Collins Comments
6 March 2008

Do we need a 24-hour police station?

I recently met with the Papakura District Council and the Sensible Sentencing Trust regarding the level of street crime. It seems obvious to me that Papakura needs a 24 hour police station or at least one with a counter presence in the evening. I don’t believe people should have to stand in a queue in Manukau after a burglary when we have a perfectly good Police Station in Papakura. I'd like to hear your views on this.

Crime watch needs more volunteers.

Botany Crime Watch patrol is calling for new volunteers. These community groups do a wonderful job and I support their activities. Phone Margaret on 021 324 126 if you’d like to volunteer.

Graffiti vandals thumb noses at spray can ban.

Graffiti vandals have thumbed their noses at the Government’s initiative to ban spray can sales to under 18-year-olds by etching into glass. This week, I was appalled at the amount of glass damaged in this way in our local community. I’m sure people would rather have spray paint painted over than have to pay to replace their windows. This just proves how hopeless the Government’s initiative is proving. I hope that a spell in one of our Fresh Start camps may assist people who find it too difficult to stop vandalising other people’s property.

Electorate office on the move.

The Clevedon electorate office will soon be on the move. We’re relocating to the Roselands Centre in Papakura which will be far easier to find when constituents come to do their shopping in town. There’s lots of parking too. The new office will be open sometime in April.

O week at university.

On March 3 I attended The University of Auckland’s orientation week with Jackie Blue MP and Nicky Wagner MP. We had a great reception.

March against Electoral Finance Act.

A march against the Electoral Finance Act will be held on 9 March. The march departs from Aotea Square at 2pm.

Overseas enrolment to vote.

If you have family members or friends overseas, it’s important to remind them to enrol to vote now. Information about voting from overseas is available on www.elections.org.nz. Overseas enrolment applies to:

* New Zealand citizens who are 18 years or older and who have been in New Zealand in the past three years

* New Zealand permanent residents over 18 years old who have been in New Zealand in the past 12 months

You can help someone overseas by completing an enrolment form at their request. You just have to be enrolled yourself to sign and print “Elector Overseas – signed by their direction” on the form.

DIY Fathers.

I recently met with stay-at-home dad Scott Lancaster who, with Eric Mooij and Stefan Korn, has set up a website with tips and support for other men who look after the children while their wife or partner works. I was impressed with their enthusiasm to help dads and provide information which they found hard to find themselves. The website, www.diyfather.com is full of tips with blog categories including child development, clothes, education, entertainment, finance, food and feeding, health and emergency, relationships, shopping, and sleeping. By far the most blog entries are in the “stories” category where dads share their experiences. Helpful book and product reviews are also included along with fun competitions. The current competition calls for dads’ favourite noises that put their babies to sleep. The noises will be part of a “Dads make all the noise” compilation. Good on you guys, you’re setting a great example for healthy families.

Judith Collins
National Party MP

ENDS

© Scoop Media