I wanted you to know that I only ever tell the good stories about Wairoa. I love talking about the Lake to Lighthouse race, the Wairoa Races, the “Longest Day” in the Cactus Program, the High School Stage Challenge Team, the Wairoa Ross Shield Team, the Anzac Service at Kaiuku, the A&P Show, the hundreds if not thousands of great things that go on day in day out in Wairoa which are not portrayed in the national news.

I recall campaigning in Wairoa at the last election. I’ll never forget the friendly way I was greeted at each place that someone was home. Even if people didn’t care for National Party politics, they gave me the time of day, said “Gidday” and smiled. Many front doors were open as I walked up proof that people felt safe in their community. It reminded me of growing up in Taradale when we all used to leave our windows and front doors open.

While we can talk about the great side of the community we have to deal with crime because it impacts on us all.  It does affect our community.  It does affect our economy.  But the biggest impact is on the victims of crime and their families.  They have to deal with the emotional, physical, and financial effects of crime long after it’s been committed.

Victims have been neglected for too long.  So I am pleased that our Government is putting victims at the heart of the justice system.

Two weeks ago, (1 July) on-the-spot safety orders came into effect.  These ensure that victims of domestic violence get immediate protection from dangerous situations.

Police will now be able to remove an alleged violent person from the home for a period of up to five days.  This will provide a period of safety in which victims can consider their options.

National is also improving services for victims of violent crime.  These include a range of initiatives that will help address the financial and emotional costs that victims face.

From 1 July, all convicted offenders will pay a $50 offender levy.  This levy will be imposed automatically on offenders at sentencing – regardless of the crime they commit.  The levy will collect an estimated $13.6 million over the first four years.  It will support additional entitlements and services for victims of serious crime.

These include:

• Increased grants for families of homicide victims.
• Assistance with expenses resulting from sexual violence.
• A High Court attendance grant of $124 per person per day for up to five adult members of a homicide victim’s family.
• Increases in travel, accommodation, and childcare assistance for victims attending court proceedings.
• Funeral grants for families of homicide victims.

National is committed to addressing the impact of crime on victims.  We can’t take away the pain of victims’ loss or injury, but we can help to smooth the way.

Our new on-the-spot safety orders, the new offender levy, and extra victim support will help ensure offenders contribute to addressing the harm their behaviour causes, and put victims at the heart of the justice system.

This aside – let’s all focus on the many positive things that occur day in and day out in Wairoa. We know it’s a magic town. Rest assured I’ll be doing my bit to tell the world.

 Chris Tremain – MP Napier/Wairoa

“Hawkes Bay is where you will find ‘ Wine Country’. We believe we can be the tourist capital of New Zealand,” says Chris Tremain MP for Napier. “With the airport extension happening this statement will become a reality.”

“Long hot summers and mild sunny winters makes Hawke’s Bay the perfect year round holiday destination,” adds Craig Foss MP for Tukituki.

“We have fabulous regional facilities such as the Hawke’s Bay Museum, the Regional Sports Park, the New Zealand National Aquarium and a Napier Port that accommodates the cruise ships. These all boost out tourism prospects,” Craig adds.

“The numbers show that the tourism sector is highly resilient and has weathered the recession,” Chris Tremain says.  “We are one of only a small group of countries whose international arrivals are holding steady and with the Rugby World Cup just around the corner; we can look forward to some good growth. Hawke’s Bay bid for rugby games has paid off already.”

“Government continues to actively support the sector with an additional $30 million to feed into tourism marketing.  This follows on from an extra $20 million for Tourism New Zealand last year.  Hawke’s Bay has already benefited from this and will continue to do so,” says Craig.

“Given the tight fiscal nature of this year’s budget, this further funding is a huge vote of confidence in New Zealand tourism,” says Chris “These forecasts set out a solid starting point, but I believe that the sector will outperform them.”

