Time to pause before busy year ahead

With new faces and old, colourful characters back in the ring it also looks to be interesting times ahead for the parliamentary chambers.

THIS year Christmas has definitely come running at us at a hundred miles an hour.

With the opening of Parliament ceremonies taking place this week and getting my head around the new role as Minister of Courts, this week has been particularly full.

It is an exciting week, full of anticipation. With a new Government being sworn in today, we are all looking forward to the work that will be done in bringing to fruition the plan we campaigned so hard on.

It will be a big year next year with the government's 120-point economic development action plan, changes to social services and boosting trade. With new faces and old, colourful characters back in the ring it also looks to be interesting times ahead for the parliamentary chambers.

It's a week of anticipation, too, for families across the electorate as we look forward to spending time together and as you take a well deserved break from the usual jobs, studies and activities.

I hope you all get the chance to recuperate and enjoy the Christmas summer season, creating memories for the kids and enjoying some of what our beautiful country has to offer. We all need to be fresh for what is shaping up to be a big 2012.

As we do so, watch the booze, and let's also make this the safest Christmas time we've seen, with fewer accidents on the roads and incidents that disappointingly often come with festivities.

I also want to thank those who will stay on board emergency services for the next few weeks while the rest of us supposedly skive off.

The same goes for those who continue to provide necessary health care and other essential services. While Christmas may be the natural opportunity for most of us to press pause on our daily lives, there are many who are not able to do so. Remember also those missing loved ones at Christmas. There is plenty we can all share at this time; we just need to do so.

I find Christmas a hopeful time. Not just because I look forward to relaxing with the family and heading away for a bit. But because the true hope of Christmas came as a baby many years ago. That's reason enough to celebrate.

Thank you for your support this year as your local MP and for the words of encouragement many people in Whanganui have passed on to me of late. I wish you well, not only at Christmas, but as you approach the year ahead.

Happy Christmas.