The roll out of ultra-fast broadband-enabling fibre to schools is progressing well and 14 local schools will benefit from this Governments investment in technology,” said Tukituki MP Craig Foss.

 “Over 4,750 students locally will benefit by this UFB rollout, “said Napier MP, Chris Tremain. “Across the country 97 per cent of schools will receive ultra-fast fibre enabling speeds of 100 Mbps plus over the next five years. The remaining 3 per cent of schools, which are in the most remote locations, will receive a high speed wireless or satellite connection. No schools will miss out.”

 “This is an exciting time for schools and for students. This technology means that students anywhere in New Zealand can have access to the best teachers and online resources anywhere in the world, “said Craig Foss

What an awesome facility. The potential for this new and improved town hall is exciting. Weddings, musicals, dancing recitals, any function that comes to mind, this facility is the place to hold such events.

Well done CHB.

There’s no doubt that dreams need to be realistic, if not just a little bit out of reach. No point in planning for an International Airport when Napier is still a long way away from achieving this goal.

So what is realistic and what is achievable in Wairoa. Well first and foremost the focus should be on natural resources and competitive advantage. In this regard Wairoa has resources to burn. Furtile soils, plenty of water, strong indigenous population and culture, unemployed people wanting to work, low cost housing, and natural beauty that takes your breath away.

The Mayor and the town are right to pursue added value opportunities in the timber and agricultural sectors. How can you help the existing players to invest and to grow? Do they have enough capital? How can you attract new capital locally in the first instance? Maybe a Wairoa Venture Capital fund could be established allowing primary producers to invest off farm and to diversify.

My advice: First work with the incumbents before trying to attract new shiny things from outside the region. Do this and a buoyant added value sector will attract new businesses who see the opportunities.

Secondly there is a huge opportunity in eco and cultural tourism. John Keys visit to India just last week showed the massive growth in tourism from India and Asia that New Zealand will receive over the next decade. Tourist operators need new product and more capacity. 

The key to this in Wairoa is access and accommodation. Access from Rotorua via State Highway 38 needs to be improved. Currently there is a huge gap between local and central Government estimates of the cost of this project. This gap needs to be closed. An upgrade will ensure that tourist buses can more easily access Lake Waikaremoana and Wairoa.

In the same breath, we need to encourage investment in three high quality accommodation complexes. Local iwi need to be key if not major stakeholder investors. The first is an eco-hotel in the bush at either Tuai or on the Lake. The second is an eco-hotel and spa at Morere Springs.

The third is a high quality concert and accommodation Marae in Wairoa. This would provide for International visitors flying into Auckland or Rotorua to experience an outstanding cultural and environmental tour of our East Coast. Auckland/Rotorua to Waikaremoana to Morere to Wairoa to Napier/Hastings to Tongariro National Park to Taupo to Rotorua/Auckland.

A tourist route like this would bring sustainable jobs and support businesses. It would be a huge boon for the district encouraging other investment. Yes – it might be slightly out of reach, but I’m determined to do all that I can to turn this dream into reality.

Chris Tremain

We must now look to grow our economy based on sound economic principles. Jobs must be created in the primary and secondary industries, we must earn more than we spend as a nation, and we must save so that we reduce our reliance on foreign borrowing and investment.

To do this the Government has been focusing on an economic plan to encourage business start-ups and growth. That’s why we’ve been so focused on getting the tax system competitive against Australia. We’ve done that. That’s why we’ve invested and will continue to invest so heavily in infrastructure such as the roll-out of broadband and new roading projects. Here in the Bay the Government has invested heavily in roading with projects such as Dillons Hill, the Matahorua Gorge, and the Southern Expressway extension. That’s why we’re investing so heavily in education with the likes of the ‘Service Academy’ at Wairoa College, a new school at Napier Intermediate, National Standards across our primary schools, and a Trades Academy at EIT in 2012. It’s why we’re so focused on controlling Government spending so that the private sector grows not the government sector.

And this week it’s why our Prime Minister is in India looking to secure a Free Trade Agreement. The opening of non-tariff trade with economies such as India is a key to job growth in the export sector.

As you can see we’re getting on with the job of building a much stronger economy to provide genuine opportunities for our children and grandchildren.

Chris Tremain

The guys on site were great, shared their knowledge and took time out to explain what AC meant, and the ins and outs of laying down an airport runway.
The progress is exciting for the Bay; this longer runway will allow larger aircraft to land and take off. It can only mean growth for our region.
Planes came and went as normal, which certainly made for a few interesting moments!

Craig said “Yesterday, Transport Minister Steven Joyce announced that public opinion is being sought on proposed changes to give way rules. Our give way rules for turning vehicles are confusing and out of step with the rest of the world. Simplifying them will help reduce intersection crashes by an estimated seven per cent.”

“It’s clear we need to address road safety in New Zealand. Despite substantial progress over the last 30 years, New Zealand still lags behind many other countries in road safety.”

The Government has announced that public consultation is underway on proposed changes to the give way rule.

“Currently if you are turning left you have to give way to right turning traffic coming towards you. This change would reverse this so the left turning vehicle would have right of way in this situation. Changes are also planned to the rule for T-intersections. This rule applies when there are conflicting right-turns at a T-intersection. Currently, the right-turning vehicle on the terminating road (the base of the ‘T’) has priority over the right-turning vehicle on the through road (the top of the ‘T’). The change will require traffic from an uncontrolled terminating road to give way to traffic on a through road,” said Craig

“I am pleased to say that an extensive education campaign will be carried out to ensure drivers are aware of the new rules before any changes come into force.”

The NZ Transport Agency is looking at proposals to amend the Land Transport Road User Rule which includes the changes to give way rules as well as changes that would clarify existing road rules and improve school bus safety. Any changes will come into force early next year.

People can make a submission at the NZ Transport Agency website: www.nzta.govt.nz .

“This is great news for rural communities and schools with vastly improved and affordable broadband on its way,” says MP for Napier, Chris Tremain.

Many local schools will receive fast (100Mbps) internet connections before June 2012.

“In this technological era it’s so important students have access to the web as part of their learning.”

Both MPs visit schools in the Hawke’s Bay area and are blown away by what students can do , Craig Foss. “Many people in rural parts of rural Hawke’s Bay struggle with internet access. Users are frustrated with dial-up speeds through copper phone lines. It can be slow and tedious to do simple things like send emails, read the news online or do a Google search. Often electric fences interfere with internet access on rural and lifestyle blocks adding to connection hassles.”

“A decent internet connection means that local businesses can base themselves here and still compete with the rest of the world. Prices and services will be comparable with the big cities and peak connection speeds of 5Mbps for rural connections will help transform many rural businesses.
This is a $285 million nationwide project over six years, and a major part of building New Zealand’s economic infrastructure,” says Chris Tremain.

A full list of schools involved is available at http://www.chorus.co.nz/rural-broadband

The Hawke’s Bay express way, as originally planned, is now complete. This is one of the key transportation routes in New Zealand. Getting fantastic produce to the port, moving people and resources up and down the eastern side of the North Island is now more effective, safe and efficient.

Locally we instantly gain as there is no longer a need for the dangerous turns to and from Maraekakaho Rd and York Road.

Come on The Bay.

Chris Tremain and I were last Friday to celebrate the completion, about one year ahead of original completion plan and significantly under budget, with Transport Minister, Steven Joyce.

Hawke’s Bay produced yet another prefect day for the formalities.