ACT Party
This week, our Justice spokesperson Nicole McKee hits the gangs where it hurts, Primary Industries spokesperson Mark Cameron’s Bill to ensure environmental regulations are taken out of the hands of Wellington bureaucrats has its first reading, ACT Leader David Seymour serves up Mr Whippy ice creams at Parliament and Police spokesperson Chris Baillie gets the Police Minister to cut through the Prime Minister’s spin.
IN THE NEWS
David Seymour leads accidental ice cream-centred anti-Taliban protest
Businesses across New Zealand have been doing it tough through the latest lockdowns and Mr Whippy is no exception. So, when ACT Leader David Seymour made the suggestion that a “Mr Whippy style business model should be used for testing and tracing for COVID-19” Mr Whippy came to Parliament to thank him for the mention. It was a sweet way to celebrate David’s seventh anniversary in Parliament and resulted in a scoop for the Herald, with one of the best headlines David’s had since becoming an MP.
Nicole hits the gangs where it hurts
Nicole McKee’s Bill was drawn from the ballot in Parliament yesterday. Nicole’s Member’s Bill will increase the power of police to seize assets connected with gang activity and illegal firearms owned by gang members by introducing a new threshold for Police to seize assets. The threshold would be triggered if a gang member was found with an illegal firearm. This is a tool to hit the gangs where it hurts, their wallets. Parliament has a duty and a responsibility to keep New Zealanders safe. We need a fresh approach that will put control back in the hands of Police and ACT is once again here with proposals to make New Zealand a better place.
PHARMAC report nowhere to be seen
Our Health spokesperson and Deputy Leader Brooke van Velden revealed that the interim report into PHARMAC was a month overdue. Patients who’ve made a submission in good faith deserve an update.ACT was the first party to call for a review into PHARMAC. Both Labour and National agreed they would follow through while under pressure during an election debate. Minister Andrew Little now needs to follow though so this is not just a cynical election bribe. Many New Zealanders’ lives depend on certain drugs being funded. Those who made submissions are now in the dark about when this report will be made public. That’s just not good enough. Brooke was also in the Herald this week with her column Illogical Covid alert level rules add stress for small businesses which you can read here.
IN THE HOUSE
David questions the Prime Minister
Leader David Seymour asked the Prime Minister about the slow vaccine rollout that has led to further lockdowns.
Mark’s Bill
Mark Cameron’s Bill to ensure environmental regulations are managed by regional councils and taken out of the hands of Wellington bureaucrats had its first reading and was voted down by Labour and the Greens. It’s no wonder we saw huge protests around the country from farmers recently – they feel let down and beaten up by this Government. Rural New Zealanders are worried about the threat of Significant Natural Areas, the ute tax, three waters, a ban on live exports or indigenous biodiversity. You can watch Mark Cameron’s speech on this Bill below and be assured he will keep fighting for rural New Zealand.
Poto throws Jacinda under the bus
Poto Williams has finally admitted the Government has not reached its target of 1800 new police under questioning from Chris Baillie. It was always nonsense the way that the Government said it had achieved the target without taking into consideration attrition. Finally, Poto Williams has called out the Prime Minister for her spin and agreed the target has not yet been met. Williams said the Government is “well on track to meet the target in 2023.” The target was originally 2020 and in November 2019, Jacinda Ardern said in a press release “The Coalition commitment to add 1800 new Police officers to frontline policing has been achieved with the graduation of 59 constables from the Royal New Zealand Police College today.”ACT commends Poto Williams for finally being up front with New Zealanders and admitting the target has not yet been met.
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