Penny Simmonds MP

Congratulations to the Riverton and Districts Returned Services Association on a memorable and meaningful Anzac Service today day. It was a pleasure to be involved - and well done to the students of Riverton Primary School NZ for the stunning Anzac Day artwork that they produced, which added some real colour to the day. Lest we forget.

Huge crowd at the Invercargill Cenotaph this morning.

Thanks to Windsor Florist for the beautiful Anzac Day wreaths. They will be laid at the Dawn Service: 6.45am at the Invercargill Cenotaph and at another memorial service that I am attending at 11am in Riverton.

How marvellous to see that 8 year-old Maia Carran will be playing the Last Post and reveille, in Otautau tomorrow, for Anzac Day. What an incredible achievement. It’s wonderful to see the younger generation coming through and being involved in Anzac Day commemorations across the province.

This year, on Anzac Day, I will be attending:

- The Dawn Service at the Invercargill Cenotaph
- Speaking at the Invercargill RSA Civic Service at the Invercargill Workingmen’s Club
- Speaking at the Riverton RSA Remembrance Service in Riverton

The 8-year-old Anzac bugler using her great-great-grandfather's instrument Maia Carran will play the bugle calls on an instrument belonging to James Clapp, who served on the HMS Ajax in WW 1.

Honoured to be at the opening of the Zethos demonstration plant in Christchurch, with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, where they are converting industrial waste byproduct back into its composite critical minerals. It’s science, innovation and commercialisation working hand in hand to increase productivity and provide jobs. Just what we need in this country.

Great to see small & isolated rural schools getting help with fuel costs.

Invercargill MP Welcomes Immediate Fuel Cost Support for Rural Schools The Government is providing immediate financial support to help small rural schools across Southland cope with rising fuel costs, including $37 million nationwide for boiler replacements and transport subsidies. Education Minister Erica Stanford announced the targeted relief package yesterday, desig...

Congratulations to Niagara Sawmilling on this positive $115m expansion. This will allow them to remanufacture more timber products in Southland, and add value to logs locally, rather than seeing them exported and processed overseas.

Niagara Sawmilling Company announces $115m expansion “This investment is allowing us to further process more logs here in Southland rather than seeing them exported to other countries."

Tough on crime - National has brought in:
- longer sentences for serious offenders
- no more repeat discounts for youth
- stronger protections for retail workers
- tougher penalties for criminals who livestream their crimes.

Economic and employment benefits are set to flow in the South with the recent approval of two fast-track projects. Read the details in the What's On Invers link below.

Opinion: Fast-Track Projects Benefit South Economic and employment benefits are set to flow in the South with the recent approval of two fast-track projects. The Fast Track process is about cutting through unnecessary delays to unlock the projects that will provide benefits to the people of the South, giving the certainty and momentum needed...

Excellent to attend the “Building Auckland’s Tech Future” breakfast this morning. Great conversations amongst leaders in technology, investment & innovation, around building and shaping the city’s future.
I was particularly excited to share the connections between Urban and Rural technology developments, with agritech companies like Halter being headquartered in Auckland, but having a huge impact on farms across the country - and even here in the South at Glenary Station.

#BREAKING: Labour are now considering six new taxes, describing them as “really good ideas”.  Labour just can’t stop themselves from taking your money so they can spend it.