Editorial: Challenge for our MPs

Chris Tremain was keeping it real on Sunday, selling sausages, chips and burgers at the Taradale Primary School fete.

The MP for Napier is that kind of guy. Last year when a weather bomb hit the East Cape, he led a volunteer army to Waimarama.

Commendable stuff.

And he should be commended for his elevation to Cabinet yesterday, taking over the portfolio, Minister of Internal Affairs.

Already a Cabinet minister, Tukituki MP Craig Foss is a similar type of guy. In fact he and Mr Tremain are so close they issue press statements together.

Among yesterday's offerings was "Super increases under National" which championed: "All rates of superannuation have increased by 22 per cent over the last four years ... much higher than the 12 per cent increase in inflation over the same period."

Hopefully our retired are enjoying that fact - in real terms.

It got me thinking about the message the political brothers have trumpeted long and loud during their time as MPs - "Backing the Bay".

And it got me thinking about recent news.

Like the Westpac McDermott Miller Regional Economic Confidence survey, which highlighted dropping household economic confidence in this region for the second consecutive quarter.

"Consumers lack of confidence, coupled with their misgivings about regional economic prospects, is cause for concern for local retailers," Westpac chief economist Dominic Stephens said.

It got me thinking about last week's Home Affordability Report from Massey University's Real Estate Analysis Unit. Homes became less affordable in Hawke's Bay by 2.9 per cent in the latest quarter, ending February 2012, while national affordability improved by 4.9 per cent.

Regional quarterly improvements were led by Southland (9.1 per cent), and Manawatu/Wanganui (2.9 per cent), and Taranaki (1.7 per cent) also featured.

Northland was the only region to fall further than Hawke's Bay at 3 per cent.

To be fair there has been improvement over a full year, but still.

It got me thinking about the terrible weather we have endured, its possible effect on an already fragile wine industry and the forced closure of the Napier-Gisborne rail line.

It got me thinking about Hawke's Bay Airport still not quite cutting the mustard.

And as I left my home and deliberated on whether or not to leave an outside light on so I could see what I was doing when I got home last night, I thought about the possibility of projected power price increases.

I admit that is a "bad news" bulletin. But it is a snapshot of the past week or so, without the normal bad news.

It would appear to me that "Backing the Bay" has never been more important.

Will the fact that we now have two Cabinet ministers provide real and positive outcomes for this region between now and 2014?

Watch this space.