As a theme for this edition’s column, I want to talk about petitions.
Petitions are a great way to rally a community around a cause, give voice to shared frustration, and get your issue noticed by those who have the ability to – and as your locally elected MP I feel it is incumbent on me to get in behind good causes and support locals who are driving these kinds of projects and influencing positive change.
A good example of this is the petition of local Papamoa resident Judy Killalea, who is petitioning the House of Representatives asking the Minister of Health to provide funding for after-hours Accident and Emergency healthcare in Papamoa that could also service customers from other parts of Tauranga, Te Puke and rural Bay of Plenty.
Papamoa is one of New Zealand’s fastest growing areas with increasing numbers of young families and more senior residents choosing to call that community home. We have all seen the exponential growth that has occurred over the last few years.
As the community continues to grow we need to ensure that residents have access to local after-hours medical support to deliver better health outcomes and offer peace of mind.
Another example is the petition of Jo Linthwaite, a mother from Whakamarama, who is petitioning for a high school northwest of the Wairoa River that would alleviate the pressure on local schools due to roll growth – a frustration I know a number who live out that way share.
I’m proud to be supporting these petitions, supporting where I can when it comes to process and profile in the media.
Please do take the time to sign them on my website toddmuller.co.nz and if you have an idea for a petition that you’d like to discuss – do get in touch with me! I’d love to hear your ideas.
A&E in Papamoa petition: BayLive.nz/petition
By Todd Muller, MP for Bay of Plenty
“I write for this magazine because it reaches so many in our community.”
