26 January 2012

Collins Comments

Happy New Year!

It’s great to be back in the Electorate after the summer break. I hope you all got the chance to spend some quality time with family and friends.

The New Year is a great time to take stock. We can look back over the past twelve months, acknowledge the challenges we have faced, celebrate our achievements and set goals for the busy year ahead.

Last year the Canterbury earthquakes, a difficult economy, and the Rena disaster off Tauranga have tested us not just on a personal level but as a country. From these challenges, however, comes great opportunity to lay the foundations for a brighter and more prosperous 2012.

I'm delighted to be returned to Cabinet this term with the portfolios of Justice, ACC and Ethnic Affairs. Justice and ACC have many challenges and I am already enjoying working in them.

I’d like to congratulate Ardmore man Tony Herlihy who has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year Honours list.

Tony is New Zealand’s most-successful harness racing driver and trainer. He created harness racing history at Alexandra Park in February last year when he drove his 3000th winner – a milestone no driver or jockey has reached before.

Congratulations Tony on this outstanding achievement!

As Minister for Ethnic Affairs, I enjoyed attending the ASB LunarFest recently to welcome in the Chinese New Year.

2012 is The Year of the Dragon. The traits associated with this year encourage us to be innovative, enterprising, flexible, self-assured, brave, and passionate.

These are the very qualities that we all need to build a brighter and more prosperous future for all New Zealanders.

We can embrace the New Year, and all that it brings, by letting our past, our experiences and traditions provide us with strength and confidence to move forward.

I look forward to seeing you in and around the Electorate during 2012.

Hon Judith Collins
MP for Papakura

ENDS

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