Nikki Kaye

18 December 2009

Mercy Hospice Auckland benefits from extra Govt funding

I am pleased to announce that Health Minister Hon Tony Ryall has pledged an extra $150,000 in Government funding for Mercy Hospice Auckland.

Hospices got an extra $15 million in this year’s Budget, and $1.3 million of that was put aside for further improving access to palliative care services. That’s where this extra money has come from.

Since the Budget announcement, Hospice New Zealand and the Ministry of Health worked out criteria for how the $1.3 million should be spent, to help ensure fair levels of public funding and consistent standards of care between hospices.

The other hospices receiving funding from the $1.3 million are:
Franklin Hospice, Hospice South Auckland, Hospice Eastern Bay of Plenty, Waipuna Hospice (Bay of Plenty), Rotorua Community Hospice, Taupo Hospice, Gisborne Palliative Care Trust, Nurse Maude Hospice (Canterbury), South Canterbury Hospice, and the Otago Community Hospice.

Hospices provide terminally ill people and their families with the services and support they need. In many communities, hospices provide palliative care in the home, as well as at in-patient facilities.

I have met several families who Mercy has helped, and it is great to know that they will see the benefit of this extra funding.

Mercy Hospice offer care and provide a true partnership between hospice professionals, volunteers, and the community.

ENDS

17 December 2009

Great Barrier Island Arts and Heritage Village open for business

Yesterday’s opening of the Great Barrier Island Arts and Heritage Village represents a great example of the community working together to make this project a reality.

I am delighted to see yet another example of the cultural richness of the Hauraki Gulf becoming available to both the wider community and visitors to Great Barrier.

In particular the Great Barrier Community Board and Auckland City Council should be acknowledged for delivering this project.

Over the last 5 weeks, many islanders have volunteered and worked hard at lightning speed to get it up and running.

Representatives at the opening included Councillors Toni Millar and Denise Roche, the community board, Ngati Rehua and over 100 people from the island.

The village will provide a hub for over 90 artists on the island to boost their income and deliver a much needed community facility.

Over the summer months, thousands of Aucklanders travel to Great Barrier and will be able to enjoy the beautiful artwork produced by local islanders.

I look forward to working closely with the community to continue to enhance the new village.

ENDS

3 December 2009

Waiheke Cycleway One Pedal Closer

I am delighted that the Auckland City Council today supported the Waiheke cycleway concept to go forward to a feasibility study to the Ministry of Tourism.

This project now has wide support from the community, local body politicians, and the private sector, including Fullers Ferries.

While it has been a team effort to get the project to this point, Cr Ken Baguley and Barb Cuthbert from Cycle Action Waiheke have been particularly supportive and it has been a pleasure to support getting the initiative to the point where it can be seriously considered by the Government.

The proposal involves both Eastern & Western routes across the island. The benefits are immense in terms of increasing tourist numbers to the island and providing better transport for residents.

There is also the potential for wider benefits with increased tourism for Greater Auckland. What tourist wouldn’t want to visit one of the most beautiful islands in New Zealand?

Few cities could boast having an island like Waiheke on their doorstep, and we are one step closer to providing a world class beautiful tourist attraction on the island.

I am confident that there is enough support to make this project happen.

Once my ankle is better I look forward to personally testing out the future cycle trail.

ENDS

Auckland City Council is working with the Great Barrier Community Board to relocate three buildings owned by the Great Barrier Island Community Heritage and Arts Trust.

I wrote to the Auckland City Council earlier this year expressing my support for this project.

There are many talented artists on the island that will benefit from the Village. Many artists survive on the income they receive from selling their crafts over the summer. I support this initiative as it provides a community hub for these artists. » Continue Reading

A few months ago I wrote to over 4000 young people in the electorate under the age of 25 to let them know about Government schemes including Job Ops and Community Max to help them get into employment.

Young people make up a significant amount of my constituency and I consider it to be very important that I keep them informed.

18- to 24-year-olds are also the fastest growing age group on the Unemployment Benefit.
They represent a third of all those who receive it. Since June 2008, the number who want to work but can’t get a job has more than quadrupled from 4000 to 17,000. » Continue Reading

Marine Protection

This year I have been working with the community board on Great Barrier to discuss ways to improve marine protection. Some of the discussions I am involved in with the community relate to fisheries regulations.

Fort Stony Batter

I am working with government departments trying to secure more resources for the Fort Stony Batter protection and restoration project. » Continue Reading

The Waiheke Integrated Health Unit is a project aimed at bringing all the health providers on the island together. I am working to assist with this project.

The project is to provide a ‘one stop shop’ or Integrated Family Health Centre for the people of Waiheke Island which is central, accessible and able to house the services and facilities currently scattered in buildings on the island. » Continue Reading

I am supporting the Great Urban Rides and the Waiheke Cycle Way for funding from the National Cycle Trail Fund and NZTA. I believe we need to improve cycling safety and access across Auckland.

Recently I gave a speech at the RoadSafe “Share the Road” Campaign Launch, which you can view here. It is clear we need to do better in terms of cycling safety in New Zealand.

You can find more information about the National Cycleway Project here. It is important to realise that the primary objective of this project is on regional development not commuter cycling, whilst there may be complimentary benefits of some of the cycle trails that is not the main focus. I believe that in order to improve cycling Auckland we need to make sure all the government agencies or initiatives are working together. » Continue Reading

During the 2011 Rugby World Cup, we will host more than 60,000 visitors expected to flood into our country for the tournament that billions of people across the globe will watch on television or online. It will raise our international profile, boost our economy and give us lasting gains in trade and tourism.

Several stadiums around the country are being revamped with Government investing $190 million in Eden Park and $35 million in other stadiums. » Continue Reading