The Government has asked for final proposals to roll out broadband to our rural communities.

In April, we asked for expressions of interest to roll out faster broadband to rural New Zealand. It was clear that, while regional bidders were able to make a significant impact on broadband coverage, they would not achieve our targets.

We’re now seeking national coverage proposals, but are encouraging partnerships between regional infrastructure companies and national bidders.

With this approach, we are confident of achieving our target of 80 per cent of rural households and businesses having access to broadband at 5Mbps or better within the six year period.

Rural broadband is part of National’s plan to boost our infrastructure and ensure we’re competitive in the 21st century.
 
More information:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/rural+broadband+final+proposals+sought

The National-led Government has put 100 extra paramedics in New Zealand ambulances.

St John New Zealand has allocated the new paramedics in more than 40 centres throughout New Zealand, including many of our smaller towns. The new paramedics are part of our $48 million, four-year spend to support national ambulance services.

The impact on the ground is significant. Otaki has three new paramedics, and the number of incidents attended by two officers has doubled to 88 per cent. Otorohanga and Te Kuiti each have two extra paramedics, meaning an ambulance officer will be on duty in the town seven days a week.

Kaitaia, Dargaville, Kaikohe, Waihi, Paeroa and Thames now have 24-hour, seven-day-a-week cover. Wellington's reliance on volunteer staff to fully crew ambulances has been reduced, and the average number of ambulances available both day and night has increased.

National is committed to better frontline health services so more New Zealanders get access to better, sooner, more convenient healthcare.

More information:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/100+extra+paramedics+join+health+frontline

There are major problems with water management in Canterbury, and the National-led Government has made a number of changes to address these. Your views about these changes are important. Please take the time to download and read our water pamphlet (click here for that), complete the response form, and return it freepost to me. I look forward to hearing from you.

National has announced a fundamental reform of New Zealand’s alcohol laws.

Many New Zealanders told us the pendulum has swung too far towards relaxation of alcohol laws. Our package adopts in full, or in part, 126 of the 153 Law Commission recommendations, as well as making other changes. We’re tackling alcohol-related harm, including crime, disorder, and public health problems.

Alcohol is estimated to contribute to 1000 deaths a year, and is implicated in 30 per cent of all police recorded offences, 34 per cent of recorded family violence, and 50 per cent of all homicides.

We cannot legislate away New Zealand’s binge-drinking culture, but legislation can contribute to a culture change.  This package will support a moderate drinking culture through controls on the availability and proliferation of alcohol.

Our package strikes the right balance between not unfairly affecting responsible drinkers, and dealing with the considerable harm alcohol causes.

More information:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government+outlines+balanced+plan+alcohol+reform

National has set up an independent Savings Working Group to consider how New Zealand can improve its national savings.

 

It’s a critical issue for New Zealand, as we rely heavily on borrowing money overseas. This means high and rising debt to the rest of the world.

 

We have deliberately set wide terms of reference for the Working Group. The only exclusions are New Zealand Superannuation, which this Government will not change, and broad taxation of capital gains or land, which we have previously said we will not introduce.

 

Otherwise, we are not ruling anything in or out.

 

The Savings Working Group will canvass a range of options for improving New Zealand’s overall savings performance, including government savings. It will report back to the Government by January 2011.

 

Improving our level of savings is the next step in National’s economic plan to boost growth, create jobs, and grow a stronger economy.

 

More information:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/wide+brief+expert+group+savings+options

Selwyn MP Amy Adams has welcomed the news that Selwyn District Council has today voted to support her call to lower speed limits outside Selwyn schools.

“Over the course of the last 18 months I have been working with schools like Weedons, Burnham and Broadfields to call on the Selwyn District Council to lower the speed limits outside our rural primary schools.” Mrs Adams said.

“In June this year I presented Council with my petition, backed by over 4000 Selwyn residents, demanding action from Council on this.  It has always been the Council’s decision and it is great to see that today they have taken action.”

The petition launched by Mrs Adams called for a reduced speed limit outside schools during pick up and drop off times. 

“My preference has always been using the variable school speed zone rules which permit Council to lower the speeds during the times of greatest activity.  Council have instead gone down a different path and have decided to try and apply permanent speed reductions down to 50 km/h in front of each school.”

“Anything that makes our kids safer is welcomed but I would be concerned if for any reason the approach that has been taken did not prove to be possible.”

A period of consultation will now be undertaken by Council before they move to implement the lower speeds.

Selwyn MP Amy Adams is deeply concerned after learning safety upgrades to the Courtenay Road level crossing in Kirwee have been delayed by at least another year.

“This unprotected crossing is one of the busiest in Selwyn,” says Ms Adams. “On top of that, there is poor visibility due to track curving, it is located very close to a SH73 intersection, and is used frequently by buses and school children,” she says.

“I have personally witnessed a number of near misses, some of which have been such a close call, it has left me shaken.”

The Selwyn Electorate MP says she has raised safety concerns with Kiwirail on several occasions since her election in 2008, and was told the Courtenay Road crossing would have flashing lights and bells by June this year.

