MAGGIE BARRY MP for North Shore

Budget 2013: Building Momentum

nospam@example.com (admin) — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:38:10 +1200

Budget 2013 is an excellent Budget. With this 5th Budget, Finance Minister Bill English and the National Government continue to create the right settings for businesses to invest and create jobs, and for our economy to grow.

HEALTH receives the largest increase - $14.7 billion being spent on health, including:

$70 million for aged care and dementia services, $35.5 million for diabetes and heart disease,
$100 million extra to meet population changes and cost pressures in disability support services.
$48 million for more elective operations such as hip replacements and cataracts.
$25 million to increase the number of people being screened for diseases, particularly breast cancer.
More than $21 million to reduce the incidence of rheumatic fever and undertake rheumatic fever vaccine research.

This is a budget that’s good for business. A $100 million-a-year internationally focused growth package will further support research and development, tourism, and marketing to international students. The Government’s annual investment in research and development lifts to $1.36 billion, the highest ever.

Initiatives to support HOUSING AFFORDABILITY:
Legislation will be introduced to increase housing affordability and improve the local regulatory environment.
The Government is working with councils to create accords to increase land supply and streamline planning and consent processes.

EDUCATION increases to $9.7 billion, including
$215 million to raise student achievement
Over $1 billion to assist schools with the provision of modern, 21st Century learning environments
Over $130 million more for higher level tertiary education

Initiatives to support those who are vulnerable in our community, including:
$100m for home insulation
$1.5m for budgeting advice services
$13.7 million to support the Children's Action Plan in operating funding over four years

$1.5 billion of proceeds from the Mighty River Power float will be invested in Christchurch hospitals, irrigation, schools, and the KiwiRail turnaround plan. The Government has also announced Meridian Energy will be the next company to be prepared for a partial share offer.

ACC levy reductions of around $300 million in 2014/15, increasing to around $1 billion in 2015/16, will lower costs on businesses and households.

You can read more detail about BUDGET 2013 here: http://www.national.org.nz/budget2013.aspx

Local Board Member Joe Bergin visits Parliament

nospam@example.com (admin) — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:18:27 +1200

The youngest member ever elected to a Local board, Joe Bergin is now the National party's youngest ever Electorate Chair. He was voted in as the new Chair of the North Shore electorate in March and went to Wellington to familiarise himself with the workings of Parliament.

The hard working member of the Devonport Takapuna Board took a rare day off from his local duties to observe the work of Select Committees and the robust exchanges in the Debating Chamber.

DAIRY INDUSTRY RESTRUCTURING AMENDMENT BILL (NO 2)

nospam@example.com (admin) — Wed, 15 May 2013 11:38:00 +1200

I rise to speak to the Dairy Industry Restructuring Amendment Bill (No 2). This is very much a bill whose time has passed. It probably ought never to have been put into the ballot. It has been drawn up after the events have already overtaken it. From what I can gather talking to members of the rural community people are very happy with the status quo.

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Breakfast with Hon. Maurice Williamson on 24 May

nospam@example.com (admin) — Fri, 10 May 2013 18:45:04 +1200

Prime Minister John Key visits the North Shore electorate

nospam@example.com (admin) — Thu, 09 May 2013 19:04:10 +1200

Prime Minister John Key was in the North Shore electorate for the morning on May 1, spending time with business people and heritage groups in Devonport, and meeting some of Takapuna's business leaders.

"Although he was only here for a few hours," says Maggie, "we were able to showcase the best in both heritage and business and I think the PM definitely came away with strong and favourable impressions about the way we get things done on the Shore."

Maggie and the Prime Minister took part in the 10th Anniversary Celebrations of the Peter Raos Art Gallery. The event was well attended by several of Devonport's key business people.

With John Ashton, New World Devonport

With Joy and Howard Mace, B&B Operators

Maggie speaking to the guests in celebration of the 10th Anniversary event

PM John Key and Peter Raos, Master Glass Artist

Devonport Heritage representatives had the opportunity to speak with the Prime Minister about the importance of the preservation of the buildings and the potential impact that changes to building codes following the Christchurch earthquake could have on restoration.