By the end of 2010 arrivals should grow by 3.7%. 2011 predictions are for a 6.8% increase in arrivals—a product of both the Rugby World Cup and an improved global economic outlook.

For further information on the latest forecasts and publication please visit:
http://www.tourismresearch.govt.nz/Data–Analysis/Forecasts/2009—2015-Forecasts—Regional/Regional-Forecasts-Key-Data/ <http://www.tourismresearch.govt.nz/Data–Analysis/Forecasts/2009—2015-Forecasts—Regional/Regional-Forecasts-Key-Data/>

The Napier City Council and the Hawkes Bay Regional Council approached me to see what could be done.  I agreed that there needed to be air quality standards around New Zealand but thought that there had to be a way to implement the standards at minimal cost. At the time Napier had recorded just five exceedances per annum and given this small number of breaches it seemed ridiculous to force massive change so quickly.  This was especially so when it was predicted Napier would meet the standard as a City simply by requiring new home builds and home sales  to meet the standard over a longer time period.

As a result Craig Foss and I met with Minister Nick Smith and also asked him to meet with the respective councils to understand the issue we faced. Fact was that in cities like Christchurch, they’ve known they had a problem for decades and have had the chance to change.  Quite frankly Napier didn’t know we had an issue until we measured it (I certainly didn’t) and as a result the time frame given for us to meet the standard was unworkable.

Our meeting and others around the country convinced the Minister to review the standards.  The upshot of this is a discussion document proposing amendments to the National Air Quality Standards.  As the Minister rightly said “The existing standard of only one exceedance a year is unrealistic and would require banning home log burners and industries in communities where air quality is generally very good”.

The Technical Advisory Group has recommended the standard be increased from one to three exceedances a year, which is consistent with the World Health Organisation Air Quality Standard. In addition to this the group has recommended the period within which councils must comply be extended to 2018.

These changes are about improving air quality but in a pragmatic and realistic way. I am confident that under these changes Napier will be able to meet the standard within the timeframe and at a much smaller cost to our city.

Chris Tremain

No more so than last Friday. Leaving home early I first drove up to Raupunga and then down to Mohaka School at the mouth of the River. What a great school. I was welcomed with a Powhiri and then had the chance to reply and discuss parliament and the role of an MP. This is a school making a real difference to the lives of their kids. They teach strong values and expect big things of the children which was great to see. We spoke about the state of their classrooms as the hall has been condemned. I’ll be following up to see what the Ministry’s plans are for its replacement.

From Mohaka my Wairoa Electorate Agent, Mary Crarer, and I drove back to Raupunga and then up to Putere School. Once again a great little school but in this case wonderful new school buildings with all the mod cons. Putere are planning a trip to Parliament so once again I was able to talk to the children about Parliament and what to expect.

Driving back down the Putere Road we came across a QRS truck stuck in a ditch.  I had some rope but we broke that pretty quickly so went to one of the local farms and borrowed some chains.  Back to the truck and with a combined effort we had it pulled out quick smart.

Go the “Backing the Bay” Ford Ranger!

From Putere we headed to Wairoa on our way to Mahia. Called into the Northside Dairy to check on the owners after last week’ hold up. Good to hear that all involved are OK albeit still shaken by the event.

Upon arriving at Mahia we ducked in for a quick visit with a couple of constituents to chase up a complaint before heading to a public meeting at the school. Mahia residents are concerned about changes to the bus service particularly for services out to Onenui Station at the end of the peninsula. It’s all very well to front the good news (eg Matahoura Gorge) but it’s probably more important to front up at the tough meetings like this one so that locals can tell you exactly how they are feeling.

From Mahia school we grabbed a quick meal at the Sunset Bar. Fantastic fish and chips! The terakihi was superb and I can definitely recommend it.

