Waimakariri election candidates tackle crime, healthcare and the cost of living
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Waimakariri election candidates sparred over the issues of crime, healthcare and the economy during a meeting at Pegasus.
Matt Doocey (National), Dan Rosewarne (Labour) and Gordon Malcolm (Democracy NZ) were quizzed by the local residents' association in front of a crowd of 80 at Pegasus Bay School on Wednesday evening.
Doocey said National planned to amend the Sentencing Act to ensure offenders served their time in prison.
"Too often people commit crimes and go through the courts, but they can get a number of discounts and then end up going into home detention.
"Judges will only be able to discount up to 40% of sentences."
Malcolm said police were under "huge pressure" and needed more resourcing so they could be more visible on the frontline.
Meanwhile, Rosewarne presented police data showing robberies had reduced in the Waimakariri district, reflecting national trends.
"I have regular meetings with the local police district commander and he said police were getting tired of opposition parties using law and order.
"They are worried about the hysteria it is creating. Crime is not out of control."
Labour has promised to recruit 300 more police to reduce the pressure, while also providing more mental health resourcing.
On the health front, Doocey said the Waimakariri district needed after hours healthcare to support the growing population.
"The PHOs (primary health organisation) requirement for after hours care is compliant if you live within a 40-minute drive.
"But that doesn’t take into account housing density, so we have advocated for high growth areas like Rangiora and Kaiapoi."
There was a shortage of GPs, but National is proposing to open a third medical school targeted at recruiting GPS for rural and provincial areas.
Malcolm said faster training pathways were needed for nurses and medical school quotas for GPs needed to be increased.
Rosewarne said there was a global shortage of nurses.
"The opposition parties seem to forget we have just had a global pandemic where 100,000 medical professionals around the world died during Covid," he said.
"The United Kingdom, Europe and the United States are all screaming out for nurses, but the world is playing catch up due to Covid."
Labour is investing in health infrastructure, has abolished prescription charges and is promising free dental care for under 30s, he said.
The cost of living also came up in the meeting.
Doocey said the government needed to get on top of inflation and interest rates with "prudent financial discipline".
Debt had risen from $5 billion to $100b over the last six years and was now 43% of GDP, he said.
However, Rosewarne said the latest credit rating from Standard & Poors showed New Zealand was in a strong economic position with "a modest level of debt" compared to other countries.
Inflation was coming down, wages were rising and more New Zealanders were in employment than ever before, he said.
■ Public interest journalism funded through New Zealand on Air.
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Hero
“I was born and raised in war. To be honest, those are not good memories.
I really like Iran, and I really miss it, but I couldn’t be myself there. Even though my family didn’t like my decision, I left Iran. I promised myself that I would do whatever I can for all communities, especially for the kids, so they do not have the same experience I had.
I studied software engineering in Iran and left in 2006. I went to Malaysia and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for seven years. I was admitted to Lincoln University to do my PhD here, but unfortunately, I couldn’t afford the expenses. I requested a scholarship, but they told me I had to be there for six months first. So, I stayed in Malaysia and did my PhD in network security. In December 2013, I came to New Zealand with a work visa.
It took me a while to connect with the Iranian community here. I volunteered with the Multicultural Council, SPCA, and community patrol, and I established the Christchurch Iranian Society in 2017. Before that, I started working on Radio Toranj, the only Farsi-language radio show in New Zealand.
One of the reasons I started organizing cultural events was to showcase Iranian culture. I wanted to show people that we have delicious food, colorful dresses, traditional customs, and our own instruments. My hope was to show people that we are not what you see in the media.
I am working to involve all the communities that celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the Nowruz festival in March 2025. We want to share this celebration not only with our community but with the public as well. It’s better when it’s shared.
I remember the first time someone from Dunedin called me and asked, Hero, can you help? Something happened, and they keep declining Iranian visa applications. When I heard that, I felt insulted. We are still human, so how can they do that?
Through this journey, I’ve learned a lot. Every single day, people with different cases call me, and I try to share my knowledge and guide them as much as I can.
I have received several awards, including the Christchurch Civic Award and an Award of Recognition for my contributions to the community during the pandemic. In 2021, I established Canterbury Kia Ora Academy, a charitable trust. Through this charity, I can help other communities as well, not just the Iranian community.”
- Hero
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
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