Left to Right: Claudia Page, Margot McRae, Prime Minister, Maggie, Trish Deans

Devonport was very welcoming to the Prime Minister as he walked up Victoria Road towards the 101 year old Victoria Theatre.

The PM visited Devonport during the school holidays

Waving back to patrons at the cafe's along Victoria Road

In Manuka Restaurant, Victoria Road

One of Devonport's iconic residents, retired industrial designer Gifford Jackson, had the opportunity to meet with the Prime Minister in the Victoria Theatre. He was accompanied by his niece, Ruth Jackson. The Prime Minister was given a copy of the book recently written by Michael Smythe, detailing the breadth of Gifford's accomplishments and how he came to be known as the "Godfather of NZ Industrial Design".

Ruth Jackson (Niece of Gifford), Gifford Jackson, Prime Minister, and Claudia Page (Niece of Gifford)

Ruth Jackson (niece), Maggie, Gifford Jackson and the Prime Minister

The Prime Minister then travelled to Takapuna, where he met with a group of 30 Takapuna business representatives, including property developers, landlords, inventors, entrepreneurs, retailers, the tourism sector and event promoters. These people had the opportunity to speak with John Key about the benefits and challenges of running a successful business in Takapuna.

PM with Hartley Atkinson, CEO AFT Pharmaceuticals

Left to Right: Chris Arbuckle, Crown Group; David Levene, Quadrant Properties;

Peter Wall, Chairman, Harbour Access Trust

Left to Right: Naomi Ballantyne, PartnersLife;

Ben Wiltshire and Liam Wiltshire, Wiltshire Property Group

De-Registering of Family First

nospam@example.com (admin) — Thu, 09 May 2013 12:17:35 +1200

I’ve been approached by several constituents who have raised concerns about the change of Charitable status of the organisation Family First. On the 15th of April the independent Charities Registration Board made a decision to remove Family First NZ from the Charities Register because in their assessment it does not meet the requirements of a charity under the Charities Act 2005.

I am advised that the Board has determined that Family First’s main purpose is to promote particular points of view. The Board does not therefore consider that Family First’s purpose and activities meet the threshold requirements to be a registered charity under New Zealand law. Charities may well engage in some advocacy. However, where an organisation has a main purpose of promoting a particular point of view it may not meet the requirements for registration as a charity. Further information about the registration requirements of charities can be found at www.charities.govt.nz.

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May Column in Channel Magazine

nospam@example.com (admin) — Tue, 07 May 2013 22:51:04 +1200

As the cheese ad says, good things take time but it's worth all the effort, and that's certainly true of the long search for our new home in Devonport. The last of the cardboard boxes have finally been unpacked and with the welcome autumn rains I've been having fun pruning and planting my blue themed Spring flower garden. My son Joe, and Grant and I are really enjoying getting to know the 'hood’, discovering our fine local eateries and the importance of timing our run with the relentless Lake road traffic.

My first role as the newly resident MP was to open an exhibition at the Depot of a quintessential local, 91 not out, and still living in the villa below North Head where he was born. Gifford Jackson is something of an unsung local hero and the Depot exhibition and new book by Michael Smythe reveal a talented and meticulous industrial designer who’s had an enormous influence on the aesthetics of stylish design in NZ for more than 70 years. The North Shore is very good at celebrating the achievements of its own and it was a privilege to meet this humble man, still actively involved with Jazz and U3A and see him being applauded by his community.

That same spirit of appreciation was very evident at the prize giving of this year’s winners in Mairangi Bay of the IHC Good Neighbour Gardening competition. As a judge, I was impressed by their enthusiasm and by how much can be achieved on a shoestring budget, and as with any lovely garden, it’s more about the heart than the head that makes it a pleasure to be in.

