By Chris Penk, MP for Kaipara ki Mahurangi
As the weather begins to turn and we feel the chill of the shifting seasons, it serves as a timely reminder of both the rugged beauty and the enduring strength of our district. We recently saw this first-hand with the looming threat of Cyclone Vaianu. While our area was thankfully spared major damage or disruption, I was incredibly encouraged by how swiftly our community responded.
Seeing three civil defence centres rapidly organise emergency shelters before the weather even hit was a brilliant display of local readiness. My sincere thanks go out to the dedicated volunteers and the local board who brought this together. With heavy rain events continuing to test areas across the country, having these common sense plans in place is absolutely vital.
That same local heart was on full display at the recent charity boxing match in Helensville that I had the pleasure of contending in. Grassroots events like these remind me of how lucky we are to live in such tight-knit communities that are always willing to step into the ring to help one another when the need arises.
Speaking of local momentum, many of you will have noticed the permanent speed signs now up on the new road connecting Waimauku and Huapai. While it is easy to acknowledge the lack of planning from previous years, seeing this infrastructure operational represents the tangible progress we’ve been pushing for. It is a long-awaited game changer for our local network, though there is still more to be done.
Taking our local voice to the Beehive remains my top priority, especially as I step into my new executive portfolios of Defence, GCSB, NZSIS, and Space. Working alongside my Cabinet colleagues, it is fulfilling to ensure our local values are reflected on the national stage. This was particularly poignant during recent ANZAC commemorations. It was deeply moving to see so many poppies around our electorate, proving that our community steadfastly honours the sacrifice of our armed services. It is a point of great pride that recent legislative changes now formally encompass those who fought from 1966 onward, aligning our national record with the honour we owe our modern veterans. We will remember them.
There is always more to do, but I remain delighted by the forward strides we are making together. I look forward to catching up with many of you out and about around the electorate. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to my Kumeu office if my team or I can be of assistance.
Congratulations Chris Penk
The Helensville Community News has great pleasure in congratulating our local MP Chris Penk following the recent announcement by the Prime Minister that “Having successfully delivered significant reforms from outside Cabinet, Chris Penk will now join Cabinet, picking up Defence, GCSB and NZSIS, and Space portfolios. Chris’ time in the NZDF leaves him well placed to lead the work our Government has done in raising the status and capability of our armed forces.”