“I am now told other works have been done instead because of changes to rail networks in Wellington and Auckland, and the safety upgrade is at best 15 months away.”

“I appreciate priorities for safety upgrades are based largely on collision statistics, but my fear is that the Courtenay Road crossing is an accident waiting to happen,” Amy Adams says. “This work is needed urgently.”

Just back from Parliament's recess, Amy talks about her recent tour with the Navy, her work on the MMP referendum and developments in the Selwyn electorate.

Amy Adams, MP for Selwyn, encourages you to donate to the Cancer Society in exchange for a Daffodil on Friday 27 August.

"This year is the 20th Anniversary of Daffidol Day, and reminds us that cancer affects one in three New Zealanders," says Amy Adams.

"Daffodil Day started in 1990 and is a major fundraising event for The Cancer Society. Donations received are crucial to helping reduce the incidence and impact of cancer in the community, and ensuring the best cancer care for New Zealanders.

"I will be wearing my daffodil as a symbol of hope for those who are dealing with cancer."

Donations can be made to any collector on the streets on Friday 27 August.

You can also call 0900 31 111 to make an instant $20 donation, or text ‘daffodil’ to 883 to make a $3 donation.

For more information and other ways to donate see www.daffidolday.co.nz

 

New Rolleston Police Station:

I’ve been campaigning for a new Police Station in Rolleston since my election so I’m thrilled that construction of a new purpose built police station is to start next year. This is great news, not only for Rolleston but for the whole Selwyn District. Selwyn District was the fastest growing territorial authority in NZ in 2008-09 and this is the sort of infrastructure development we need.

Our local police are central to the lifestyle we are able to enjoy in Selwyn and it is important that they have not only a strong community presence, but also good facilities to work from. The new building is expected to be open by mid-2012.

Five local schools amongst 239 to start broadband upgrade.

Halswell School, Templeton School, Okains Bay School, Darfield High School and Tai Tapu School are the latest Selwyn schools to receive government-subsidised network upgrades, in preparation for ultra-fast broadband.

Students will directly benefit from ultra-fast access to online content and services at schools.

Ultra-fast broadband will help schools to operate, improve student achievement and provide a much wider range of learning opportunities for both students and their teachers. More schools will be invited to upgrade their networks in 2011.

Faster broadband has been on the wish list for many schools in the Selwyn electorate. A faster connection has the potential to help schools improve assessment practices and operate more efficiently.

As announced in Budget 2010, $48.3 million will be invested to roll out the School Network Upgrade Project, which is part of the government's $1.5 billion six-year Broadband Investment Initiative.

Employment Law Reforms

National is working hard to lift the long-term performance of the economy, create more jobs, raise living standards, and deliver world-class public services for Kiwi families. Our employment law package contains practical solutions to issues facing employers and employees.

It will reduce compliance costs, give businesses more confidence to take on new staff, help resolve workplace disputes faster, and provide more choices for employees and employers. One important part of the employment law package is the extension of the 90-day trial period for new employees where they agree to be taken on under a trial period.

The voluntary trial period will now be available to all employers, not just those with 20 or fewer staff. This will give employers more confidence to take on new staff, and it will give Kiwi workers the chance to prove themselves in a job.

Boost for Air Ambulances

I was thrilled to be able to present a cheque for $78,159 to the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust thanks to extra government funding, part of a $1 million funding boost for air ambulances across New Zealand.

Air ambulance helicopters are there 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Government is working hard to ensure these critical, life-saving services continue to serve the community and save lives. As the local MP for a large rural electorate, many of my communities rely on the services of the Air Rescue Trust so it was great to be able to take the time to say thanks.

 

Volunteers Morning Tea

I had the pleasure of joining the wonderful volunteers of the Rolleston Day Club, Selwyn Newcomers Network and the Selwyn Community Care group for morning tea as part of Volunteer Week in June. Volunteers put in an enormous amount of time and effort often at their own cost and I was very pleased to be able to join them for morning tea in recognition of the fantastic work they do in Selwyn.

Youth MP 2010

On the 6th and 7th July this year the seats of government were taken over by 122 16 - 18 year olds from around the country for this year’s Youth Parliament. Every MP in Parliament is asked to select a youth MP from their electorate to attend, which has been held every three years since 1994.

Hannah Singh from Darfield was the successful participant from Selwyn this year. Hannah was one of 12 participants on the Justice and Electoral Select Committee where they debated a background paper on the issue of changing New Zealand’s flag and hearing the submissions made by the RSA and Ministry of Justice. The main topic of debate in the assembly of 122 Youth MP’s was the Adult Rights and Responsibilities (Age of Majority) Bill, which proposed to move  the default age of adulthood from 20 to 18 years old. Although the Bill was passed by Youth MP’s, Hannah was disappointed.

“Our side didn’t quite win, which is sort of sad,” says Hannah, who believes that older teenagers have enough responsibility already. “That two year year period from 18 – 20 is important for growing and maturing.” Hannah enjoyed her experience in Wellington and is looking forward to the next 6 months as Youth MP for Selwyn.  I have to agree with Hannah when she says that being an MP was harder than she thought!

