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In Focus: 2 December 2015

Hon Jo Goodhew
MP for Rangitata

In Focus: 2 December 2015

White Ribbon Day puts spotlight on family violence

It was great to participate in White Ribbon events in the electorate last week and help bring some focus on the campaign to stop violence towards women.

I started the day in Timaru with a White Ribbon breakfast which was very well attended and followed on by participating in the White Ribbon march along East St in Ashburton at lunchtime. After the march I signed the pledge supporting the campaign. It was great to see so many people participating and showing their support for an end to violence.

Holding White Ribbon Day each year highlights the need for a continued focus on helping to reduce family and sexual violence. While the Government has a significant amount of work underway to help reduce family and sexual violence, campaigns like White Ribbon Day are a reminder that there is still a long way to go.

The rate of family violence in New Zealand is horrific. New Zealand has the highest reported rate of intimate partner violence in the developed world. We know that around half of all violent offence charges in our courts relate to family violence and in 86 per cent of cases of violence against intimate partners the victims are women.

The Government spends $1.4 billion each year responding to family and sexual violence and we’ve made a firm commitment to tackle this issue head on. This includes an overhaul of New Zealand’s family violence legislation and implementing a range of family violence initiatives such as the recently announced Chief Victims Advisor to Government.

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Homestart scheme paying off in Rangitata

Owning your own home is something that Kiwis have strived for across the generations, and getting started on the homeownership ladder is a big hurdle to clear.

The Government commenced the HomeStart scheme to assist first-home buyers on 1 April this year. I was very hopeful that this package would help Rangitata constituents, and it has.

This is a $435 million package and between April-September, 156 people have received support (97 in Timaru and 59 in Ashburton). In dollar terms, this means that $544,000 has been granted to first-home buyers in the Rangitata electorate.

But, as is occasionally the case, the rollout wasn’t completely smooth sailing. I have, as local MP, developed a relationship with the group of local property lawyers who meet on a regular basis to discuss issues they have in common.

Last year we had a good discussion about Enduring Powers of Attorney, this year they indicated that they were having problems with the process regarding HomeStart. We met and I heard of their difficulties, which meant I had examples to take to my colleague, the Minister with responsibility for HomeStart, Hon Dr Nick Smith.

His officials then had first-hand knowledge of the issues and the chance to deal with them. Part of the problem was the immediate popularity of the scheme meant more resources were required. The feedback I am now getting is that the process has improved considerably!

It is expected that the $435 million set aside for this scheme will assist 90,000 New Zealanders into their first home, and at the end of September we are 4261 along the way!

It is fantastic to get feedback from a young Timaru couple about the great assistance Homestart has been to them. They were able to source a $3000 Homestart grant which along with the withdrawal of the husband’s KiwiSaver savings and a 10 per cent deposit under the welcome Home scheme got them into their own home.

A 40-year-old Timaru man also has a positive story to tell after reluctantly being in KiwiSaver. His contributions to KiwiSaver and Homestart have now given him an avenue to purchase and move into his first home.

PM announces $20m for research to help reduce emissions

Prime Minister John Key has announced at the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris that New Zealand will commit another $20 million to the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases.

This world-leading research has the potential to reduce global emissions, particularly in developing countries that have similar emission profiles to New Zealand. In New Zealand half our emissions are from agriculture where there are not yet cost effective ways of reducing emissions, but we are working hard to change that.

The $20 million is on top of New Zealand’s initial investment of $45 million.

The Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases was formed in 2009 and has 46 member countries. It is focused on the research and development of technologies and practices that will help deliver ways to grow more food without growing greenhouse gas emissions.

10-year passports: Back by public demand

10-year passports are available again as of November 30.
Legislation necessary to effect this change, a change driven by public demand, was passed into law on 20 October and enables the Passports Office to start issuing 10-year adult passports to applicants.

The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) is expecting to process around 3,000 passport applications every day in the lead up to Christmas so it is important intending Kiwi travellers submit their applications as soon as possible to allow time for their passports to be processed and couriered back to them.

For quicker processing, renewals should be made online via our world-class online passport service.

The fee for standard adult passports issued in New Zealand is $180 and child passports are $105 (including GST). The fee for adult passports continues to subsidise child passports by 42 per cent.

Online simulation for visiting drivers

A programme which puts visitors in the driver’s seat of a car and asks them questions about New Zealand road rules and conditions is being welcomed. It will help inform visiting drivers, improve safety and save lives and is an imitative of the Automobile Association (AA).

The programme is free; however, users are given the option of paying $10 for a certificate that entitles them to discounted rates at rental vehicle firms Thrifty and Europcar.

The AA is part of the Safer Journeys Visiting Drivers Signature Project (VDSP) — a partnership between central government, local government and the private sector.

The Visiting Drivers Training Programme builds on a number of recently announced initiatives, both Government and industry-led, promoting safe driving messages to international visitors at all stages of their holiday — planning, booking, in-flight, on arrival and on our roads.

Together, these numerous small actions create a safer system for all road users, including the increasing number of overseas visitors choosing to explore our country by car.

The Visiting Drivers Training Programme is available on the AA website and will be promoted overseas.

Upcoming events

Dec 4 – host morning tea for community representatives (Timaru)
Dec 5 – participate in Christmas Parade (Ashburton)
Dec 5 – attend ATC Squadron 15 parade & prize-giving (Timaru)
Dec 8 to 10 – Parliament sitting
Dec 11 – attend Craighead Diocesan School prize-giving (Timaru)
Dec 14 – host morning tea for community representatives (Ashburton)

Jo Goodhew
MP for Rangitata

ENDS

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