Following visits to the 5 colleges in the electorate and a speech competition about problems facing youth and how to solve them politically, I was joined by businessman Gary Monk and local board member Joe Bergin to pick a winner to be my 2013 youth MP. Jake Benson, a prefect at Takapuna Grammar, will join 120 other aspiring politicians from around NZ to meet at Parliament in mid-July to debate in the chamber, sit on select committees and make legislation. One of the main areas of concern for our young is around job opportunities and as part of our government’s plan to deliver a more competitive and productive economy, now growing at 3%, there are some very encouraging developments. More than 13,000 new jobs have been created thought the 90 day trial and 54,000 jobs in the past 2 years.

The Apprenticeships Re-boot scheme announced earlier this year by the PM at the North Harbour Club, aims to add 14,000 new apprentices over the next 5 years, and the $1.5billion investment in broadband is currently being rolled out here on the shore and will make a real difference to our competitiveness. One of Takapuna’s success stories, the [Westpac Business] award winners, AFT pharmaceuticals are benefiting directly and where it matters to their business, from a $3.85 million dollar grant as part of the governments Technology Development Grants programme. AFT Founder and CEO Hartley Atkinson is planning to spend around $20 million in the next 3 years and he says the grant will make a significant difference to his company, "it will be very helpful as it’s difficult to really accelerate our R&D growth to get a range of products to market quickly. The North Shore is very suitable for this type of high tech industry as we have a highly skilled workforce and there is no reason why we cannot compete with the world’s best".

Anzac Day Commemorations 2013

nospam@example.com (admin) — Fri, 03 May 2013 09:43:14 +1200

Anzac Day is a time to reflect and pay tribute to our ANZAC veterans.

More than 2700 New Zealanders lost their lives serving as part of the Australia New Zealand Army Corps that landed at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915.

On Anzac Day we also remember those who have served in conflicts since that time. This year the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) will have 534 personnel deployed on 13 peacekeeping operations, United Nations missions, and defence exercises around the world.

Every day, these brave men and women strive to uphold democracy, preserve peace, and provide aid and support to people around the world.

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Reviewing Officer at Naval Graduation April 2013

nospam@example.com (admin) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 10:25:00 +1200

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Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill

nospam@example.com (admin) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:55:00 +1200

As part of my regular "Maggie's Monday Meetings" yesterday I met with Pastor Nick Burtenshaw (Belmont Baptist Church) and Pastor Peter Anderson (Mairangi Bay Community Church) regarding the Marriage Amendment Bill, and their concerns around the use of the words "bride and groom" not being allowed on the marriage license. There is good news to report - the terms "bride" and "bridegroom" are not to be deleted from marriage certificates if Parliament votes in favour of the Marriage Amendment Bill tomorrow.

Internal Affairs spokesman Michael Mead indicated that the department's plans had changed. "The department has since relooked at the removal of the terms 'bride' and 'bridegroom' from marriage forms," he said. "Our emphasis is on identifying suitable options to expand people's choices, not replacing 'bride' and 'groom'."

Minister of Internal Affairs, Chris Tremain said he also intended that the terms bride and bridegroom "will remain as an option".

You can read the full article, in today's New Zealand Herald, here:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10877768

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General Debate:

nospam@example.com (admin) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 13:47:01 +1200

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March / April 2013 Video Update

nospam@example.com (admin) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 21:56:29 +1200

In this video update Maggie speaks about a range of events and activities, including the Ellerslie Flower Show, feedback received from North Shore constituents on the Unitary Plan, work going on around proposed changes to the RMA through the Local Government and Environment Select Committee, an update on my work with the Finance and Expenditure select committee, the Bluegreen Forum, selecting a candidate for Youth Parliament in July, and the Gifford Jackson exhibition at the Depot Artspace in Devonport, and a visit from the Prime Minister in coming weeks.

