Summer is also a busy time for our region with a lot of work to do plus, of course, preparing for Christmas and the new year.
Another feature of this time of year are agricultural and pastoral shows.
I attended the West Otago and South Otago A&P shows and had some great discussions about the government’s work to support the rural sector.
I also hosted the "Rural Nats" woolshed meetings in Gore and Five Rivers with MPs Miles Anderson and Mike Butterick to get feedback on what else folks would like to see.
This government came into power with New Zealand facing the deepest recession since 1991.
Money needed to be spent during the pandemic, but the last government spent too much against official advice, harming the economy.
Some of the first green shoots of economic recovery and growth have been showing in our region and they are now starting to show up in other parts of the country.
When we were successful at the last election, our government set a target of doubling the value of exports within 10 years.
Notwithstanding some geopolitical challenges, we have been building trading relationships around the world and New Zealand now has the highest business confidence in 11 years.
We have returned to a positive trade balance and experienced commentators are predicting in the years ahead our economy will grow faster than Australia’s.
This week we’ve also seen a significant commercial milestone for New Zealand’s strong wool sector.
The Wool Research Organisation of New Zealand’s commercial development company Wool Source has secured its first commercial export order for its innovative wool particle products.
This contract is a taste of the opportunities that exist as we create an exciting future for the New Zealand wool sector and boost farm-gate returns for sheep farmers.
The government’s work to replace the Resource Management Act will also significantly improve productivity and reduce bureaucratic red tape.
The Gore District is full of people getting things done and I’ve seen two great examples of that recently when I caught up with Gore District Council Mataura ward Councillor Nicky Coats at The Bunker in Mataura with mayor Ben Bell.
The Bunker is an awesome facility Nicky has helped build with the community — reviving a boxing gym for local children, indoor rollerblading, mountain bikes, trampolining, cooking and sharing hundreds of free meals and lots more.
It was also a real privilege to attend the centennial celebration of the Mataura Volunteer Fire Brigade a few weeks back.
The brigade has been serving the community in many ways over the last century and the brigade’s past and present members have all provided a huge contribution.
As a former volunteer firefighter myself it was a really special event to be part of. If I don’t see you beforehand, thank you for your support this year and have a fantastic Christmas and festive season!
