Make train services better for higher ticket prices

Rising Wellington commuter train fares in September needs to be matched by a lift in the quality of the commuter rail service.

Long-suffering Wellington commuters would struggle to see why they should pay any more for a service that is often less than satisfactory.

 Slow, cold and delayed trains hardly tell people that they should be digging deeper into their pockets for what has been a third rate and unreliable service in recent years.

If there is a necessary increase to cover costs, then there had better be a particularly strong commitment from Tranz Metro to really deliver Wellingtonians the rail service that they deserve.

May 2011

Hello all,

I managed to catch up with a lot of you whilst visiting Tawa, Maungarakei and the Johnsonville mall. In addition to that..........

• was guest of honour at Sri Lankan Senior Citizens Sir Lankan New Year Festival in Johnsonville
• attended the opening ceremony of Newlands Intermediate School's stage one redevelopment programme
• held electorate clinics in Maungaraki, Johnsonville, and Newlands
• attended the opening nights of Khandallah Arts Theatre's latest production, and Newlands College's annual production
• visited constituents at home in Newlands, and Churton Park
• presented prizes at Johnsonville Bowling Club's end of season ceremony
• visited businesses in Tawa, Johnsonville Mall and Maungaraki
• collected for Mary Potter Hospice in Johnsonville
• attended the annual general meetings of the Onslow Historical Society and the Johnsonville and Districts Returned Services Association
• Participated in Challenge 2000's Quiz Night in Johnsonville (my team won!!)

A pretty busy month, given Budget Week was in there as well!!!

Always a pleasure.............

Good news for Ohariu in 2011 Budget

With regard to the 2011 budget, I am particularly pleased with the $88.4 million, eight-year funding package for Wellington’s rail services.

 I have constantly pushed for a better rail and transport deal for Wellington commuters, and this is a substantial commitment.

April 2011

Another busy month in the electorate................

• Held electorate clinics in Johnsonville, and Tawa
• Made home visits to constituents in Khandallah, Newlands and Paparangi.
• Visited Childspace childcare centre in Johnsonville, and Newlands College
• Attended the Johnsonville Community Centre’s and Maungaraki Community Association’s annual general meetings.
• Attended the end of term presentations evening and the opening of the first of the redevelopment project at Newlands Intermediate
• Attended the Johnsonville Club’s Red and Black Fundraising Ball for the Christchurch Earthquake.
• Attended the opening of NZTA’s new Highway operations centre in Johnsonville
• Chaired  a meeting of the Northern Wellington Voluntary Service Awards Committee to plan for this year’s Awards, to be presented on September 3.
• Attended, as guest of honour, the Sri Lankan Senior Citizens Sri Lankan New Year celebrations in Johnsonville.
• Attended the Johnsonville RSA’s ANZAC Day parade and service.
• Called in on businesses in Johnsonville and Newlands.

Ohariu: a unique say in the composition of the next government

Late last week Don Brash successfully completed his hostile takeover of ACT, and I said at the time that his victory may well delight one in twenty voters, but it would ring alarm bells for the other nineteen.

 I stand by that.

 A Don Brash-led ACT in a position to push National to the far right after the next election will concern the vast majority of New Zealanders who are not of a far right disposition.

 Behind Brash’s gentlemanly ways and old school manners is a rigid far right ideologue whose right wing economic ‘purity’ means he will not hesitate to ‘burn the village to save it’.

 Make no mistake, if Don Brash has influence over the next government just watch the New Zealand that we know become a harsher, more brutal place.

 In saying all this, Ohariu voters are actually going to have a unique say in the composition of the next government in a way that few other electorates do.

 I work hard for this electorate and all the people in it, and I stand by my record of achievement for Ohariu. But I also lead the UnitedFuture Party, and if the ACT threat is to be countered, then it is the centrist UnitedFuture that can do it.

 Quite apart from the electorate vote for an MP, people will need to consider in the next few months just what party they want supporting National (and yes, it will be National leading the next government – Labour is in total meltdown).

 New Zealanders generally, and the people of Ohariu, will need to decide if they want ACT driving National to the right, or UnitedFuture keeping National anchored firmly in the centre.

 As I say, nineteen out of twenty New Zealanders will most assuredly be horrified by an ACT-driven government.

 People have a lot of thinking to do before now and the November election. The very type and shape of the government we have will depend on it.