Key Notes: Supporting our rural communities

15 Comments
18 June 2010
Key Notes: Supporting our rural communities

In this issue I talk about supporting our rural communities, the All Whites, the foreshore and seabed issue, helping our top athletes, volunteering at the World Cup and more.

Watch and comment on my latest video - click here.

SUPPORTING OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES

I had a great time at Fieldays in Mystery Creek on Wednesday. Fieldays is one of the world's best agricultural events, and it was a good chance to catch up with farmers from all over New Zealand.

Rural communities are the backbone of our economy and National is working hard to support them. We are building competitiveness in our primary sector, encouraging innovation, enhancing biosecurity, and improving the public services and infrastructure that rural families rely on.

Check out my photos from the day here.

See a one-page summary of how we're supporting the primary sector here.

CHEERING ON THE ALL WHITES

I stayed up on Tuesday night to watch the All Whites play Slovakia. It was a late night, but worth staying up to see that excellent goal by Winston Reid. The team played their heart out and it was a great result.

I'm off to South Africa this weekend for their game against Italy. As Patron of the All Whites 2010 World Cup campaign, I'll be proud to cheer them on from inside the stadium. The whole country is right behind coach Ricki Herbert and the team.

I'll also meet business leaders while I'm in South Africa. Our two countries have a very strong relationship and I look forward to building on this.

FIXING THE FORESHORE AND SEABED ISSUE

As part of our confidence and supply agreement with the Maori Party, we promised to review the 2004 Foreshore and Seabed Act.

Our review is complete and this week we announced that we will repeal the Act. We have agreed on a way forward that is in the best interests of all New Zealanders.

We're making sure the foreshore and seabed cannot be sold. We're guaranteeing public access. And we're restoring iwi's ability to test their customary rights to the foreshore and seabed through the courts.

National wants to settle the foreshore and seabed issue once and for all, so it does not remain as a weeping sore that would have to be addressed by a future government.

See a one-page summary of our foreshore and seabed plans here.

HELPING OUR TOP ATHLETES

Sport really matters to New Zealanders. We want to see our top sportspeople succeeding internationally, and we are proud of them when they do.

Last week I announced the largest-ever boost to government funding for high performance sport. I spoke at the Millennium Institute in Auckland, and got to catch up with some of New Zealand's top athletes while I was there. I even got some fitness and training tips from Olympic gold medallist board sailor Tom Ashley.

The funding boost will help expand and develop world-class sporting facilities, including the Millennium Institute, which will become the National Training Centre for High Performance Sport. It will also make sure our best athletes get the support they need to reach their full potential on the world stage.

VOLUNTEERING AT THE RUGBY WORLD CUP

Last week I launched the Rugby World Cup volunteer recruitment programme. Volunteers are an important part of any sporting event, and we're looking for more than 5000 people to help out next year.

Former All Black Michael Jones has agreed to be our Volunteer Ambassador. We're lucky to have him on board, and it was great to see him at the launch. I enjoyed throwing a ball around with him and Petone Rugby Club's under-8 team.

Next year we'll be counting on all New Zealanders to help make sure the World Cup is a success by being excellent hosts. Volunteering is one way to get involved in the biggest and most exciting sporting event New Zealand has ever hosted.

Michael and the Rugby World Cup team are on a nationwide volunteer recruitment road show to encourage New Zealanders to sign up. Find out more here.

FROM MY DIARY

It was good to get out and about in Tauranga with local MPs Simon Bridges and Tony Ryall yesterday (click for photos). I chatted to lots of locals and had a busy day, including opening the North Island Mussel Processors' factory.

We've been busy talking about Budget 2010 in Parliament again this week. To find out how the tax changes will affect you, visit our tax calculator at www.taxguide.govt.nz. You can also see my Budget video here.

Best wishes

John Key
Prime Minister

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#1 - Peter Hinton 2010-06-18 19:35 - (Reply)

As a new New Zealander I am pleased we have a sensible and fair approach to problems faced in NZ. The actions of this Government and its ability to take difficult decisions is encouraging. As a family we will be proud to own a NZ passport and consider ourselves New Zealanders.

#2 - Bernard Duley 2010-06-18 21:38 - (Reply)

John, mate, don't go to sth africa. stay here and try to make NZ understand the ETS tax you have imposed on us!!!! You don't need your salary to live on but we need our savings and super to survive. GST, ETS as from July 1? Yes? No tax relief until October? In the mean time we all suffer and you don't!!! We don't need you as a one term govt. Sort it out PLEASE!!!!

#3 - Alan Henderson said:
2010-06-19 05:21 - (Reply)

It's all good stuff John, but what are you doing to turn around our abysmal productivity and to catch up with Australia?

