Mon 6	Geraldine and Fairlie
Tue 7	Parliament
Wed 8	Parliament -Government Administration Select Committee meeting
Thu 9	Parliament -Foreign Affairs Defence & Trade Select Committee meeting
Fri 10	Palmerston
Sat 11

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.

Mon 30	Oamaru
Tue 31	Oamaru
Wed 1	Oamaru
Thu 2	Oamaru
Fri 3
Sat 4

Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean says the petition signed by over 40,000 lower South Island people seeking to retain neurosurgery services in Dunedin and Christchurch would send a powerful message.

The petition, signed by 43,227 people, was yesterday (Wed 25) presented to lower South Island MP's including Mrs Dean at Parliament.

Making the presentation were Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin, Invercargill deputy mayor Neil Boniface, Otago Regional Council chairman Stephen Cairns and Clutha Mayor Juno Hayes.

Also in attendance were the editors of the Otago Daily Times and the Invercargill based Southland Times.

Mrs Dean said she was very pleased to have received the petition.

"The petition reflects the struggle and the depth of feeling southerners have with this matter. The fact their local body representatives had taken the time to come to Wellington to present it was also indicative of the feelings associated with the issue," she said.

Mrs Dean said she stood right behind all who had signed the petition.

The issue over whether to run the South Island's neurosurgical unit from Christchurch or to retain Dunedin's present service remains the lower South Island's most pressing health issue. 

An expert panel, set up to resolve the issue, is expected to report their findings to the Director General of Health sometime in October.

Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean said she was delighted that 3500 newborn babies in Otago and Southland would benefit from a new hearing screening programme being undertaken in the region.

“The Government’s invested more $6.5 million each year into this programme and I’m delighted that families in the south will benefit from the service.

“All parents of newborns feel vulnerable and anything that can be done to reassure families, or indeed identify issues early on, is hugely beneficial.

“Hearing screeners are now on the job in Dunedin and Invercargill and I am hopeful someone will be found to conduct this work in Central Otago in the near future.

“We know that the earlier hearing loss is diagnosed and work with the child begins, the better the long-term outcomes for children and their families.

“In the past, many children were not diagnosed with hearing loss until around four years of age.”

Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean said she encouraged robust debate round her proposed changes to Easter trading.

Mrs Dean’s Shop Trading Hours Act Repeal (Waitaki Easter Trading) Amendment Bill 2010 was drawn from the ballot at Parliament earlier this month.

"I welcome and encourage people to thoughtfully debate the Easter trading issue,” she said.

"I acknowledge that Easter trading is a sensitive issue which can polarise viewpoints, but I believe only positive benefits can flow from a liberalisation of the present laws.

"In my experience, particularly in relation to the tourist towns in my electorate, people see the benefit in allowing retailers the option of opening at Easter.

"Easter trading proceeds very well in Queenstown and has done so for many years without negative implications. I am seeking nothing more than to allow other tourist towns, like Wanaka, to enjoy the same privileges."

She said she was aware that a petition opposing her bill had been launched by the retailer workers union.

“Workers are already protected by existing labour laws, with my Easter Trading Bill having no impact on the regulations which already exist, but rather allowing more options for those people who want to open and work at Easter."

Mon 16	Timaru and Waimate
Tue 17	Parliament
Wed 18	Parliament - Government Administration Select Committee meeting
Thu 19	Parliament - Foreign Affairs Defence & Trade Select Committee meeting
Fri 20	Dunedin
Sat 21	Murchison

August E-letter
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Busy times
Hello everybody. And we thought winter was just about over! It’s been a busy two weeks with a number of legislature matters emerging including some of concern to the Waitaki.  There has also been the ongoing but very important Southern neurosurgery issue.  On top of this, last Monday I also managed to visit the northern half of our electorate.  On that trip I was briefly reminded as an MP of the need to double –check everything!

