Votes and boats – while Mahuta and Luxon focused on relief for Tonga, ACT was vexed by mayhem in a Northland marina

The buzz from The Beehive has been barely audible since Christmas, reflecting the time out taken by ministers of the Crown to recharge their batteries, or whatever it is that politicians do to re-energise themselves for this year’s challenges.

But the disaster in Tonga – triggered by an undersea volcanic eruption and subsequent tsunami – prompted statements both from Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta and Opposition leader Chris Luxon.

ACT issued a statement, too, but its focus was on the damage done by the tsunami to boats moored in Northland rather than the plight of the Tongans.

Mahuta said damage assessments were under way and New Zealand has formally offered to provide assistance to Tonga.

An initial $500,000 has been made available to respond to requests from the Government of Tonga. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, NZ Defence Force and other New Zealand agencies are working through air and sea options to provide assistance to Tonga.

Tsunami of Nanny State summer safety warnings includes a welcome reminder to avoid a tsunami

Jacinda’s Nanny State wants us to have a happy Christmas and a safe one. 

Ministers devoted to improving our wellbeing have issued advice and warnings on how to avoid food poisoning, how to keep skin cancer at bay and – you can never be too careful, people – how to respond to a tsunami warning.

We are also being equipped to recognise the conditions that increase fire risk.

And there’s advice on the summer programme of resealing and repair work on state highways, to help steer motorists through the holiday driving season.

Transport Minister Michael Wood brought infrastructure investment  and job creation into considerations on that one:  more than 2,000 people will be working on highways across the country this summer, resealing and repairing around 1,900 lane kilometres of state highway (the equivalent of a two-lane road from Picton to Bluff or a single lane on SH1 from Bluff to Kaitaia).

The wellbeing of businesses has not been forgotten.  The Government is working with New Zealand businesses, industry representatives and other stakeholders to ensure they are prepared for all Brexit eventualities from 1 January.