From Tauranga to Tararua for Bridges

Dannevirke's Queen's Service Medal recipient and Shires Fruit and Vege Market co-owner Suresh Patel speaks with National member of Parliament Simon Bridges. Photo / Sue Emeny

Tararua's towns appear to be in very good spirits, National member of Parliament Simon Bridges said during a visit to Dannevirke on Thursday.

Bridges, who flew from Tauranga to Palmerston North where he was met by Tararua Mayor Tracey Collis and driven to Pahiatua, was accompanied by National candidate for Wairarapa Mike Butterick on a tour of Tararua.

While in Pahiatua Bridges met locals at the Black Stump then visited Pahiatua engineering company Jackson Enterprises, owned by Trevor Jackson who that day celebrated 30 years in the industry.

He told Bridges that compliance issues were affecting businesses.

"There used to be two forms that had to be filled in and now there are up to 16 which is an added cost. There is frustration among business owners at the layers of bureaucracy that are impeding their businesses."

The group paid a visit to the Mangatainoka rugby ground to view the damage to the historic grandstand which was set on fire.

"That was shocking to see and I hope the young man responsible gets justice," Bridges said.

"Locals say the grandstand is unlikely to be rebuilt, but I hope that's not the case."

The group stopped at Tui HQ for lunch where the issues of water reforms and emissions were raised.

The Dannevirke part of the tour involved a walk up High St, calling in on various businesses and stopping to talk to locals.

Bridges says the Tararua District can be very grateful its main income is from farming and that it is not reliant on international tourism, unlike areas close to his electorate of Tauranga such as Rotorua.

He said Covid-19 has been a two-sided story for New Zealand.

"On the one hand, tourism has been badly affected but it has reminded us that farming is the backbone of the economy."

However, he said a common theme speaking to locals was concern at the swathe of government regulations farmers and business owners face.

"We are fighting for a bit more of a common-sense approach, particularly when it comes to water regulations, investment in roading and law and order."

He said the Saddle Rd was an example of the need for more investment in roads, particularly those that are ripped up through high use by heavy vehicles.

National candidate for Wairarapa Mike Butterick with former Tararua mayor Roly Ellis and National member of Parliament Simon Bridges.

It was in fact through the Saddle Rd and Bridges' role as a former Minister of Transport that he formed a lasting friendship with former Tararua mayor Roly Ellis.

"I spent a lot of time with Simon and Palmerston North Mayor Grant Smith meeting at the top of the Saddle Rd. A lot of money was needed for its maintenance and upgrading. Simon, as minister, made a very quick decision, almost overnight, to provide the money for it. He was a very good Minister of Transport," Ellis said.

Bridges, as a lawyer and former Crown prosecutor, has the justice portfolio and expressed concern at the harm gangs were causing.

"We are seeing gangs increasingly causing problems."

One area in which he had seen change was in the way police were dealing with family harm.

"What has changed is that police are spending a lot more time dealing with family harm cases. The culture once was that family harm was a private matter but that is no longer the case."

The final stop in Dannevirke was at Sammy's Cafe where Bridges met Dannevirke Community Board chairman Pat Walshe and deputy Terry Hynes.

From Dannevirke the group stopped at Norsewood to visit The Natural Clothing Company.