 

Bluegreen Forum

The Bluegreens are the National Party’s advisory group on environmental issues.

They are committed to exploring environmental policy in areas such as biosecurity, conservation and outdoor recreation, and investigating ways to integrate environmentally-friendly values into mainstream policy-making.

Each year they run a forum where attendees have the opportunity to hear from leading speakers and engage in policy debates. This year the forum is to be held in Akaroa on the 16th and 17th October. Topics include Water, Climate Change, Waste Management and Coastal and Oceans with speakers including Sir Geoffrey Palmer, Hon Bill English and the Hon Nick Smith.  

This will be a great event and it is wonderful that it is being held in our own patch making this year’s forum easier than ever to attend.  More information can be found on the Bluegreens website at www.bluegreens.org.nz or contact Sharon O’Callaghan on email: liam1@clear.net.nz or P O Box 107, Kirwee 7543.

Great to be part of the team

As well as doing my best to represent the people of Selwyn, I’m part of a team that is working hard with Prime Minister John Key to deliver on our election promises, protect New Zealanders from the sharpest edges of the global recession, and build a safe and prosperous NZ. National relies on the support of its many members to make sure that we are effectively listening to the concerns of every community and developing the policies our country needs. If you want further information on becoming involved, you can find it at www.national.org.nz.

 

 

Amy Adams MP

For more information, please visit my website www.amyadams.co.nz
You are welcome to email me at amy.adams@parliament.govt.nz

Electorate Office
829 Main South Road Templeton 
ph +64 3 344 0418 | fax +64 3 344 0420 | selwynoffice@parliament.govt.nz

Parliamentary Office
Parliament Buildings, Wellington
ph +64 4 817 8225 | fax 04 473 0469 | amy.adams@parliament.govt.nz

National has accepted a Commerce Commission recommendation to regulate mobile termination rates. This will promote more competition between different mobile operators, and better prices for mobile phone users.

Mobile termination rates are the wholesale prices charged by mobile network operators like Telecom, Vodafone, and 2 degrees, for providing services to customers from other networks.

The Telecommunications Act requires the Minister to make decisions that best promote competition for the long-term benefit of end-users of telecommunications services. 

Better prices will mean more money in your pocket. More competition will help contribute to our plan to grow the economy, and boost long-term growth and incomes for all New Zealanders.

More information:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/decision+mobile+termination+rates

National has announced a new system to calculate rents for high country pastoral leases, which will benefit a significant number of farmers.

There are 231 pastoral leases covering 1.6 million hectares of pastoral land, mainly in Canterbury and Central Otago. The current system for setting rents is complicated, costly, and often produces disputes over both the process and the result.

The new approach will see rents for Crown pastoral land based on the earning capacity of the land, and will consider other factors such as pastoral economic conditions. It will be easier to administer, more transparent, and provide a fair rent.

National has worked closely with stakeholders. We’re giving farmers greater certainty, and letting them get on with their jobs instead of fighting bureaucracy.

More information:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/govt+announces+new+pastoral+lease+rent+policy

National is reviewing spending on policy advice across all departments and agencies.

 

Under Labour, total spending on policy advice jumped from an estimated $510 million to $880 million between 2003 and 2009. Policy advice now accounts for nearly three quarters of the total annual police budget, and almost matches our annual spending on social housing.

 

The review will examine whether the focus and level of spending line up with Government priorities. We spend $50 billion a year running the public sector, and it is important we get value for taxpayers as well as better frontline services.

 

Delivering a better, smarter public service is one of National’s six policy drivers to achieve faster growth. This review is the latest step in that process.

 

More information:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government+review+spending+policy+advice

 

National is serious about addressing New Zealand's high child abuse rates. This week Police and Child Youth and Family signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which will ensure a close working relationship in particularly critical cases.

We know that no single agency or organisation can tackle child abuse alone. It is a problem that requires the expertise, knowledge and resources of a wide range of agencies, organisations, individuals, and the community.

The memorandum is part of a wider Government programme. Measures include partnering with NGOs through the First Response pilot, extra social workers in hospitals, multi agency discharge meetings, positive parenting classes, respite holiday programmes, and the ‘Never Shake a Baby’ campaign.

Police and CYF are two of the frontline agencies who deal with the terrible results of child abuse every day. This memorandum shows their commitment to tackling child abuse.

More information:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/police+and+cyf+sign+child+protection+mou

National is changing the way the Ministry of Education supports teachers and pupils. We have announced targeted funding and support for children identified through National Standards as needing extra help.

At least 50 expert practitioners from the Ministry and the education sector will be appointed to work closely with schools, use student data to assess where support will be most effective, and make sure schools get help sooner.

We’re also investing $36 million in new intervention programmes for students who need extra support in reading, writing and maths outside classroom teaching.

The Ministry of Education will also change its approach to professional development for teachers and principals to focus squarely on lifting student achievement.

More information:http:
//www.beehive.govt.nz/release/major+new+approach+lifting+student+achievement