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The beginning of the 2003 parliamentary session started this week with the opening speech by the Prime Minister, Helen Clark.
In it she promised to continue giving the country a stable government and strong leadership.
In his own speech National leader Bill English conceded that "this Government looks like a third-term Government already".
But the Prime Minister also said there is no reason for this Government to become complacent or self-satisfied.
Tough goals have been set for the next three years and into the longer-term future and she plans to ensure these will be met. We will work to offer more opportunity and security and a better quality of life to all New Zealanders, ensuring we don't go back to the discredited direction of the 1990s.
The Government has achieved much over the past six months.
There was an increase in economic activity of 3.9 percent in the year to September.
Almost 15,500 less people are on the main Unemployment Benefit than a year ago, and there are almost 120,000 more jobs than there were in December 1999.
The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate is at 4.9 percent, down 0.5 percent from the September quarter. This is the lowest unemployment rate since March 1988.
Employment increased for the tenth consecutive quarter to 1,886,000. This is an increase of 44,000 new jobs since December last year and marks an annual increase of 2.4 percent. Since the December 1999 quarter, there are 119,000 new jobs.
There has been major progress on Māori television with an indigenous broadcasting service which will significantly enrich the cultural fabric of New Zealand due to start up later this year.
In the compulsory sector this year the Government is funding more than 700 teaching positions over and above what would have been required for roll growth alone
By the end of the year we intend to have 6000 young people in Modern Apprenticeships, an increase of 100 percent since the middle of last year.
The New Zealand Government ratified the Kyoto Protocol on climate change in December 2002.
On the local front I have been working hard on issues directly affecting the people of Wairarapa, including the stalling of funding for work on the hill road and the problems currently being faced by Bideford School and other small rural schools around the electorate.
The Minister of Transport, Hon Paul Swain, will travel to Masterton to attend a meeting of the Hill Road Committee on February 11 and I have already begun meetings with the Ministry of Education and officials from the Minister's office regarding affected schools.
I am hoping for positive outcomes and will keep you posted on the results of these meetings.
Meanwhile, I would like to wish all Wairarapa tertiary students who are starting their new year of study the best of luck.
The foundation of a dynamic economy and society lies in the talents and skills of its workforce and people.
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