Jan Tinetti Labour MP

My last column of this year is dedicated to saying thank you and I have a lot to be thankful for!

Schools, teaching and children have been central to my whole career so I’m very thankful to the Government for all they have done this year for education and our children, better pay for our teachers and principals, the building of new schools and classrooms, a new school for Brookfield, land purchased to build new schools in Omokoroa, a substantial cash injection to upgrade rundown classrooms and facilities, free school lunches from next year, an end to fees to sit NCEA and scholarship exams and school donations for Decile 1-7 schools.

Thank you to the Tauranga community for your incredible generosity this year when we have asked for help to provide books for the Solomon Islands, warm clothes and blankets for our homeless, knitting for premature babies, blankets for the Merivale Community Centre and for all the handbags collected at the office on behalf of the amazing Laura Wood to distribute to women in need in our community this Christmas.

Thank you to everyone for your support since I was diagnosed with breast cancer last month. For all your messages, cards, phone calls and flowers, thank you!

People often say we have some of the best doctors in the world right here in Tauranga. I had two of the best Mr Peter Chin and Mr Adam Bialostocki who are not only incredibly talented surgeons but also very kind and caring people. Thank you both for the great care you have given me.

Thank you and Merry Christmas everyone!