Hundreds of houses were planned to be built on a number of large sections of land in Palmerston North. Bare, barren, and covered with bollards instead of warm, dry homes is how I feared these sections would end up.
These fears have been realised recently, with the installation of bollards on the Church Street site which was earmarked for more than 60 warm, dry homes for those who need them.
Recently I received an update on local housing projects and was frustrated to hear that, despite more than 220 homes being planned for Palmerston North, any homes not completed before 2025 are unlikely to be built.
This is extremely disappointing. The Budget is always about choices, and I feel the Government has chosen not to invest in homes for our community.
Under the Labour Government, many homes fit for the diverse needs of our community were built – something I’m very proud of.
Unfortunately, it looks like National doesn’t share this commitment, and, with bollards in place instead of homes, has well and truly abandoned plans for more housing in Palmerston North.
I’m also keeping an eye on the nationwide review into school bus routes, with routes around the country being cancelled or altered.
I’m currently working to understand what this review will mean for Palmerston North schools and whether there will be any impacts on Manawatū families. School attendance is important, and we need to ensure that any decisions are taken to support an increase in attendance, rather than putting additional barriers in place.
Finally, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) Board met recently to consider submissions on the National Government’s proposal to toll Te Ahu a Turanga.
Manawatū communities were loud and clear when objecting to this proposal – my hope is that these valid concerns have been taken seriously.
