POLITICS: 

I’m often asked about Labour’s plan to handle the impact of the COVID19 pandemic on our economy. Part of our plan is to continue to be vigilant and work to keep the virus out of our communities so that we don’t need to go back into higher alert levels as other countries are sadly having to do. Our border regime, including quarantine and health checks, is one of the strongest in the world.

Last week we covered why ACT stands for empowering families. “One-size-fits-all big government solutions” do not meet the needs of our diverse community, may never arrive from Wellington, and do not enable us to rebuild and Change our Futures today. Recovery starts with tax cuts – 30% rate to 17.5% permanently, and GST from 15% to 10% for 1 year. This week I cover how to empower ourselves – our businesses and our families – with options and choice by reducing restrictions.

Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi launched his campaign for the 2020 General Elections for the Panmure – Otahuhu Constituency. Kanwaljit is the first Indian born candidate, he has served as a list Member of Parliament for the Manukau East electorate since 2008.

It is great to be in Petone today to announce the next stage of National’s Plan to Get New Zealand Working. First, thank you to Chris Bishop for arranging today’s visit, and getting me out to the Hutt once again.

Former national MP from Botany, Jami-Lee Ross merged his newly launched political party Advance New Zealand Party with another social media sensation and newly launched political party New Zealand Public Party, on Sunday July 26, at Logan Campbell Centre in Auckland. Jami-Lee Ross had launched his party only a couple of days back and will now be the co-leader of New Zealand Public Party.

ACT New Zealand has been receiving a surge in interest – with some polls estimating 5%-9% support. This is a significant grassroots movement that has built over the last 18 months. This article focuses on the values and principles at stake for the election on 19 September 2020 – now only two months away.

The Prime Minister has set out our plan in the event we have a new case of community transmission of COVID-19 in New Zealand. It’s about continuing to keep New Zealanders safe, while minimising the ongoing economic impact of the virus.

If a single word could describe Bala Beeram’s – once again National’s candidate from Kelston – passion for joining politics, it would be education. Which actually is no surprise given, both he and his wife, were teachers in India before immigrating to New Zealand, some 21 years back. He comes from Andhra Pradesh and is a proud father of a 19-year-old daughter who is training to become a neuroscientist.

Informing this, the New Zealand (NZ) First party said in a release, “Former NZ First List MP Mahesh Bindra, who served as a New Zealand First List MP from 2014-2017, will be our party’s candidate for the Hutt South electorate this coming election. Mr Bindra was born and raised in Mumbai, India but has made New Zealand his home for many years.”

As July dawns and the winter weather gets colder, I want to bring you some good news about the important changes that our Government made from 1 July that will help many thousands of New Zealanders.

Globally, the pandemic is getting worse, not better. In New Zealand, as an increasing number of Kiwis return home, we have cases that have cropped up at the border. It’s important to note that they are all in managed isolation. There is no community transmission. There have been over 80,000 tests in the last fortnight and there are no cases in the community.

National has vigorously opposed the Government’s Reform of Vocational Education (ROVE) and has confirmed at the Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) in Invercargill this week that it would return regional education back to the regions, undoing a significant part of the reforms.