I hope you have been keeping safe over the last month as we deal with the ongoing aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle and the preceding severe weather events that hit Auckland.

This will be a difficult year for many as we add cyclone recovery and rebuild to the list of challenges we face as a nation, with things like the cost-of-living crisis set to get worse as well.

In this email newsletter I will update you on some of the key issues affecting our community and some local upcoming events:

• National's newly announced Three Waters policy: Local Water Done Well
• Public Meeting - Eastern Busway update on Monday 3 April
• Breakfast Discussion on Three Waters with Local Govt Spokesperson Simon Watts

If you have any questions or concerns about these issues or others please get in touch. You can do this by calling my office on 09 572 0000 or emailing me at [email protected].

National's Three Waters Policy - Local Water Done Well

Christopher Luxon recently announced National's policy to deal with the Three Waters reforms, and it starts with repealing the system Labour is currently trying to set up. We will restore council ownership and control as has been the case for decades, and ensure that decision-making on water assets is left to local communities, not co-governed mega-entities. We will also set strict rules for water quality and require councils to invest in the ongoing maintenance and replacement of vital water infrastructure, thus ensuring water services are financially sustainable and work for the communities who use them.

Our policy will also require councils to demonstrate a clear plan to deliver ongoing investment in water services, and to ring fence money for this investment so it cannot be spent on other things. We agree this further investment is needed and know that the total estimated costs could be upwards of $100 billion over the next 30 years, so we will provide greater access to long-term borrowing for councils to help.

The last couple of months have demonstrated just how important it is to have modern, reliable water infrastructure in our communities. We do not dispute the massive investment required to deal with this, only who is best to manage our water infrastructure. We strongly believe local communities and councils are best placed to handle this going forward. You can read in depth about our Local Water Done Well policy by clicking here to see the full policy document.

Upcoming Public Meeting - Eastern Busway update

Monday 3 April at 7pm, Howick Pakuranga Community Sports Centre, 73 Bells Road, Pakuranga

On Monday 3 April I will be hosting a public meeting to provide the community with an update on the Eastern Busway project.

Auckland Transport is now also proposing to put in three new raised "platform crossings" where the new bus stations will be built in the Eastern Busway. These will be similar to the proposed speed bump on Pakuranga Road, which we successfully stopped last year. I am incredibly frustrated that after years of consultation with the public on the Eastern Busway, Auckland Transport is now making another change to the design, one which will simply slow Ti Rakau Drive down and frustrate motorists severely.

The Eastern Busway and Reeves Road Flyover are critical projects for East Auckland that will provide more transport choices for our community and are meant to ease congestion on our main arterial roads, not add to it.

Representatives from the Eastern Busway project team and Auckland Transport have been invited to provide a progress report to update the community on key milestones as they begin the construction phase of the Flyover and Pakuranga to Botany stage of the Busway. It is important for the public to have the opportunity to have their say on the latest design features for the project and to understand how construction will impact traffic along the construction route for the next few years.

Breakfast Discussion on Three Waters with Simeon Brown and Simon Watts

Friday 17 March at 7:00am, Bucklands Beach Yacht Club, Half Moon Bay

Please join me for breakfast on Friday 17 March alongside special guest Simon Watts, MP for North Shore and National Party Spokesperson for Local Government. The focus of this breakfast will be a discussion on the Three Waters reforms, why National opposes them, and our recently announced Local Water Done Well policy that we would implement if elected into government later this year.

The details for the breakfast are as follows and if you'd like to purchase a ticket to join us you can do so by clicking the button below:

• When: Friday 17 March at 7:00am
• Where: Bucklands Beach Yacht Club, Half Moon Bay, Auckland
• Cost: $50.00 per person, which includes a buffet breakfast

Please feel free to reach out to me if you need any assistance. Thank you for your continued support!

Kind regards,

Simeon Brown

Member of Parliament for Pakuranga