Merry Christmas, Te Puke.
As the year draws to a close, I want to take this opportunity to wish you the very best for the Christmas period and say I’m looking forward to great things happening for Te Puke in 2024.
It has been a busy year for many. Local firefighter Jodi Purdie competed in the World Firefighter Challenge, coming sixth in the individual female 40-plus event, Te Puke High School celebrated its centenary in October, and Poutiri Wellness Centre took out three awards at the Te Puke Business Excellence Awards this year. As we head into the holiday season, I would like to thank all the local community groups for their dedication and hard work over the past year.
A huge vote of appreciation must go to the principals and teachers of all Te Puke district schools for their hard work, and thanks to the staff and volunteers at the Te Puke Volunteer Fire Brigade who are always there to help keep us safe over the holiday period.
For many, this year has been hard – in 2024, I will continue to support Te Puke and ensure that the many things that need to be done are recognised and acted upon. Transport Minister Simeon Brown has already begun work to amend the speed limit rules to stop blanket speed limit reductions. This will allow the road controlling authorities to stop work on current speed management plans for Te Puke.
