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A National Government would scrap Three-Waters because it believes in localism, not centralisation, that was one of the messages National Party leader Chris Luxon gave the hundreds of Southlanders who turned out in Invercargill today/yesterday to hear him speak.
“We will repeal Three Waters and work with local councils to find and deliver what models work for them. It’s not a one size fits all,” he said.
“These are local assets and they need to stay in local control.”
About 400 people attended the public meeting where Mr Luxon outlined how a National Government would turn the country around and deliver for Southland, after too many years of Labour “heading in the wrong direction.”
Reducing the cost of living, tackling inflation, restoring law and order, providing tax relief and opening up the country to more immigration, were top priorities.
“We want to be a Government that gets things done.
“60 percent of kids are not attending school – we need to fix that . . . we need to get kids into school and teach them the basics.”
The current merger of health services would also be reviewed, he said.
“We want to move money out of bureaucracy and put it back into the front line, with more doctors and nurses.”
Southland farmers would also have been pleased to hear that a National Government was keen to support them.
“We’re going to back our farmers – like we back the All Blacks,” Luxon said.
But perhaps the most rapturous applause of the day came when Mr Luxon announced that Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds would be given the responsibility of Vocational Education, as a Minister in the next National-led government.
“You’ve got to use the talent you’ve got in the team,” he said.
Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds said she was delighted to have Christopher Luxon in Invercargill.
“There’s been a great turnout today and people are feeling really invigorated and enthusiastic about National, as we approach the next election.
“I feel passionately about education and health issues for local people, but I’m also adamant that we need to get on top of the cost of living crisis and promote economic growth.”