Hon Barbara Edmonds, Mana MP and newly appointed Finance Spokesperson for the Labour Party, joins Porirua News to discuss what’s been happening in Government this month.
It’s been a busy six months since the October 2023 election, and there’s no sign of slowing down, even though we are now in opposition. My family and I have lived in Titahi Bay, Porirua for 15 years, so being deeply connected to the community we call home and being your voice in Parliament is an incredible honour.
Taking on the role of Labour Finance Spokesperson from Hon Grant Robertson, who retired from Parliament in February, has been no easy task, especially in light of all the public service cuts being made by this National-led Government. Why does this matter to us, you may ask? In our electorate of Mana, the government is the number one employer, followed by the construction sector. These public service cuts will cut deep, and I’ve already consoled a number of our locals who have lost their jobs and are worried about how they will pay their bills and find new employment in a very tight labour market.
Our local economy will also take a hit, with less money being spent in our local businesses, many of whom are also suppliers to the Government. And who provides the safety nets when this happens? It is the Government. But as many of our local organisations that deliver government education, wellbeing, and welfare programmes have expressed, the significant uncertainty regarding the funding of their much-needed programmes is concerning. The need is only growing, but as I heard from the Salvation Army this week, they are running out of funding and are exploring all the different ways they can keep their valuable services going.
The cuts to public service funding also impact frontline services. The proposed closure of the Kenepuru After-Hours service is back on the table again (sigh!). Anyone who lives in Porirua knows that the Kenepuru After Hours is a critical health service! Serving a growing population of over 80,000 people, we are a high-needs community that depends on access to an after-hours service.
Like many of you, I believe any closure of the service would be disastrous. After speaking to many Mana constituents, it is clear just how much of an impact a closure would have on us all, especially with the cost to travel to Wellington Hospital.
As your MP, I will continue to fight hard to ensure we keep our Kenepuru After-Hours open. But I cannot do this without the support of you all, which is why we have kickstarted a community campaign. This will be delivered solely at a grassroots level, through filling out our survey, attending public meetings, and even sign-waving – we need all hands on deck! So, if you are able to, please reach out to my local electorate office ([email protected]) so we can keep you updated.
I want to make a special thank you to Ngāti Toa for their continuous support in this fight, as well as the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. We know this fight cannot be won alone; it truly takes a village. We must ensure that Health New Zealand is listening to our community needs. The National-led government said that there would not be cuts to frontline services during the election campaign. They committed to keeping our service open, so they need to honour their promise and fund Kenepuru After Hours to remain open.