According to ASB senior economist Mark Smith, inflation will peak at close to 6.3% in early 2022. That’s a level that will be felt by every household on the North Shore. And remember, that increasing cost of living is building on top of the price rises consumers had to endure throughout last year – petrol prices went up 10% in just the last quarter of 2021.

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The weather has been spectacular and that’s just the tonic long-suffering Aucklanders have needed. Escaping the pandemic’s grip for a beach up north, a Hawke’s Bay vineyard or a South Island cycle trail has brought welcome variety to lifestyles that have been severely cramped.

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As a local MP, I believe a core responsibility of mine is amplifying the voices of North Shore residents.

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The last two years have been significant and possibly transformative for this country. As a first-time MP I’ve seen how the impact of a global pandemic has played out in the lives of my constituents and the actions of our country’s leaders.

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I want to start this article with a few words from the maiden speech I gave in Parliament, back in March:

“New Zealand needs leadership that enrols all of our energies to tackle the tasks facing us. Challenging times demand more than ever that we work together in the interests of all New Zealanders.”

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There’s no doubt that New Zealand’s success in dodging the worst effects of the pandemic during 2020 felt pretty good. While other nations went into horrendous tailspins, we pulled up the drawbridge and retreated into a safer world.

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The week’s announcement by Chris Hipkins that there is going to be no change to managed isolation requirements for the rest of the year and probably into next year was delivered under cover of the surging pandemic in Australia, but the writing has been on the wall for months.

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The increasingly polarised debate over cycling access to a harbour crossing has brought out some fairly trenchant opinions. But do the anti-cyclist feelings that have been unleashed really reflect how people feel?

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Anyone who listened to my maiden speech in Parliament will have recognised three recurring themes: when our government spends money there has to be a return on that investment; the challenges facing our country need fresh ideas; and I’ve got no patience for dragging our feet on important issues.

In this column I’m going to tackle all three.

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