The National Party's campaign slogan for 2014 is Working for New Zealand. But on Friday, National showed it is Working for Whanganui as well.
Retiring Health Minister Tony Ryall was in town to help launch Chester Borrows' campaign for a fourth term as MP for Whanganui. Whilst he was here he made a very significant announcement which has delighted a local health provider; check this out:
$2m initiative for healthier Wanganui families
Health Minister Tony Ryall today announced Te Oranganui has been
selected to lead a $2 million anti-obesity initiative in Wanganui which
will help families improve their health.
Mr Ryall shared with news with locals while out and about in Wanganui this morning with Whanganui MP Chester Borrows.
“Healthy Families NZ is a new $40 million initiative which aims to
improve people’s health where they live, learn, work and play in order
to prevent obesity,” says Mr Ryall.
“It is a complete reform of the way we address the underlying causes
of poor health, including obesity, smoking and excessive drinking.
“Te Oranganui, who is also the lead agent of Whānau Ora in the
region, will lead the Healthy Families NZ initiative in Wanganui. They
will recruit a dedicated health promotion workforce who will work with
schools, early childhood education centres, workplaces and sport clubs
to encourage and support people to make healthy lifestyle choices.
“Encouraging individuals and their families to live healthy, active
lives is part of the government’s approach to reducing the prevalence
and consequences of chronic disease in New Zealand,” says Mr Ryall.
From October 2014, Healthy Families NZ will roll out to 10
communities – East Cape, the Far North District, Invercargill, Lower
Hutt, Rotorua, Whanganui, Manukau, Manurewa-Papakura, Spreydon-Heathcote
and Waitakere. It is expected to reach around 900,000 New Zealanders.
Healthy Families NZ is based on one of the very few anti-obesity
programmes that actually work - Healthy Together Victoria programme from
Australia.
Te Oranganui is far more than "just" a Whanau Ora provider. It is a leading , innovative health promotion organisation with a track record of success in improving outcomes.
The Healthy Families NZ initiative is an excellent one. As Mr Ryall notes above, it is about a new approach to chronic diseases such as those arising from obesity, smoking and drinking. Although Te Oranganui is an Iwi Health Authority, it works right across the community. In addition to operating Te Waipuna Health Centres in Wanganui, Waverley and Ohakune, Te Oranganui offers a range of services including disability support, mental health liaison, and services for infants, children, youth, families and the elderly.
This investment in the Whanganui region will be most welcome. Getting to the root of issues such as obesity will lead to significant savings further down the track. We commend the Government for showing in a tangible way that it is Working for Whanganui.
We've just got back from a quick trip to the supermarket. But the front page of this morning's Wanganui Chronicle caught our eye so much that we actually bought a copy!
The banner headline that took our attention read like this; Jobs surge thanks to building boom. And the story that accompanied it reads like this:
Job listings in Wanganui are up more than 25 per cent, with growth in
the building sector, agriculture, healthcare and transport leading the
way.
The TradeMe employment survey for the past three months saw
Wanganui vacancies jump 27 per cent to 223, compared with the same
period last year. The survey said the trades and healthcare were driving
a large part of the region's growth.
Graeme Musson, branch
manager at Allied Workforce Labour in Wanganui, said the development of
several large buildings and retail centres had helped fuel the jobs'
boost.
"There's a lot of positivity in Wanganui at the moment.
I've haven't seen this number of cranes along the skyline in a long
time."
One building under construction is the Victoria retail
centre, including Farmers, which will boast seven specialty shops in the
front. A retail development in Bulls has seen a new BP service station
open with a Four Square due soon.
"The money's always been there but the confidence has always lacked," Mr Musson said.
"These are buildings being built by owners who live out of town and are investing here."
While
the developments ensured a higher number of construction jobs, the
retail sector would also benefit from more opportunities once the
centres were up and running, he said.
This is fantastic news for the city of Wanganui and for the wider region. The Farmers development between Victoria Avenue and St Hill Street will turn an area that has been a wasteland and an eyesore for several years into a vibrant shopping precinct.
Further up Victoria Avenue the AA has just moved in to brand new premises, and a block further up there's a major development being built for Briscoes and Rebel Sports. And we heard whispers yesterday of a significant development in one of Wanganui's largest export businesses which is also going to have positive spin-offs for the company's suppliers and contractors.
As we have mentioned before, friends own a business which supplies to the building trade. This year has been their busiest ever, by some margin. Residential construction is also booming, as well as the commercial side of the industry.
After a number of years of lagging behind our Manawatu and Taranaki neighbours, the Wanganui region and the city itself deserve good news. The best news they could get on September 20th is to have a National-led government returned to office, and Chester Borrows elected for a fourth term as MP for Whanganui.