#4 - D.B.O'Brien 2010-06-19 08:25 - (Reply)

seabed and foreshore.Enjoyed your visit to Tauranga.Thanks for repealing the foreshore and sea bed act.Since Maori have been particularly hard hit by the recession it will be a great 'morale' boost for them to enjoy even a small perceived victory.Allowing them to participate fully in formulating a successful replacement Act would enhance that boost and progress a learning curve. It may take time however.Thanks Barry O'Brien

#5 - Rob Morley-Smith 2010-06-19 08:58 - (Reply)

Despite some very carefully crafted rhetoric, your explanations as to why your government is forging ahead with the ETS defies every other indication that you are a pretty intelligent guy!

#6 - heather graham 2010-06-19 09:06 - (Reply)

In support of farmers If you are going to hit farmers with a fart tax I assume you are also going to hit the human population with a similiar tax. After all we each contribute some 2 to 3 ltrs of fart gas to the atmosphere every day

#7 - Raymond 2010-06-19 10:02 - (Reply)

Your rationale for the National Party ETScam is a nonsense. You are prepared to tax NZers and internationally disadvantage our producers as you follow a fatuous pipedream. We didn't vote for National to put up with this level of ridiculous taxation. WE are extremely disappointed with this Natiobal administration . Count us out in 2011.

#8 - D Morgan 2010-06-19 10:21 - (Reply)

Sorry I do not know how to comment on the ETS so it will have to be here. I am very dissapointed in National's stance on this. It is financial madness for this country and the less well off. Absolutly no need for it at all at least in the form it is in. Thanks for reading, I know no one will listen. Don

#9 - john Tresidder said:
2010-06-19 11:51 - (Reply)

Foreshore and Seabed issue. Not if, but when the iwi contest their customary rights, WHO WILL PAY THE MILLIONS REQUIRED TO DO THIS? or will it be just another tax payer ripoff by the negative members of maoridom. If this is the case its got to STOP.

#10 - Libby Manning 2010-06-19 12:59 - (Reply)

John Key you have lost my vote. Helen Clark finally got it right with the existing foreshore and seabed act - you have re-opened the "weeping sore" for all New Zealanders. What you plan to introduce will set NZ back for decades and will only make the lawyers rich and hold back development for all NZ. It is a nonsense to suggest that anyone person/tribe could own or have customary rights up to 12 miles from the shore. You are a huge disappointment.

#11 - Bob Young 2010-06-19 14:47 - (Reply)

Can you tell me why you are persisting with the ETS when most people who are up with current opinion are not for it???????? And will you reverse it??? with your performance to date, my vote is hanging by a threat.

#11.1 - Nick 2010-06-23 11:44 - (Reply)

You need to realise that the ets has been designed to eventually destroy our economy and the economies of nearly every other developed nation. Obviously it will be incrementally implemented just like every other means of social control and thus while we salivate over the feats of our all whites or the lastest gadget from apple they are quietly pulling the rug out from under our feat. In the future when your children ask you why in your day you had what seemed like so much you'll be able to tell them it was because there was a concerted effort to save little bunny rabbits from the ravages of humanity.

#12 - Stuart Goudie 2010-06-21 12:03 - (Reply)

Re your previous newsletter concerning leaky homes -I have contacted minister Williamson suggesting he runs a TV campaign similar to the Govt sponsered advert promoting consumers only purchase vehicles with electronic stablitity control. We as importers of a well known exterior cladding have had our product appraised by BEAL to give builders and assoc. tradespeople confidence our product won't leak. In the latest DBH briefing minister Williamson is stating there will be more responsibility placed on the consumer concerning leak proof claddings when specifying such product to take some of the responsibility off T/A's. That being the case and if this Govt policy, then it is up to the Govt to ensure the consumer is made aware of which products have passed an appraisal process carried out by a NZ testing laboratory familiar with the extremes of NZ weather conditions. To date I have had no satisfactory reply from Minister Williamson

#13 - Selwyn D Henshaw 2010-06-22 17:21 - (Reply)

Sorry John Key, You have no idea just how many prevous long standing National party supporters you have lost over the foreshore and seabed issue. I believe if left in its current form it could spell the downfall of the Government next election. Perhaps you could put my mind at rest by commenting point by point and in detail on the claims made in Dr Muriel Newman's latest newsletter. If she and other contributors are correct the future ramifications are quite depressing.

#13.1 - Libby Manning 2010-06-23 13:49 - (Reply)

Neatly put. I have not met anyone yet who agrees with National's stance on the foreshore and seabed - quite the reverse. Many people I have spoken to are feeling very angry and let down. John key must take notice very soon or National will be history.

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