Tamaki Newsletter– July 2022

Simon O'Connor August 08, 2022 Share

Where does the time go!  It has been a good month since I last had the time to write a newsletter, and as I write today, we are now into August.  As my wife often tells me – “the days are long, but the years go quickly.”

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Tamaki Newsletter– June 2022

Simon O'Connor June 25, 2022 Share

Hello everyone

There has been so much on over the last month – including loads of media – that this is a longer newsletter than usual.  Fortunately, there is a long weekend ahead. 

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Opinion–In response to Shane Te Pou

Simon O'Connor May 18, 2022 Share

“Do as I say, not as I do” was my first thought in response to Shane Te Pou’s recent opinion piece.  He wrote asking for those he disagrees with to provide him more reasons and arguments for their views (and there was quite a list). 

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Tamaki Newsletter– May 2022

Simon O'Connor May 18, 2022 Share

Another busy, if not intense, few weeks in politics – and here locally in the electorate.  A few days ago I held a public meeting on crime and safety, with over 200 locals turning out to discuss concerns with me, our Police Area Commander, and local council representatives.  I will provide more information below.

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Mask Theatre

Simon O'Connor May 16, 2022 Share

I was struck by an article in Stuff recently talking about “hygiene theatre” in relation to covid and how the New Zealand parliament continues to have people moving around daily cleaning all the door handles, lift buttons, and so on.  I agree it is just theatre and unnecessary.

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Tamaki Newsletter– April 2022

Simon O'Connor April 15, 2022 Share

Can I begin by greeting all those in the Christian and Jewish communities, celebrating Easter and Passover respectively, my best wishes for the coming days.  These are significant celebrations for the year and they are important to acknowledge.

Since I last wrote, there have been more ram-raids, burglaries, and even another shooting in our electorate.   Frustratingly, government appears to be trying to downplay the situation both locally but also across the country.  Sitting in parliament over recent weeks, Minister after Minister – including the Prime Minster – have sought to explain away these crimes; telling us that gang tensions have not increased; and that everything is fine.

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Crime in Tamaki

Simon O'Connor April 14, 2022 Share

Over recent months, I have visited well over twenty of my retailers who have been the victims of ram raids, break-ins, and burglaries.  They are dairies, superettes, liquor stores, cafes, bars, and restaurants and all owned by hard working kiwis trying to do their best by family and their community.  In writing this, I should add that I haven’t been able to get to all affected businesses despite my best intentions – put simply, with the frequency and volume of these crimes, it would be impossible.  That in itself says something about the levels of crime developing not only in my electorate of Tamaki but also across Auckland.

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Tamaki Newsletter– March 2022

Simon O'Connor March 26, 2022 Share

Hello everyone,

It has been a little while since my last newsletter, mostly as there has been so much going on.  As I write, I am actually returning from a visit to Melbourne of all places.  Sadly, one of my Australian colleagues - Senator Kimberley Kitching - passed away recently, and so I flew across to attend her funeral.  She and I had worked closely together as part of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC).  I will touch on this a little later including my impressions of international travel once again.

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Tamaki Newsletter–2022

Simon O'Connor February 17, 2022 Share

Hello everyone,

2022 is well underway, and I can’t believe we are halfway through February already! I hope you had a good summer break and got to enjoy what was pretty good weather – although, as a gardener, I would have liked a little more rain. My family and I thoroughly enjoyed the Christmas and New Year break – it was a welcome chance to travel and visit our families who we hadn’t seen in a long time.

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