Simon Bridges National MP simonbridges.co.nz

With my ministerial responsibilities, I have spent a lot of time away from home in the last fortnight.

Places I have visited have included Christchurch where, in addition to a number of meetings, I visited the CBD Red Zone. It was a very sobering experience.

A huge amount has been done and many buildings have been pulled down. Many more must come down however, before much of the rebuilding can occur.

For many of us in Tauranga, I suspect Christchurch's plight has fallen off the radar somewhat. It's still on-going though, so we should all spare a thought for our fellow Kiwis who are bravely getting on with things there.

As a Government Minister I can certainly say that I got a salutary reminder why rebuilding Canterbury is and must remain one of National's top four priorities.

In Wellington, I got to do some very positive things, including opening a $16.5 million roading project at ‘Muldoon's Corner' in the Rimutaka Hills.

The road got its name because prior to the road works the drive was ‘tight and to the right'. Perhaps it now needs a new name?

I also gave out awards at the New Zealand Annual Search and Rescue Awards. Congratulations to Shane Beech of the Maketu Coastguard, who was recognised for rescuing two surfers at the Kaituna Cut on January 23 last year.

Better public services

In addition to Christchurch, one of National's other four priorities this term is to deliver better public services.

For example, despite tight financial times, we've announced big funding boosts to improve services in health and education. We're making great progress while responsibly managing the Government's finances.

In health we have already achieved record results. We've dramatically improved immunisation rates for children, boosted elective operations, reduced waiting times for cancer treatment and emergency care, and put more doctors and nurses on the frontline.

We're lifting our game further. As part of Budget 2012, we announced a $101 million boost for surgery and cancer services. This will provide more elective operations and faster services for cancer patients. It will also reduce waiting times for MRI scans, CT scans, and other vital diagnostic tests.

We also announced $144 million for disability support. We are committed to helping more disabled people get care in the community, while ensuring residential support is available for those who need it.

These funding increases come from savings in health and across the Government's accounts. To help meet cost pressures and fund new health initiatives, the Government will increase prescription charges from $3 to $5. This is the first increase in 20 years. No person or family will pay more than $40 extra a year for prescriptions. Prescriptions for children under 6 will remain free.

Despite tight times, National is lifting education spending for the fourth year in a row, with an extra $512 million over four years.

We want all children to leave school with the skills they need to reach their potential in the modern economy. We will invest more in teaching development, collaborate on an appraisal system, provide stronger mentoring, and introduce new qualifications for teachers and principals.

To help pay for this, we'll standardise teacher-student ratios in Years 2-10, and lower the ratio in Years 11-13. This will free up an average of $43 million in each of the next four years to lift teacher quality and achievement in schools.

In health and education, we're making savings so we can invest more into frontline services.