District Council's decision to use a woodchip furnace heating system as a supplementary heating source for the project.

I was very happy to endorse the Timaru District Council's application to the Lottery Community Facility Fund. This project will be a great asset to the community.

Snippets

? Tuesday 6 July: In Wellington for the official Opening of the 2010 Youth Parliament.
? Thursday 8 July: Speaking at the South Canterbury Branch Institute of Professional Engineers.
? Tuesday 13-Friday 16 July: Attending the CPA Parliamentary Whips Network in New South Wales.
? Saturday 17-Sunday 18 July: National Party Conference in Auckland.

Posted by admin in Newsletter at 13:30