Independent views By Brendan Horan

Last year, I shared a few stories we had managed in our Mount Maunganui office. This week, I'd like to continue this theme and share other issues constituents have sort to share, seek assistance and advocacy for from me, as the only opposition MP in town. But as well, they respect and understand that as an independent MP, I am not tied up in party policy and procedures. As an independent, I have greater freedom to truly represent constituent issues and use parliamentary systems and processes to best serve my constituency.

However, before I do this, I'd also like to thank the many people who have approached me in the street, rang my office, emailed me, tweeted and got on Facebook to congratulate me on standing up and choosing to go as an independent MP again for the coming election.

Listed is a collection of some of the opinions and requests I received in one week. This is not an exhaustive list, rather a representation.

'I am very concerned by the way National is eroding our rights, including the right to protest, and pushing bills that could potentially turn us into a police state.”

'National policy is creating a bigger gap between rich and poor in NZ, eroding workers rights and conditions as well as those of beneficiaries.”

'Our Resource Management Act protects the environment – something that is becoming more and more vital as our world gets polluted and depleted in natural resources, including animal and insect life. We need to increase the numbers of reserves and national parks to protect our flora and fauna. Marine reserves where fish can breed are vitally important. So are places that are protected from sprays and chemicals. Bees and other insects important for the fertilisation of food crops are dying out and it looks as though insecticides and fungicides are the cause.”

'Charter schools attack the equality that we prize in NZ – research shows over-testing results in ‘short-term learning for tests' and the result is a far narrower form of education than Kiwis have historically enjoyed. We are practical innovators but these changes will largely end that. Testing teachers is even more stupid, and will hardly result in the best teachers or the best education, whereas fighting poverty will.”

'Gambling...for a government to allow the growth of that misery-based greedy and corrupt industry, which scientifically aims to cause addiction in our people for profit can be nothing but criminal!”

'The importance of labelling foods and medicines; the importance of openness; and the dangers when powerful people hold secret meetings, with secret agendas.”

I could go on and on, but I'm sure you get the picture and respect I answer all correspondences.

If you have any issues or thoughts you'd like to share with me, please contact my office for an appointment to discuss them. Or contact me on the following social media sites. I'd love to hear from you.

Facebook.com/Brendan.horan.336 twitter.com/brendanhoran or Phone Brendan on 574 0253.