Todd Talks By Todd Muller

The National-led Government is currently undertaking the largest ever investment in school infrastructure by any New Zealand government in our country's history, and the Bay of Plenty is reaping the rewards.

We are one of the fastest growing communities in the country. The secret is out about our little slice of Paradise, people are flocking, and when I look at our amazing little city – I can't really blame them.

As a Government, we can't simply turn off the tap and stop people moving to the Bay, but what we can do is invest in the infrastructure needed for our residents to maintain the high quality of life we are accustomed to. This means putting in place the schools, classrooms, and transport links our growing population needs.

Budget 2017 brought with it a $456.5 million investment in school infrastructure, and I'm proud to say we have secured a sizeable chunk of this for Tauranga – $30 million. This money will be used to build a brand new $21 million school on Te Okuroa Drive in Papamoa that will accommodate 400 local school children; $4 million to increase the capacity of Golden Sands School by 150 students; and $5 million to build nine new classrooms at Pillans Point School.

This would be a major announcement in its own right, but put in the context of the $1.2 million allocated to build three new classrooms at Omokoroa Point School on the back of 2015 and 2016's announcements of new classrooms for Oropi School, Welcome Bay School, Maungatapu School, Golden Sands Primary, and Papamoa College, this really starts to paint a picture of a government that is serious about investing in our region's education network, building capacity, and ultimately delivering the educational results that our community expects and deserves.

Todd Muller

MP for Bay of Plenty