David Bennett MP - Press Releases

Welcome Boost for Local Early Childhood Education

nospam@example.com (David Bennett MP) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:30:00 +1200

Hamilton will benefit from a funding boost to early childhood education services, says Hamilton East MP David Bennett.

"A government grant of more than $900,000 has been given to Barnardos Early Learning Centre - Te Totara to create a new early childhood education service," he says.

"The new service will provide an additional 50 places for children." The funding is part of a $8.9 million boost by the National-led Government for early childhood education across the country.

"This great news directly supports the Government’s priority of increasing participation in early childhood education and care. It will open up opportunities for education and increase choices for parents, families and whänau," Mr Bennett says.

nospam@example.com (Staff) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:14:18 +1200

Budget delay in school land deal

By REBECCA HARPER - Waikato Times | Tuesday, 29 July 2008

Plans for a new high school in northeast Hamilton have been set back after the Government bumped the purchase of land for the site off its budget for this year.

The Northeast School Action Group was formed by a group of concerned parents to lobby the Government for schooling facilities for years 7-13 in the fast-growing northern suburbs.

About 300 people attended a public meeting held by the group last month hoping for answers on when an intermediate and a high school might be built.

The proposed site for the school is 15ha between the proposed Waikato expressway and Te Totara Primary School and the group had hoped the purchase of the land would be finalised by the end of this year.

Action group chairwoman Ngahuia Nuri said at a recent meeting the Education Ministry had confirmed the land would not be bought this year.

"We are very disappointed ... it is a setback," she said. "So many people out there in the community are looking for a local facility, so we will still be pushing for it (the school), absolutely.

"They have indicated they are committed to the school and it will go ahead, but it has been bumped from the ministry budget this year. There is no guarantee that won't happen again, though."

Two primary schools, Te Totara Primary and Rototuna Primary, have opened in the last five years, but parents also want a high school of their own. Students in the area are zoned for Fairfield College.

Hamilton East MP David Bennett has been helping the group in their bid for the new school. He is disappointed that, although the ministry in Hamilton recommended the land be bought, Education Minister Chris Carter decided not to do so.

"They believe the decision is not detrimental to the process and they can carry on with consultation, which they can, but the land purchase is important and something the community had expected them to achieve this year."

However, a spokesperson for Mr Carter said he understood the ministry had recently concluded its negotiations with a landowner for the purchase of land. Buying the site could be considered as part of an October funding review or in next year's budget.

24 May 2008 - Waikato Times Article - Cuts offer little relief for Waikato, say experts

nospam@example.com (Staff) — Tue, 27 May 2008 10:52:57 +1200

Cuts offer little relief for Waikato, say experts

Saturday, 24 May 2008

By Natalie Akoorie, Chris Gardner and NZPA

Waikato experts say tax relief offered in Michael Cullen's 2008 Budget is too little too late while the Budget itself is a blatant attempt to control New Zealanders.

Hamilton Budget Advisory Trust manager Clare Mataira said the cuts would do little to ease the pain at supermarket check-outs and petrol pumps for average families.

"It's not going to make a real difference. I think people are really hurting and it's probably some way of trying to alleviate that. It probably is a bit late given what's been happening in the economy."

Ms Mataira believed $12 to $16 a week would not make a significant difference to the average household.

Waikato University Associate Professor of Finance, Stuart Locke, said the Budget was a "direct and blatant" attempt to lock-in policies for years to come.

"In a year when the political polls might indicate they're in trouble they're still trying really hard to determine the destiny of New Zealand."

Dr Locke called the approach "parental". He said the Budget smacked of a "we know best" attitude.

Te Awamutu cinema operator Allan Webb compared the Budget to a bad movie, describing it as a "lemon".

Mr Webb, who owns and operates the Regent Theatre, thought the cut in the bottom rate of income tax and changes to the thresholds a ruse.

"It's the same as if a shop changed all its labels with an increase in price, then had a sale marking them down," Mr Webb said.

National MP for Hamilton East David Bennett said the average wage earner had had to wait almost nine years to get only $16 a week.

"That's a huge let down when households are facing high interest rates, soaring fuel prices and rising food prices. It's the equivalent of a family-size block of cheese and that's simply too little too late."

But Labour MP for Hamilton West Martin Gallagher said the Budget delivered back to working people and families, including the elderly, with a programme of tax cuts and Working For Family credits. He added that $700 million invested in pastoral and food research had "fantastic potential for the Waikato".