At Geraldine I parked at a school bus-stop in my “truck.”  I was sure I parked in the times permitted but when I emerged from a meeting I saw two school buses on the stop blocking my highly identifiable vehicle. For a brief moment all I could I see ahead was the next day’s newspaper front page pictures highlighting the moment.  Fortunately, my agony ended when a gentlemanly driver emerged to tell me he would ‘move his bus in two sec’s’ and to apologise for blocking my car. Hiding any hint of my concern I thanked him and told him to take his time.... in a voice a couple of notes higher than usual! 
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Fighting to keep our neurosurgery service
As most people will know I am fully behind the retention of neurosurgical services here in the South. In support of this what I have discovered are the recent heavy workloads of the Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust.   Last month the rescue trust experienced what was the busiest day in its 11-year history, when its’ helicopter conducted six rescue trips, over 1934km, including four to Wanaka, one to Dunstan Hospital and one to Ranfurly.

While none of the emergencies related to head injury the call-outs highlight show how essential it is for there to be access to health services to meet the ever-increasing needs of Otago and particularly, the Central Otago communities. When we have an emergency helicopter service making six rescue missions in one day, it sends a pretty clear message ours is a region that needs access to health services as close at hand as possible.

We have people living in these areas which at times can be quite isolated. We need to have health services in place to meet their demands and to do it in a time frame in which lives are saved – not lost.The majority of the rescue trust’s missions relate to accidents – that is the nature of the Central Otago region, with its adventure tourism, ski fields and challenging roads. In my opinion, this reinforces the need for neurosurgery services to remain in a centrally located position at Dunedin. A shift in neurosurgery services to Christchurch will likely jeopardise lives and disadvantage the people of this region.
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High Country leases
Last week I also sought reassurances from Agricultural Minister David Carter over the Government’s new system for setting rents for high country crown pastoral land leases. I did so as I wanted to know the new system would provide a fairer approach to high country pastoral leases. Mr Carter told me the new approach was not only fairer, but simpler to administer and would allow farmers to get on with the job of farming rather than fighting bureaucracy.

It would also mean farmers were not going to be charged extra just because their sheep had a view, which was indeed the cornerstone of the formula implemented by the last Labour Government.
The minister told me the new system will see rents based on the earning capacity of each farm, something that up until now has been ignored.
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Easter Shopping Bill
My Bill to liberalise Easter trading laws in the Waitaki electorate is to simply allow communities the freedom already enjoyed in both Queenstown and Taupo to open at Easter. Earlier this week my bill was drawn from the ballot at Parliament and already, and I must say, not unexpectedly, the retail workers’ union claim staff would be forced to work.  Nothing could be further from the truth. Staff will be given the choice to work.

Rather than being forced to do businesses, as the retail workers’ union suggests, retailers are looking forward to when they can legally allow shoppers to visit their premises and shop over Easter. I have the support of retailers from around the region who tell me that in this current economic environment the freedom to open at Easter is exactly what is needed. My bill is all about choice and meeting the needs of communities in my electorate.
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 Getting involved in your community
It’s local government election time and I urge all Waitaki residents to have their say by voting this October. I also support those standing to represent their communities but be quick as it’s only just over a week until registration closes.  And for those still undecided I say why not give it a go.
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Welcome visitor
Simon Bridges, MP for Tauranga will be in Oamaru on Friday, August 27 as guest speaker at a National Party Breakfast function, Kingsgate Brydone from 7.15 to 8.30am. The cost to attend including the hotel’s famous big ‘brekkie’ is $22 per person. Later at 10.00, Simon will address my Friday Forum in the Ink Box (a room), at the Oamaru Opera House.  If you would like to attend one, or both of these events please RSVP by August 25 to 03434-7325. Simon is deputy chair of the Justice and Electoral Committee, the Maori Affairs select committee and the Auckland Governance select committee. I’d love to see you there.
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Congratulations and Well Done to:

The Lake Tekapo Starlight Reserve team for their bid to get World Heritage recognition for the reserve. UNESCO is to now launch a study into the creation of the area as the world’s first night time starlight reserve.
Peg Borlase on achieving Emeritus status from the Oamaru Altrusa Club and District Fifteen NZ.
The team behind the Maniototo Curling international’s rink - five years old and still growing.

