Chester Borrows: Strutting our stuff for MPs

BIG MESSAGE: Chester Borrows with Sport and Recreation Minister Jonathan Coleman, checking out the velodrome roof project. Photo: Stuart Munro

IT'S always neat to bring ministers and MPs to our electorate, and in the past week I have brought three - Jonathan Coleman, Paula Bennett and Todd Muller.

They find out what we have known all along - that we have talent, passion and dedication right here in our region.

Jonathan Coleman is Minister of Health and Minister of Sport and Recreation, and was here to look at the proposed roof over the velodrome.

The big message is that this is more than just cycling - it has a regional application beyond Whanganui, and it is the perfect provincial programme to enhance the region, grow sport and fitness, and encourage arts and cultural events. With $7 million already in place, the balance of $5.7 million is not too much to find.

The sport and health portfolios are a good mix for one minister to hold because they are complementary and Mr Coleman found this reflected in visits to Sport Whanganui and the district health board. In both places new approaches being initiated with great results.

As a former house surgeon and GP, he can really talk the language of health professionals.

The area of cognitive impairment is getting a new approach in Whanganui and the team has risen to the challenge with a "Care with Dignity" programme based not on asking: "What's the matter?", but focusing on what actually matters to these patients, who often are already suffering a range of other acute illnesses. The team and their innovations in healthcare are drawing inquiries from other health boards throughout New Zealand, and we should be very proud of these local achievements.

Paula Bennett was in town on Tuesday to speak to the Chamber of Commerce and later to students at Patea Area School.

The screaming skulls of the protesters outside didn't drown out the good news from Paula. Wearing her various hats as social housing, state services and associate tourism minister, she had some interesting stats.

Among them was the $31 million spent on repairs, maintenance and purchase of state-owned homes in Whanganui-Manawatu, with 92 per cent of those tenants paying no more than quarter of their income on rent. This is an average of $90 per week which is lower than almost everywhere in the country.

International visitors spent $15 million in Whanganui last year - 15 per cent more than the year before. This was reflected by 36,298 international visitor nights with domestic visitor bed nights at 154,082. Not bad!

Meanwhile, Patea Area School is fast becoming a stellar educational facility in our electorate, seeing 50 youth turn up for fitness each day before class. They look you in the eye and speak with gravitas and confidence. Pure magic!

Todd Muller is the MP for Bay of Plenty and is a former Fonterra and former Zespri manager, so the day was spent visiting agriculture-related businesses at the Taranaki end of the electorate. Tutaki Youth Centre, On Farm Safety, Paraninihi Ki Waitotara (PKW) and Rabobank gave him a view of how young farmers are being trained, kept safe and are fairing with the financial squeeze on the dairying industry.

Recess from Parliament often brings the comment from locals: "Gee, you're on holiday again." It ain't no holiday, but it is a heck of a lot of fun strutting our stuff to the ministers and other colleagues who will make decisions on the future of Whanganui and South Taranaki.

They never fail to leave very impressed with what happens away from the metro centres.