29 April 2008 Waikato Times Article - Growth calls for school fast-track

nospam@example.com (Staff) — Mon, 12 May 2008 15:35:37 +1200

Waikato Times

Tuesday 29/4/2008 Page: 3 Section: General News

Growth calls for school fast-track

By Rebecca Harper

The growth in Hamilton's northeast has prompted parents to rally to fast-track a new intermediate and high school.

The newly formed group, North East Schools Action Group Inc (NESAG), represents 20 families who want a school established in the area for Year 7 to 13 students by 2010.

Two primary schools recently opened in the suburb of Rototuna. The newest, Te Totara Primary School, off Borman Rd, opened in time for the first day of school this year. Rototuna Primary School, on Strathmore Dr, opened in May 2003.

The suburb is currently zoned for Fairfield College, but now parents who sent their children to Te Totara and Rototuna want a school of their own. The group and the local MP, National's David Bennett, have met with landowners, the Hamilton City Council and the Education Ministry to discuss future plans for a school, likely to be situated on 11-13ha between the proposed Waikato expressway and Te Totara Primary School.

Chairwoman Carla Lindsey said the group was formed after discussion between like-minded parents at Te Totara Primary.

"We wanted to know what was happening with the intermediate and high school we had been told would be built," she said.

"I have one child at Te Totara and when I have more children I want them to be catered for by schools in the community. The support we get is overwhelming ... this is what people want and they want it now."

Mr Bennett said there had been "huge growth" in the northeast. Schools such as Rototuna were bursting with students and there was a real need for both an intermediate and a high school.

"The ministry had it in their plans to build these schools anyway, but growth has been faster than anyone anticipated and those schools need to be brought forward," Mr Bennett said.

He said schooling was the single biggest issue for the northeast community. "If I go door knocking it's the biggest issue they raise. The community has got to the size where it is demanding the facilities and infrastructure."

He said negotiations with the landowner for the proposed site for the school were going well, as were discussions with the council and ministry.

The group is planning a public meeting to be held in the next few months.

Manager of Schooling Network Provision, Central North Region, Derek Devoy, said the ministry was in the process of planning additional schooling provision for Years 7 - 13 in north Hamilton. Planned public consultation would also take place as part of the formal establishment process for new schools later this year.

nospam@example.com (Staff) — Mon, 12 May 2008 14:15:40 +1200

Waikato Times

Saturday 10/5/2008 Page: 11 Section: General News

LTNZ says city bypass too costly

When Land Transport NZ fronted up to explain its coolness on the Hamilton bypass, the expected flak was less than damaging.

By Belinda Feek

Land Transport New Zealand representatives managed to escape relatively unscathed after fronting up to questioning on the Waikato Expressway this week.

Funding chief executive Wayne Donnelly and board member Paul Fitzharris turned up to discuss with Regional Land Transport Committee members the reasons behind LTNZ's lack of interest in funding the Hamilton section of the expressway. Earlier this year, LTNZ announced it "did not support" the funding of the approximate $500 million bypass.

The $1.2 billion Waikato Expressway comprises eight bypasses and is designed to move heavy traffic off roads with poor safety records, and reduce travelling times between Auckland and Hamilton.

The Hamilton bypass would run from Lake Rd, Horsham Downs, in the north, to south of Tamahere at Discombe Rd.

At the Monday meeting, Mr Donnelly said the bypass was too expensive and told members to work out a cheaper option.

"It's a very expensive project where costs look to be twice the target of economic benefits ... In view of LTNZ the strategic role of the Hamilton bypass needs to be further clarified and quantified before it moves into design stage."

The Government had to be assured of "value for money" for its investment in the expressway.

He confirmed LTNZ's concerns about the cost of the Huntly bypass, from south of Ohinewai to Gordonton Rd. "There is a cost and risk issue ... are there some trade-offs that could made?"

It's been suggested the Huntly bypass should be downgraded from four lanes to two lanes with more passing lanes.

Hamilton city councillor Dave Macpherson said LTNZ's stance "annoys the hell out of me... because it's yet another example of something that's on their programme as a promise and we're having the rug pulled out from under our feet again".

Mr Macpherson, who was not at the meeting, said the expressway needed to be looked at as one whole project. "Otherwise we'll end up with a patchwork of road like we have done for the past 20 years."

National's Hamilton East MP David Bennett said he was disappointed with LTNZ's comments which basically meant it didn't see the strategic importance of the Hamilton bypass. "They talk about how they need more information but the reality is it's a huge road for Waikato growth ... we've had enough of that. We want to see something built."

Mr Bennett felt LTNZ was not interested in an Auckland to Cambridge road; rather it envisaged separate Hamilton North-Auckland and Hamilton South-Cambridge roads.