March 28, 2013
MARCH ISSUE
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Carisbrook School building work ALL GO

I recently visited Carisbrook School to take a look at the progress being made following the merger of the three schools, Carisbrook, College St & Calton Hill in 2012.
The new Carisbrook Main site will be ready to take in all of the Terraces site children by the start of 2014. At present the site has the full year 7 & 8 group on site and the existing year 1 - 6.
The big question now is the future of Carisbrook Heights? Having a school up on the Corstorphine/Calton heights hill is very important and I will be watching with interest what the Ministry of Education choose to do. I have asked the Minister for her views and I will be supporting the principal and Board of Carisbrook as much as I can through this process.
Postal Service changes a real concern
N.Z. Post’s plan to reduce postal services within New Zealand could be a huge blow for rural New Zealand. The visit from the Rural Delivery Contractor is an essential link to the outside world for many rural residents. In my constituency this is a big concern as so much of the area is rural. Middlemarch & Taieri farmers are so very dependant on the Rural Mail services. Supporting the continuation of these services is important.

Solid Energy
One of my tasks in Parliament is to be part of a Select Committee where politicians from across the House work on the finer details of legislation as well as holding government departments and state owned enterprises to account for their financial reports. As a member of the Commerce Select committee I have recently been involved in the financial review of Solid Energy, the state owned energy company who have just reported a debt of $389 million as a result of the drop in coal prices and pressure to return a higher dividend to the Government.

The woes of Solid Energy are a perfect example of why state assets such as the power companies should not be sold into private ownership. Electricity production is a core part of our nation’s infrastructure however they are just as vulnerable to mismanagement and bad investments as other enterprises. This governments economic mismanagement may have driven solid energy into the ground but imagine what can happen when the only incentive is to return higher dividends to shareholders as opposed to the state?

Labour has been a core part of the Keep Our Assets coalition and last week the many volunteers hard work culminated in the presentation of between 390,000-400,000 signatures to the Office of the Clerk calling for a referendum on the governments asset sales program. Voters from across the spectrum have expressed their concerns about the mixed-ownership model proposal to me throughout the Keep Our Assets campaign and deserve to have their voices heard by the government.
Synthetic Cannabis in our community
This issue has been highlighted in the last 6 weeks with visits to schools and speaking to community leaders. Clare Curran's opinion piece was published on Friday 15th March. Take a look at ... http://www.odt.co.nz/opinion/opinion/249488/challenge-dairies-selling-highs
Youth Parliament Entries
We had 2 very capable young woman as finalists in the Dunedin South Youth Parliament competition. Congratulations to Kate Gardner from Bayfield High School and Nuvindi Basnayake from Queens High School for their high class entries and speeches. The winner was Kate Gardner who will now represent me at Parliament in Wellington on 16th & 17th July.
Social Services Dunedin Meeting
Jacinda Ardern who holds the Labour Party Social Services and Children portfolios, visited Dunedin on March 14 to speak at a Social Services meeting run by my office. David Clark and I hosted Jacinda and then later that day we hosted David Shearer, who attended the ID Fashion Emerging Designers Awards.
David Shearer at ID Fashion
David Shearer's first ID Fashion Show & the firsttime a political party leader has attended an ID fashion event.....It was a great night and I encourage you to keep supporting this event and what it brings to Dunedin.

MAORI ROLL OR GENERAL ROLL?

It's your choice. He aha ō whakaaro?
I really recommend you think about this option and make the decision as to which Roll you should be on.
It is your choice what type of electoral roll you're on: Māori or General.
This year, all Māori aged 18 or over get to choose which roll tupe to be on.
If you are already enrolled to vote, you'll be sent a pack in the mail in late March. It'll give you the information you need to make your choice.
If you don't get a pack, or you need to enrol, then
Go online at elections.org.nz or
Freetext your name and address to 3676 or
Call 0800 36 76 56 or
Enrol at any PostShop
OR PICK UP A PAMPHLET FROM OUR OFFICE

CREATING A BOLD NEW FUTURE IN SOUTH DUNEDIN facilitated by Chris Le Breton
SUNDAY 14TH April 2013 9.30am - 5.30pm Community Hall, 253 King Edward St, South Dunedin
(Free for South Dunedin Residents)
Explore a new global vision of Sustainability, Spirtual Fulfillment and Social Justice
Focus on South Dunedin - the challenges and the opportunities - to make it a thriving, resilient, healthy, holistic community
Contact Chris to register: lebreton1@gmail.com 022 689 7107
AGENTS OF CHANGE Workshop facilitated by Chris Le Breton
SATURDAY 20th April 2013 9.30am - 5.30pm Community Hall, 253 King Edward St, South Dunedin
Bathgate School, Macandrew Rd, South Dunedin
(Free for South Dunedin Residents)
This is an interactive, transformational workshop designed to deepen our understanding of what it means to be an Agent of Change, and to empower our capacity to address humanity's most pressing issues.
Contact Chris to register: lebreton1@gmail.com 022 689 7107

CURTAIN BANK
What is a Curtain Bank?
The Dunedin Curtain Bank is a not for profit organization set up to collect curtains, repair, reline and
wash them then distribute them to those in need (low income households, families, elderly,
disabled, immigrants and others in need).
Curtains provide a low cost and effective insulation for
windows (which lose the most heat in a house, even double glazed windows). Curtains make a
home cheaper and easier to heat, while also providing privacy, improved ambiance and most
importantly of all health benefits.

Why We Need You?
The role of partner agencies is a key part of the curtain recycling service. We rely on our partner
agencies in the community to identify people in need of curtains. In some cases, an agency or
business is willing to be a drop off point for donors unable to drop their curtains at the Curtain Bank
itself.
Agencies will be supplied with all information referral forms and vouchers to help the client and us identify what is needed.

How to Be Involved
If you are interested in being a referral agency for the Dunedin Curtain Bank or just wish to be kept
abreast of what we are up to please contact us, preferably by email, and let us know.
Contact : curtainbank@gmail.com

STAFF TRAINING
Our office will be closed for Easter and staff training from 29 March to 5th April. Reopening again 8th April.
If you need to contact us: please phone 4555-299 and leave a message.

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