Official Exhibition Opening & Book Launch "Gifford Jackson - NZ Industrial Design Pathfinder"

nospam@example.com (admin) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 19:43:00 +1200

MP Maggie Barry was invited to officially open the latest exhibition at The Depot Artspace, Devonport on Saturday.

"Gifford Jackson is one of the great heroes in Devonport. At 91, he continues to live in the house that his great grandfather built, and he is a designer par excellence. This exhibition provides an excellent reflection of Gifford's accomplishments." says Ms Barry.

Organised chronologically, the exhibition details the breadth of his endeavours - everyday items such as toasters, showers, and pill boxes, through to train exteriors and interiors, TVs and even a fully constructed Marisol Skiff sailboat.

Maggie was also asked to launch the new book written on Gifford's achievements, written by Devonport author Michael Smythe. This book is available for purchase from The Depot while the exhibition runs. For more information on the exhibition, visit:

http://www.depotartspace.co.nz/exhibitions-events

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North Shore Times Column: Forum Sets Framework

nospam@example.com (admin) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 11:00:00 +1300

The Bluegreens Forum is an annual highlight for anyone interested in our environment and this year the Government announced the most comprehensive and positive reforms of our freshwater management for a generation. Based on four years' work from the collaborative Land and Water Forum, a key element is the proposed new National Objectives Framework which is particularly relevant to those of us privileged to live on the North Shore. The framework will ensure that every waterway must meet a nationwide bottom line so that they are safe for recreational activities and are healthy places for fish and plant life. Councils will have access to the best science and freshwater objectives and limits will be set in a consistent and well-targeted way. These reforms are about Government supporting communities to make good decisions and it's to be hoped the Auckland City governing body, responsible for Lake Pupuke, will step up and do what's needed to improve their water management systems.

The Environment Minister Amy Adams also released a discussion document at the Bluegreens Forum, proposing some very wide ranging reforms to the Resource Management Act which will come as a relief to the many constituents who have told me the legislation is difficult to use and understand. In many cases, it's actively discouraging investment and innovation because it's too cumbersome, costly and time-consuming. I've heard horror stories of the slow and expensive consents required for simple DIY projects like extending a deck and I think the proposed new 10 day time limit and the simplified processes for applicants and Councils to follow will ease some of those frustrations. Resource Management matters repeatedly rank the lowest of all public services in the Kiwis Count Report into Customer Satisfaction and if you want to have your say I'd encourage you to read the document and make submissions before they close on Tuesday April 2nd.

There was good news for the North Shore Hospice and others around the country when the Health Minister Tony Ryall announced an extra $300,000 funding to ensure the high standards of hospice care can be maintained and improved. This allocation is part of the $15 million per year boost Hospice Care support that the Government has committed to since 2009. As a former Patron of Hospice NZ and as former Chair of a palliative care review in the 1990's I know how important it is to have top quality palliative care for those with life-limiting illnesses and their families.

It was very encouraging to make a return visit recently to the award-winning AFT Pharmaceuticals with members of the Health Select Committee and hear from founder Hartley Atkinson how well they are doing, and what a difference the $3.8 million grant for Research and Development has made. The award-winning Takapuna business started on the kitchen table after a redundancy in 1998, and has now increased sales from $41 million last year to $55 Million in 2013. He and his family live on the same street where he was raised, running a very successful business around the corner but not sacrificing the lifestyle he loves. That's the real spirit of the Shore.

As always, if you have any issues that I can assist you with please get in touch with my electorate office team by calling 09 486 0005 or emailing northshore@parliament.govt.nz

New brochures to support quality care at home

nospam@example.com (admin) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:18:09 +1300

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew has announced that two new brochures are now available to provide information for older people receiving Government funded home support.

The brochures What you can expect from home support services and What to do if you have a concern about your home support services have been published by the Ministry of Health. “These brochures will help assure older people of quality care in their homes and provide advice on what they should do if they do experience any problems with their care,” said Mrs Goodhew. “Raising small concerns early, before they become bigger, is my key advice to older people receiving care at home."

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