Diary:
Aug 13: Waimate/Timaru clinic
Aug 14: Lake Tekapo Footbridge fundraiser
Aug 17: Parliament
Aug 18: Parliament
Aug 19: Parliament
Aug 20: Southern Regional Conference, Dunedin

ends

I’m delighted for Central Otago apple growers that the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) Panel had found firmly in favour of New Zealand. The positive resolution to this on-going saga will mean  much to the apple growers of this region. It has been a long time coming – but at last we have a positive resolution.

I am hopeful this decision will signal an end to the debate and we will finally see our kiwi growers being able to get on with the job of exporting their apples across the Tasman. Growers have sought access to Australia since 1986  -  a long 24 years but they will now be feeling the fight has been worth it. Access to Australia could be worth millions to apple growers in the Central Otago region and has a potential to turn their industry around.

On another positive note I am also pleased with our Government’s new system for setting rents for high country crown pastoral land least. I have also been reassured by the Minister of Agriculture David Carter the new approach is not only fairer, but simpler to administer and will allow farmers to get on with the job of farming rather than fight bureaucracy.
It also means farmers are not going to be charged extra just because their sheep had a view. The new system will see rents based on the earning capacity of each farm, something which up until now has been ignored, with farmers charged extra for views and amenity values.

Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean said she was delighted for Central Otago apple growers that the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) Panel had found firmly in favour of New Zealand.

“A positive resolution to this on-going saga will mean so much to the apple growers of this region. It has been a long time coming – but at last we have a positive resolution.

“I am hopeful that this decision will signal an end to the debate and that we will finally see our kiwi growers being able to get on with the job of exporting their apples across the Tasman.

“New Zealand apple growers have been seeking access to Australia since 1986  - it’s been a long 24 years but I’m sure growers will now be feeling that the fight has been worth it.

 “Access to Australia could be worth millions to apple growers in the Central Otago region and has the potential to turn the industry around,” Mrs Dean said.

Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean said she was looking forward to good progress on her Easter trading bill, in the wake of tremendous support for the proposal.

“I’ve been quite overwhelmed at the level of support and encouragement that has been shown to me since my bill was drawn from the ballot last week.

“This is a good indication to me that people are ready for change and that the time is right to see Easter trading proceed, across my electorate, for those who want to take up the option.

“What’s exciting about my bill is that it’s all about choice – choice for retailers, choice for their staff and choice for the tourists who enjoy visiting the towns within the Waitaki electorate.

“Easter trading works perfectly well in Queenstown, with only those who want to work taking up the option.

“My bill has been criticised by the retailer workers union – but I’d suggest their views are out of date.

“Workers are already protected by existing labour laws, with my Easter Trading Bill having no impact on the regulations which already exist, but rather allowing more options for those people who want to open at Easter."

Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean yesterday sought reassurances in the house from Agricultural Minister David Carter about the Government’s new system for setting rents for high country crown pastoral land leases.

Mrs Dean said she wanted to know that the new system would provide a fairer approach to high country pastoral leases.

“Mr Carter told me the new approach was not only fairer, but simpler to administer and would allow farmers to get on with the job of farming rather than fighting bureaucracy.

“It would also mean that farmers were not going to be charged extra just because their sheep had a view,” she said, “which was indeed the cornerstone of the formula implemented by the last Labour Government.

“The minister told me the new system would see rents based on the earning capacity of each farm, something which up until now was ignored, with farmers being charged extra for views and amenity values.”

 

Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean said moves to liberalise Easter trading laws in the Waitaki electorate would simply allow communities the freedom already enjoyed in both Queenstown and Taupo to open at Easter.

