Check out and comment on my latest video diary here on YouTube.

ALL BLACKS V FRANCE

It was great to see so many school rugby captains – girls and boys – from secondary schools around Wellington at the parliamentary reception for the French team and the All Blacks on Monday.

I think they were almost as excited as I was about meeting the All Black and French Captains (see photo) and so many international rugby players.

Watch and comment on video from the event here.

WARMING UP NEW ZEALAND

I was in Christchurch yesterday to help launch the Government’s home heating and insulation scheme “Warming up New Zealand: Heat Smart”. The scheme will provide grants of up to $1800 for houses built before 2000 that need ceiling and under-floor insulation or a clean-heating device. More than 180,000 homes will have access to these grants regardless of household income.

I’m really proud of this scheme. It will help warm and dry the homes of up to 500,000 New Zealanders, reduce the risks to health that come with cold and damp houses, boost energy efficiency, and grow jobs for people who produce and install insulation and clean heating.

I’m also really pleased that all the main trading banks have agreed to join the scheme. They have waived their fees for top-up loans that homeowners can get as part of insulation retrofits.

Get more information on the scheme here.
Watch the launch of the scheme here.

SECURING QUEEN’S WHARF FOR THE RUGBY WORLD CUP

On Tuesday I announced that the Government and Auckland Regional Council have put up $20 million each to buy Queen’s Wharf in Auckland. Queens Wharf will be a superb cornerstone asset in the development of the Auckland waterfront.

By buying this site we have secured the wharf long after the Rugby World Cup has finished so that it will give pleasure to visitors and locals for generations to come.

The challenge now is to Auckland’s city leaders. They must move swiftly to start an infrastructure programme that transforms the wharf into a world-class waterfront attraction as party central for the Rugby World Cup, and as a high-quality international cruise ship terminal for Auckland and New Zealand.

THE SOUTH ISLAND FORUM

Last week The Press newspaper hosted the Prime Minister’s South Island Forum. This was a great chance to talk about our progress in government.

I summed up at the end of the forum by explaining that governments get elected to concentrate on what actually matters to people.

My perception is that when you go down to the polling booth, you vote on whether the economy is going to be managed properly, whether your communities are safe, whether your kids have got an opportunity, whether we have a health system that really works, and whether you feel like we're actually going in the right direction. And all the other stuff is just white noise that bubbles along.

And what I say to the cabinet and the caucus on a regular basis is – for as long as we stay focused on the issues that matter to New Zealanders, and we come up with solutions, and we're honest with them, we'll enjoy their support.

The simplest, fastest way to get thrown out is to forget why you were put there. We were put there to make New Zealand a better place. That's going to be my intention. And that's what I'm going to deliver.

Watch the first video from the forum here.
Find the rest of the videos from the forum here.

LISTENING TO OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES

I had a great day at Fieldays in Mystery Creek last week catching up with people from across the agricultural industry and talking about the Government’s $190 million investment in the Primary Growth Partnership.

Did I see you there? Check out my photos from the day here.

Best wishes,

John Key
Follow me on Twitter here www.twitter.com/johnkeypm