Last on the agenda for the night was a trip to Frasertown for another public meeting with local farmers who are concerned about the impact of the ETS. It’s been tough for sheep and beef farmers over the past 4 to 5 years and the last thing they want is more costs added to their farms. This aside, I was able to explain the Governments position. I think many took heart from Minister of Agriculture, David Carter’, recent comments that it is unlikely that farmers will be brought directly into the scheme unless other nations (18) and US states (11) have done so. To date none have so the likelihood is low. There are reviews in 2011 and 2014 before farming directly enters the scheme in 2015 so there are plenty of opportunities to assess where the rest of the world is at.

Following the meeting it was great to enjoy a beer and a few games of pool with a couple of  young shepherds, Jeremy and Sam, from up Ohuka way. I smelt a rat when after Jeremy let me win the first game he thought it might be a good idea to put $100 on the next. He even said he’d accept a credit card! Good on ya mate!

I was home in Napier by 11.30pm. A good day at the office…

Approval ensures that all shareholders in the airport are now supportive of the extension.

“This is great news! This completes a lengthy process to begin the physical extension of the runway,” says Napier MP Chris Tremain.”Both Craig Foss and I, together with the Region’s Mayors, the Airport Board, and local Iwi, have put in a huge amount of work to ensure this result. A key benefit of the extension is the ability to facilitate increased competition.”

“This is a huge boost to our region’s development. This is a project that Chris and I have been working towards for over 4 years,” says Craig Foss. “The extension provides us with the key benefit of landing passenger jets thereby facilitating more charter flights for the likes of Rugby World Cup and Mission Concerts”.

The extension future proofs the airport and provides a stepping stone to for Hawke’s Bay’s growth alongside the development of the domestic air market with Australia as this grows.

“We’d like to congratulate all those who have collaborated on this project,” say both MPs. “A big thanks to John Palairet and the Airport Board. It really has been a regional effort and shows what can be achieved when all of us across the region put our minds to the same goal.”

The Minister for SOEs, Simon Power wishes Hawke’s Bay Airport all the best with their runway development.

“Chris and I have worked very hard with the Minister for the Environment to make sure the Bays special circumstances were taken account of ” says Craig Foss.

“The announcement to extend the period by which Napier and Hastings must comply with the National Air Quality Standards to 2018 will save Hawke’s Bay tens of millions over what was initially proposed ” says Chris Tremain.

Under the initial proposal Napier and Hastings were going to have to comply by 2012. This timeframe would have forced thousands of Hawke’s Bay home owners  to change their current fireplace to meet the standard. Under the new proposal Napier is likely to meet the standard by only requiring new builds and sales of existing homes to comply.

“This would have been a huge cost imposition on Napier and Hastings rates payers” says Craig Foss. “Given the potential costs to Hawke’s Bay people this was something we really needed to go to bat for. It’s great to see such a positive result”.

“Given the recession both Craig and I were concerned about this large cost to Hawke’s Bay families and businesses” says Chris Tremain.” “With the combination of the Government Insulation package, the Clean Heat Package, and the positive result of this Air Quality Decision we will get a win for the environment without massive cost increases”.

My dad, Kelvin Tremain, died at just 54.  He would be 72 today.  He was a smoker…a heavy smoker.  And cancer was the cause of my dads death.

Some of you may have seen the family photo published in the paper a few weeks ago.  There are 17 of us now here in Napier.  My dad missed my brothers’ 21st.  He missed my wedding, and my two brothers weddings.  He missed the birth of his first grandson.  He missed the birth of his first grand-daughter.  And he missed the birth of eight further grandchildren.  He missed his grandsons first rugby game and his grand-daughters first netball game.  He’s missed my brothers grow up to be fine men and he’s never known their two amazing wives.  My dad has missed one hell of a lot.

This week I was proud to be involved in passing legislation to increase the excise tax on tobacco to reduce smoking, to dissuade young people from starting to smoke, and to improve the health of New Zealanders.  Smoking is a leading cause of preventable death in New Zealand.

If you’re a smoker and you don’t want to miss out on what my dad has missed out on stop the habit.  And stop it now. I can tell you it’s just not worth it.

Chris Tremain