Simon Bridges National Party MP simonbridges.co.nz

In the life of a bustling city, there's always a huge amount happening – the good, bad, ugly and indifferent. This week I want to go through a few of the things I'm seeing that fit all those descriptions.

The good. Last week I enjoyed having a stand at the Mount Market. It's a great wee market and Mounties really support it. This Saturday I'm looking forward to going to the opening of Abundant Life Church's new building on Sutherland Road, Judea. It's a magnificent building that shows what our community can do with hard work and dedication. It'll be a great asset for this part of Tauranga.

The bad. You may remember me writing a column at the end of last year asking Labour Party Minister Kiritapu Allan to reverse Green MP and former Minister Eugene Sage's decision to refuse permission for a Marine Research Centre in conjunction with Waikato University to happen down on Reserve Land at Sulphur Point. Regrettably – and despite all local MPs, red as well as blue, saying it should happen – Minister Allan has followed Sage's barmy decision and declined permission again. If Labour can't even let this happen, forget about the development of significant new roads and housing.

The ugly. In helping constituents I've been helping a number of longstanding WOF stations around our city where the government's NZ Transport Agency has come in and suspended their licences to operate. I fully understand safety is paramount but, as I have said to the NZTA in support of these hard working small businesses, the approach being taken in the Bay is much harsher than elsewhere in New Zealand, and in the way it's been done it's overbearing and bully-like behaviour.

Finally, the indifferent – well, actually there is nothing in this category. I care too much for Tauranga to ever be indifferent about it.