Want a quick overview of some achievements made in the Napier Electorate? 

ULTRA-FAST BROADBAND INITIATIVE ROLLS OUT....

$247,000 FOR HB RUGBY WORLD CUP EVENTS

Chris in Action during the Parliamentary Rugby World Cup last month.  The NZ Parliament Team won the Cup again for the 3rd year in a row since the tournament began. 

"It's really awesome seeing the whole country getting behind the RWC. It makes me proud to be a New Zealander!" <read more>

6000+ WARMER, DRYER HB HOMES

Chris with MP for Tukituki, Craig Foss celebrate the 6212 Hawke’s Bay home retrofitted with good quality insulation thanks to the Government’s Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart scheme.

For information on the scheme visit the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority website  <Go to ECCA>

INVESTING IN OUR SCHOOLS

Complete rebuild of Napier Intermediate providing state of the art teaching facilities in Napier.

Schools throughout the country have benefited from the Government’s stimulus programme, which has also created an additional 2000 jobs. $628 million was spent last year, with $741 million budgeted for 2011. This shows a real commitment to education and investing in infrastructure.

CYCLE TOURISM A WINNER!

Chris with Tukituki MP Craig Foss, Ministry of Development's Jonathan Kennett and Fenton Wilson from the HB Regional Council try out the Ahuriri 'Water Trail' which adds to the 'Landscape trail' around Te Mata peak already under construction.   The announcement was signed off on Thursday 3rd Feb and could be worth almost $10 million a year to the region. <read more>

Go to NZ Cycle Trail website to <read more>

BUILDING THE BAY -MATAHOURA GORGE REALIGNMENT

Growing our economy and improving the wages of our community depends on us investing in our future.  New infrastructure plays a key role in lifting the productivity of our local economy.

The Matahoura Gorge has been a bottle-neck on the Napier/Wairoa road for decades, at one point it was even called ‘The Narrows’ with trucks often having to stop to allow other traffic to pass.

I campaigned at the last election to move this vital piece of infrastructure forward, and I am proud to say that the gorge realignment project including a brand new over-bridge is now complete.  This will not only greatly improve traffic flow, it will also make this part of the Napier/Wairoa road much safer.

HB EXPRESSWAY SOUTHERN EXTENSION

On 11 March, Transport Minister Steven Joyce visited Hawke’s Bay to officially open these two Major roading projects.  The SH2 Matahorua Gorge Realignment and the SH50A Hawke’s Bay Expressway Southern Extension are the first of several roading projects accelerated under the  Government’s stimulus package to open. 

Hawke’s Bay produced yet another perfect day for the opening which was completed about one year ahead of schedule and significantly under budget. Both these projects will shorten travel times and make using these State Highways much safer.

WELLESLEY ROAD HEALTH CENTRE

I worked with both the Minister of Health, and the Hawke's Bay DHB, to ensure Napier residents would be guaranteed a Health Centre into the future when the lease on the Wellesley Road Health Centre was set to expire.

It was great news, then, that the Hawke's Bay DHB re-signed the lease through to 2019, securing this important frontline service for Napier.

More recently we have announced a 1/2 million dollar investment in new digital radiology equipment for the Centre. This is another example of National's focus on frontline services for our communities, and better, sooner, more convenient healthcare.

REINSTATING THE DHB

Prior to the last election the Board of the DHB were unceremoniously and undemocratically sacked, this created a huge uproar amongst the Hawke’s Bay Community.  Craig Foss and I campaigned at the 2008 election to reinstate the Board.

I am proud to say that within 2 months of that election the Board was reinstated and following recent elections, Kevin Atkinson has also been returned to his position as Chairman.

EXCELLENT APPLE NEWS FOR THE BAY

"Hawke’s Bay, like David took on Goliath and won! We are right behind the apple industry and applaud all the hard work that went into this win." <read more>

MUSEUM GETS $6 MILLION

The announcement by Chris Finlayson, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, to fund our Regional Museum will ensure we have substantially better access to our nationally significant collections. Congratulations to Mayor Barbara Arnott and her councillors for all their hard work and vision. I am pleased to have been able to play a part to ensure tax payer support for this project. <read more>

AIRPORT EXTENSION

This is a project that MP Craig Foss and I together with the region’s Mayors & the Airport Board, have been working towards for over 4 yrs. I’d like to thank all those who have collaborated on the project with a special mention to local iwi who have been very supportive. <read more>

AIR QUALITY WIN

Many of you expressed your concerns about the previous Government’s air quality standards. The recent review by the Minister for the Environment, Nick Smith, now means that Napier should be able to meet the standards within the timeframe, and at a much smaller cost to our city. This is a great outcome for Napier... <read more>

LAW & ORDER - A STRONG PRIORITY

At the last election National stood on a strong law & order platform and I am proud to say that we have stepped up and delivered on these promises.

Locally, the most visual demonstrations of this are the opening of the new Tamatea Policing Centre, the addition of more police in Maraenui and the soon to be opened Policing Centre in Nuhaka north of Wairoa. <read more>