Stuart Nash: Highlights are often the 'little things'

Stuart Nash says our country's economic growth rate is one of the highest in the OECD. Photo File

What a year it's been; for the Government, across my ministerial portfolios and in the electorate of Napier.

The event that I think will define 2019, however, is when 51 people lost their lives in a terror attack in Christchurch.

Our Prime Minister's swift response and clear leadership came to define us as a nation. She embraced all our diverse communities in a style and manner that resonated around the world.

Our NZ Police were front and centre of the quick response that provided a reassuring presence at a time of unrest and concern.

From an economic perspective, our growth rate is one of the highest in the OECD and ahead of, for example, Australia, UK, Canada, Japan and the Eurozone. Our interest rates are at record lows, inflation is below 2 per cent, wages are increasing at the fastest rate in years and unemployment is the lowest in a decade.

Even Mike Hosking admits that Finance Minister Grant Robertson is doing a good job of managing the economy. Rare praise indeed!

About 384,000 Kiwi families are, on average, $75 a week better off thanks to the families' package and those undertaking post-secondary school training and education didn't have to pay fees this year.

But when I have been asked about the highlights of my year, it's not the headline numbers just mentioned, or the 1885 new police in our communities, the work on climate change or even the fisheries reforms and small business innovations I am pushing through, but rather the little things that you won't read about in the press or see on TV.

As you can imagine, many people email Jacinda, and she reads out a couple of letters at our weekly Caucus meetings. They are from good hard working Kiwis who write in to thank her for the difference to their lives our policies are making.

For example, the pensioner who spoke about the fact that she couldn't afford the power bill in winter, but thanks to the winter energy payment she can now afford to heat her house.

Or the solo mother from Gisborne who works incredibly hard but never has any money left over at the end of the week, but, thanks to the increases in the families' package, she was able to buy her daughter a birthday present for the first time ever.

As a politician, it is these stories about how our policies are making a difference to those Kiwis who work hard, want what's best for their children and contribute to our communities that make me incredibly proud to be part of Jacinda's Government.

However, we all acknowledge there is much, much more to do to overcome the social and infrastructural deficits left by the previous government. We will continue to invest in reducing child poverty, creating meaningful and sustainable jobs, building a future for the next generation coming through, while ensuring that their parents can afford to provide the type of upbringing all New Zealanders deserve.

For me, this year has been huge across all my ministerial portfolios; and particularly with police (1885 new officers, March 15, White Island tragedy, gun buyback, firearms legislation changes, etc) as well as in the electorate.

Every day, however, I give thanks for the ultimate privilege that I have been given in representing Napier people in Parliament and being part of Jacinda's Cabinet. Not for one moment do I take such a position for granted.

It is a real pleasure to be your Member of Parliament and my promise to you is that I will continue to represent your interests to the very best of my abilities.

I wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a safe, enjoyable and relaxing holiday.

* Stuart Nash is MP for Napier.