Nicola's News: 31 March 2023

As you’ll no doubt have noticed, the election year is well underway – doors are being knocked, fliers are being delivered, and public meetings are being held around the district. However, with only 197 days to go until Election Day, we need as much help as we can get to spread National’s messages and policies.

You’ll have noted we have begun our policy roll-out so I’m going to continue to update you on those with these fortnightly emails.

If you can spare some time over the next few weeks to help us deliver some fliers – and our messages - we’d love to hear from you! Simply click the below button, or email [email protected] and we’ll be in touch!

Click here to volunteer

Policy announcement - Education

We all know that education has the power to change lives – it allows children to gain the skills and knowledge they need for further education and to go on and lead successful lives.

Despite this, a high level of secondary school students fail to meet the minimum standard in reading, writing and maths.

Last week, Christopher Luxon announced the first part of National’s wider education policy - which we call Teaching the Basics Brilliantly - and is focused on primary and intermediate education.

National will ensure:

  1. An hour each on reading, writing and maths every day.
  2. Minimum requirements for what schools must teach every year in reading, writing, maths and science.
  3. Regular standardised assessment and clear reporting to parents.
  4. Better training and more tools to support teachers.

National wants every child to have the chance to lead the life they want, and education is a key part of that.

Read more about Teaching the Basics Brilliantly here.

Policy announcement - Build-to-Rent

Rents across New Zealand have skyrocketed under this Government. Here in Selwyn, the median weekly rent has increased by $140 a week since Labour took office in 2017.

Officials warned the Government that removing interest deductibility for landlords and extending the bright-line test – which means anyone selling a property other than the family home within 10 years is considered a speculator – would raise rents, and that’s exactly what has happened.

National will reverse Labour’s interest deductibility and bright-line changes and stop Labour’s war on landlords.

We will unlock more land for housing, drive infrastructure investment to create more housing, share the benefits of housing growth with local communities, increase long-term rental options with Build-to-Rent housing, boost social and affordable housing by backing community housing providers and ensure everyday Kiwis can get mortgages by fixing the Consumer Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act which has cut access to bank lending.

 Read more about National’s Build-to-Rent policy here.

International Women's Day Speech

On International Women’s Day I took part in what’s called the Debate on the Prime Minister’s Statement – and took the chance to highlight to parliament the absolute failure of this Government towards the women of New Zealand.

None of the Government’s so-called plans and taskforces will address the real issues that women face, such as how we’re going to get the 11,000 who lost their jobs during Covid back into the workforce. In my view, the Government is putting women’s lives at risk, with no plans to address the massive backlog of cervical and breast screening tests, and the cancellation of cancer surgeries in Christchurch hospital is an absolute outrage.

A National government would actually get things done and drive real results for women – we’ll extend the mammogram screening to women aged 74, and help families address the cost-of-living crisis with our FamilyBoost package that will provide childcare relief to 130,000 families.

Watch below 👇

Angus Pure Field Day

We’re determined to back farmers with policy designed from the grassroots up. That’s why I invited National Leader, Christopher Luxon and our newly-minted Agriculture spokesperson Todd McClay to Willesden farms in Banks Peninsula last week to hear directly from some of Canterbury’s most progressive farmers.

Kindly hosted by Angus Pure, the field day was a great opportunity to hear what the agriculture sector needs from a future National government.

We understand the heavy burden of unworkable regulations that is being forced on you by this Labour Government, and promise that if elected, we will cut red tape and bureaucracy - allowing you to spend more of your time doing what do you better than the rest of the world.

Out and About

It’s been a very busy month in Selwyn, full of great events and shows. Over the last two weeks, the Selwyn National Party team and I have been at the Leeston Fete, the Malvern A&P Show, the West Melton Fete, and have just finished three days at the South Island Agricultural Field Days.

I have also been connecting with people at home on their doorsteps, and this month, have knocked on hundreds of doors across Rolleston, Prebbleton, Southbridge, Templeton, Yaldhurst and West Melton.

If I haven’t had a chance to meet you yet, I holding a number of events throughout April – whether that be coffee catch-ups in towns across the region, or public meetings on key issues. Keep an eye out on your emails and social media!

Chatting with just one of the 8000 people that went to the West Melton Fete

With Christopher Luxon at the South Island Agricultural Field Days

Public Meeting on Health

New Zealand’s health system is in complete meltdown under Labour. ED wait times have skyrocketed, and Christchurch hospital is so stretched that surgeons are being forced to decide who has the worst cancer.  

I am hosting a public meeting with National’s Health spokesperson, Dr Shane Reti MP, to share National’s plan to fix our struggling health system - from rebuilding the health workforce, bringing back clear and transparent targets, and improving frontline services. Come and hear from Dr Shane about this vitally important issue and share any concerns that you have.

To RSVP and learn more, click here: https://nicolagrigg.national.org.nz/public_meeting_on_health

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], phone 03 344 2800, or pop into the office in Rolleston Square between Monday and Fridays. Please feel free to share this email far and wide.

Kind regards,

Nicola Grigg
http://nicolagrigg.national.org.nz/