Plain English - No. 2, 2009
September
2009
Welcome to Plain
English, my regular newsletter aimed at Clutha-Southland
residents. It covers local issues as well as national
politics. I welcome your feedback on the content and any
issues you'd like covered.
Youth Opportunities
While in Balclutha recently I visited South Otago High School and spoke to the Year 12 & 13 assembly. I met the head students, school council and met Rachel Dick, who is training as a hairdresser at a Balclutha business.
It can be tough for young people starting out in the workforce when they have no work history and a limited number of people willing to give them a chance. That's why we're backing them to get a start.
Youth unemployment far outweighs any other segment of the community with 18- to 24-year-olds making up a third of those on the Unemployment Benefit. The number of young people who want a job but can't get one has more than quadrupled in the past year from 4000 to 17,000.
We can't afford to leave young people languishing on a benefit. This risks diminishing the potential of an entire generation of Kiwis.
That's why we have announced our Youth Opportunities Package. It invests $152 million and aims to create up to 16,900 new opportunities for under 24-year-olds over the next 18 months.
Job Ops backs businesses that create work opportunities for young people. We are asking firms to provide up to 4000 young people with an entry-level job for at least six months. We will pay a $5000 wage subsidy for each placement.
Community Max invites local councils, mayors, community groups, and iwi to play a role creating up to 3000 work opportunities. We want community organisations to come to the Government with local projects that could employ young people and engage them in our communities. We will pay the minimum wage for 30 hours a week for up to six months, a training payment, and one supervisor for every four participants.
We are jump-starting our Youth Guarantee initiative. Some kids learn more from ripping an engine apart than studying Macbeth. Up to 2000 16- and 17-year-olds not engaged at school will get the opportunity to do fees-free training at polytechs, wänanga, and private training institutions.
Other initiatives in the package include extra training places for careers in the Defence Force, 1600 summer scholarships for university students, and 2500 new places in military-style training programmes. The package also includes up to 500 jobs for young people on National Cycleway projects, 600 new Industry Partnership training opportunities, and a funding boost for polytechs and technology institutes.
By providing these opportunities we are bringing a brighter future to our young people who want to get ahead in life.
It's up to the individual to make the most of the opportunity and get their careers going.
Coming up:
Friday, 25 September: Opening of Queenstown electorate office and Thank you function for volunteers, Queenstown.
Sunday, 27 September: Bluegreens function at Queenstown Senior Citizens Centre with Nicky Wagner, List MP based in Christchurch Central.
Wednesday, 30 September, and Thursday, 1 October: Todd McClay, MP for Rotorua, will be in the electorate.
Ultra-fast broadband
for local school
The
Catlins Area School is set to receive a major upgrade to its
Information and communication technology infrastructure, as
part of the Government's $34 million boost for broadband in
schools.
The school will receive internal network
upgrades, providing opportunities for teachers and students
to make greater use of digital learning technologies and
improving access to online learning tools.
This
is great news for the school and the community. I'm very
pleased that The Catlins Area School has been selected as
one of the first 14 schools nationwide to receive an
upgrade.
Ultra-fast broadband has the potential
to enhance the teaching and learning experience for students
in every New Zealand school. It will allow schools like
Catlins to access a wider range of online resources and
tools, and deliver programmes that are relevant and engaging
for students.
Broadband in schools is a major part
of the Government's commitment to roll out ultra-fast
broadband to New Zealanders where they live, work and study.
We believe ultra-fast broadband will deliver a social and
economic step change in New Zealand - schools are one of our
first priorities as the benefits of greater broadband
capacity will be felt very quickly.
Three social services groups in Clutha and Southland
have been given more than $180,000 from the Community
Response Fund. It is part of almost $9 million given to
164 critical social services groups under severe financial
pressure. Wakatipu Abuse Prevention Network receives
$10,000, Queenstown Lakes Centre/Families First Trust
$57,655, and Invercargill-based Jubilee Budget Advisory
Service $25,000. The new fund was set up in May to help
those groups providing vital social services during the
recession, which are under severe financial strain or
experiencing increased demand. Up to $104 million is being
made available over two years. Organisations that missed
out in this round are being encouraged to apply again.
Applications for the second round of the Community Response
Fund close on 25 September. More information is available
at
http://www.familyservices.govt.nz/our-work/funding-resources/grants-round-one.html A range of measures to
boost biosecurity readiness and strengthen partnerships with
industry has been announced by Biosecurity Minister David
Carter. This package delivers on the Government's election
commitment to provide a more efficient post-border
biosecurity system and significantly lift New Zealand's
ability to deal with introduced pests and diseases. At the
same time, the introduction of some cost-sharing
arrangements will enable primary industries to have a better
say in biosecurity readiness and response activities. The
measures include:
Critical social services get funding
boost
Biosecurity
package a faster, fairer system
•
Agreement-in-principle to continue Crown funding of $30
million a year for managing bovine tuberculosis, to
2015.
• A move towards implementing joint
decision-making and cost-sharing agreements with primary
industries for biosecurity preparedness and response
activities.
• A $25 million, 10-year deal
between MAF Biosecurity New Zealand and AsureQuality to
build and deliver biosecurity response field
operations.
• The go-ahead for a biosecurity
surveillance strategy that will encourage collaboration with
industry which will result in swifter response
capabilities.
Keeping funding for bovine Tb at
existing levels, despite the challenging economic
conditions, is crucial for our beef, dairy and deer
industries and their ability to compete in global markets.
However, the future success of the Tuberculosis Pest Management Strategy will depend on industry and local government showing a commitment to ongoing funding now that the Government has signalled its contribution.
A move towards a cost-sharing agreement with primary industries will increase incentives to invest in biosecurity readiness, resulting in faster and less costly responses.
Fiordland
wins health funding
Fiordland Medical Practice has
gained funding for a 12-month teleradiology project been
awarded $50,000 from the Health Ministry's 2009/2010 Rural
Innovation Fund.
The one-off grant is one of six
of up to $50,000 awarded throughout the country from the
Health Ministry's 2009/2010 Rural Innovation Fund.
The Government wants better, sooner, more
convenient care in rural areas. There were 22 applications
for the annual fund of $300,000.
Teleradiology
improves patient care by allowing radiologists to provide
services without actually having to be at the location of
the patient.
Warm Up New Zealand: Heat
Smart scheme
Homeowners
in Southland and Otago and will be able to get their homes
insulated sooner with 40 more providers in the region
approved under the Government's Warm Up New Zealand: Heat
Smart scheme.
Contracts for the 40 providers of
insulation and clean heating devices are expected to be in
place by the start of next month, Southland gets another 19
providers and Otago gets 21.
This is good news for
the two regions. An insulated house helps reduce energy
consumption, puts less pressure on our electricity network
and cuts energy bills.
People living in insulated
homes are healthier. Warm and dry homes also help people
with respiratory or medical problems which can be made worse
by living in a cold, damp house.
The scheme is
also a much needed boost for our economy, boosting
employment.
Top tourist
operator
Congratulations
to Bryan McChlery - tourism owner and operator who manages
Te Anau Top 10 Holiday Park, Driftaway Rental Campervans and
Go Milford - is one of four finalists for the PATA Young
Tourism Professional Award.
Bryan has developed
and manages three tourism businesses in Fiordland, with
plans to open a fourth this year. Under his management Te
Anau's Top 10 Holiday Park has expanded significantly and
developed new and related tourism activities. These include
the Top 10 Milford Sound Coach and Cruise business
(rebranded Go Milford) and Driftaway Rental
Campervans.
Kind Regards,
Bill English MP
ENDS