Collins Comments - 19 March 2008
The good people of Papakura want their 24 hour police station back.
Thank you to all who gave me their views on the return of our 24 hour police station.
From this feedback it is evident that this is what the community wants. It has been suggested to me that worthy
volunteers could put up their hand to help at the counter if this is needed. I will continue to raise this as an issue
and fight for the good people of Papakura.
Times are getting harder for us all, with every week seeming to bring news of worsening economic conditions.
Hard-working Kiwis are feeling the pinch from higher interest rates and skyrocketing costs for everyday essentials such
as food, petrol, and power. Within households, people are having to tighten their belts and make hard decisions about
where they should be spending their money.
National believes it should be no different in the state sector.
It's time to stop the growth in bureaucracy we have seen over the past nine years of this Labour Government. It's time
to focus public spending on front-line services that make a real difference in people's lives, rather than
paper-shuffling and report-writing that does not. It's time to cut out the low-quality spending that goes on in the
state sector and let New Zealanders keep a little more of their own money.
Over the past eight years, the bureaucracy has grown out of all proportion to those parts of the state sector that
actually serve the public. So bloated has the bureaucracy become that since 2000 it has been the fastest growing sector
in the economy.
National is not going to reduce the number of public sector front-line staff. This should be absolutely clear - under
National, the numbers of doctors, nurses, teachers, social workers, police, and other front-line staff will grow.
Instead, a National Government will cap the size of the core bureaucracy. We are going to make do with the resources we
have, and work to get more value out of them. The simple fact is that we have enough bureaucrats to do the job already
and National believes that the priority for resources in the state sector should be the delivery of front-line services.
The past nine years of Labour have been about growing the public service. The next National Government will be about
growing services to the public. It's time to bring some much-needed discipline into public spending and that's what a
National Government will do.
Papakura High School's stand against students growing facial hair has my backing. The school recently ordered a senior
pupil to remove his facial hair and that pupil saw fit to go to the NZ Herald publicising himself and the school about
it.
The boy suggested the Government could pass a bill allowing young males to have facial hair at school similar to the
bill allowing 16-year-olds to have tattoos and piercing. I say this was a prime example of young people being filled
with talk about their 'rights' but seldom about their responsibilities.
School principal Angela Appleby told the Herald senior students were seen as role models for younger children and were
required to set a good example. I congratulate the school for insisting on standards from senior students.
I fully support Papakura High School for taking a stand on standards.
Judith Collins National Party MP