Cop crop growing in Botany
The Howick Police force is getting a welcomed boost thanks to the nationwide police recruitment drive.
In June, their ranks were boosted with an additional three officers and will continue to grow with another three joining them this month and another four officers earmarked to start in September.
This means that by the end of next month, our local police force will have been boosted by a total of 10 additional officers this year.
The increase in officers is part of the National-led Government's pre-election promise to see an additional 300 police officers serving in Counties-Manukau before the end of 2010.
As the MP for Botany, I am determined that our patch is a safe community for all our families that are proud to call Botany home.
Our patch continues to grow
Our patch is continuing to sprout exciting new developments, which will help boost our local economy and create jobs.
One of these is the Lion Nathan project being built on Ormiston Road, which is beginning to take shape after work started on it last year.
I recently donned a hard hat and went for a tour of the new site, which will house their brewery, warehouse and bottling company.
One couldn't help but be impressed by the large-scale operation taking place on the site and I can't wait to see what it looks like when the construction has been completed.
Development like this is great for our area because it bring jobs into our patch. The $250 million construction project will continue to take shape over the next three and a half years and currently employs about 450 people. When completed, it span over an area the size of six rugby fields.
Putting the "jungle" into jungle-gym
I recently had the pleasure of visiting the staff and pupils at Somerville Intermediate School and was happy to discover that I had arrived on their "Jungle Day".
It was quite a sight to see many of the students - and some of the staff - putting on their favourite animal slippers for the jungle-themed day of fun.
I was most impressed by school principal David Ellery, who was wearing teddy bear slippers - joining in the spirit of the school and leading from the top by putting his best foot forward.
As well as it being Jungle Day, Somerville Intermediate was also having a science fair and it was great to see so many budding young inventors in the making.
I was also thrilled to learn that more than 100 Somerville Intermediate students coming down to visit me in Parliament.
The visit to Somerville was part of my consultation visits with local schools to discuss the National Standards in numeracy and literacy and other issues.
Parliamentary pupils.
In the meantime, on Wednesday I am getting a visit from about 25 Botany Downs Secondary School students, who are coming down to Wellington to visit me in my office in the Beehive.
It will be great to see kids from our patch making a splash in Parliament and hopefully some of them will become inspired to work hard towards becoming an MP, Minister or Prime Minister!