Mrs Dean’s bill was drawn from the ballot at Parliament today and she said contrary to claims made by the retail workers’ union that staff would be forced to work, nothing could be further from the truth.

“Retailers tell me that they will have no trouble finding staff willing to work at Easter.

“These staff would be given the choice to work, any suggestion by the National Distribution Union that workers would be forced to turn up is nothing more than scaremongering.  

“As for opening at Easter, retailers in tourist hotspots like Wanaka have long been frustrated that have been unable to open their doors to tourists and visitors over the holiday period.

“Rather than being forced to do businesses, as the retail workers’ union suggests, these retailers tell me they are looking forward to the day when they can legally allow shoppers to visit their premises and shop over Easter.

“While the union claims that Easter trading in unnecessary, I have the support of retailers from around the region who tell me that in this current economic environment the freedom to open at Easter is exactly what is needed.

“As I have said all along, my bill is about choice and meeting the needs of communities in my electorate, the sooner the National Distribution Workers’ union accepts that and moves on, the better.”

Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean said the recent heavy workloads of the Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust highlighted the need for the people of this region to have access to neurosurgery services in Dunedin.

Last month the rescue trust experienced what was the busiest day in its 11-year history, when its’ helicopter conducted six rescue trips, over 1934km, including four to Wanaka, one to Dunstan Hospital and one to Ranfurly.

While none of the emergencies related to head injury, Mrs Dean said the call-outs highlighted how essential it was for there to be access to health services which could meet the ever-increasing needs of the Otago and, particularly, the Central Otago communities.

“When we have an emergency helicopter service that can make six rescue missions in one day, it sends a pretty clear message to me that ours is a region that needs access to health services as close at hand as possible.

“We have people living in these areas which at times can be quite isolated. We need to have health services in place to meet their demands and to do it in a time frame in which lives are saved – not lost.

“The majority of the rescue trust’s missions relate to accidents – that is the nature of the Central Otago region, with its adventure tourism, skifields and challenging roads.

“This, in my opinion, reinforces the need for neurosurgery services to remain in a centrally located position at Dunedin.

“A shift in neurosurgery services to Christchurch is only likely to jeapardise lives and negatively disadvantage the people of this region.”

Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean said she was confident progress would now be made on the Easter trading laws after her bill was drawn from the Member’s Ballot in Parliament today.

The Shop Trading Hours Act Repeal (Waitaki Easter Trading) Amendment Bill 2010 seeks to allow all retailers within districts covered by the Waitaki Electorate to trade on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. It aims to address the anomaly that occurs within parts of the Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago areas, where Queenstown has an exemption to trade over Easter, but other towns do not.

Mrs Dean said she believed her bill had the potential to create a new era for tourism retailers in her electorate.

“I made a commitment to the people that I represent that I would keep working on Easter trading until the law was changed. Today is the first step in that process and I am pleased and proud that we have reached this milestone. 

“I am taking a regional approach with my bill this time as the entire Waitaki Electorate relies heavily on tourism, and is a busy place over the Easter period.

“Despite setbacks in the past, I am now confident that we can successfully achieve Easter trading law changes which will mean that retailers in busy tourist towns, like Wanaka, can open their doors if and when they chose to do so.

“I am not about forcing people to open on Easter Sunday, but rather I want everyone to have the choice.

“I acknowledge that some people may not support my bill on religious grounds, but I believe the time has come to recognize that many people work over Easter in essential services like hospitals, police and the fire service, and they do so without adversely impacting on family life.

“In fact many young people in tourist towns like Wanaka see extra work over Easter as an opportunity to earn extra cash.

“I am hoping that Parliament will send the Waitaki Bill to select committee so that we can have a fresh look and an informed debate around the realities of commerce over Easter, and addressing the anomalies that exist in the present laws.

“I believe people are now ready for change and I am confident that I will get the support that I need to make these progressive changes happen.”