Collins' Comments
Hon Judith Collins, MP for Papakura
Health targets for Counties Manukau met
Winter ills and accidents are a challenge for everyone, especially the hard-working doctors, nurses and support staff at
our public hospital Accident and Emergency Departments. Recent Health figures show the staff in the emergency
departments in Counties Manukau are working very hard indeed. They achieved an amazing 97 per cent of emergency
department patients being seen, admitted or discharged or transferred within six hours.
Also, Counties Manukau Health has reached its target for helping people to stop smoking by providing advice and support
from a primary health care practitioner to 90 per cent of smokers from April to June this year, for the first time.
Advice and support to quit smoking given by a health professional is recognised as one of the most effective ways to get
people to give up smoking. Middlemore hospital has achieved its target consistently in the last two years, too.
In addition, the number of people receiving heart and diabetes checks has jumped to 89 per cent of those eligible for
monitoring. This is an important step to encourage people to change their lifestyles to improve their overall health if
they are at risk.
New Zealanders continue to benefit from many other improvements in health services that are supported by the extra $400
million the National government has invested into health this year.
Social Housing Reform
The need for suitable social housing is a priority for our Government. It is focusing on people and families who need
social housing and we are supporting people into housing independence.
Social Housing Reforms objectives include:
• Ensuring people who need housing support from the Government can get it.
• Ensuring social housing is the right size and configuration and in the right place for people in need.
• Encouraging more diverse ownership of social housing. $139 million is available to community housing providers
for about 900 new homes to be built across the country.
• Encouraging people with the right resources to become independent by renting or buying a home.
• Increasing the supply of affordable housing.
Using these objectives, the number of people on the Social Housing Register has decreased by 1,299 in the year to June
2015. A number of long term social housing tenants have moved into more suitable housing in the private market and this
has freed up over 150 homes for people with urgent needs for social housing.
There will be more tenancy reviews in the next two years to ensure that people have the type of social housing that
suits their needs.
The Housing New Zealand maintenance team has made repairs to over 3,000 properties since June last year including the
installation of over 1,757 heaters and 3,214 sets of thermal drapes. Carpet has also been installed in 2,102 properties.
Better ventilation has been installed in bathrooms and kitchens in over 5000 properties.
Housing New Zealand will also build new homes where they are needed and dispose of properties that are not ‘fit for
purpose’. The additional help of approved community housing providers will mean there are between 1000 and 2000 more
houses for social housing use in the 2015/16 year and existing tenants with on-going needs will continue to be housed.
Recognising the immediate short term need of some families, $500,000 extra has been allocated for emergency housing to
ensure every family has a place to stay.
To keep ahead of the need for social housing, subsidies are to be increased to 65,000 places by 2017/18, costing about
$40 million.
These are sensible changes, and the Government wants housing provision and costs to be fair for taxpayers and to result
in better outcomes for tenants and local communities.
Board of new school for Takanini appoints principal
It is exciting to be part of a Government that is really making improvements to education and investing in the future by
investing in schools. The new school in Walters Road, planned to open in term one in 2017, will be called Takanini New
School. Its establishment board, chaired by Daniel Newman, has just announced that Matt Williamson will be the
principal. Mr Williamson has a proven record for driving change and achieving success in a school community and will be
very welcome in our community.
Congratulations are offered to...
Dr Lee Mathias has been inducted into the New Zealand Hall of Fame for Women Entrepreneurs. The Counties Manukau Health Chair has been
recognised for her successes and skills in the Health sector.
Hannah Ireland from ACG Strathallan who has won a Top 5 place in an international on-line writing competition called the ‘Dear 2114’
Future Writing contest. There were 13,000 entries in the competition run by Wattpad.
Congratulations to Papakura High School for picking up the Outstanding Physical Education Award from Physical Education New Zealand. Papakura High runs 14 NCEA
physical education programmes and aim to lift the academic, sporting and social success of their students using sport as
a context for learning.
It is always good to see positive progress in our community and people taking responsibility for their own lifestyles
while supporting those who have a genuine need. I am proud of the people and organisations in Papakura who are part of
this progress and who offer valuable support to others.
Best wishes,
Hon Judith Collins
MP for Papakura
ENDS