Upston LouiseHon LOUISE UPSTON (Associate Minister for Primary Industries): Yesterday morning New Zealand rose to see yet another example of our small wonderful country taking on the rest of the world and succeeding against the odds. This Government believes in New Zealand's ability to rise to the challenge of growth unlike unfortunately our political opponents who think that we should shut down growth that we should shut our borders that we should shut down investment that we should reduce our opportunities to trade with the rest of the world and that we should take a breather. This side of the House—if you think about coming back from Fieldays just a couple of weeks ago we are ready as a country to absolutely seize the opportunities of growth and anybody across rural New Zealand can see the strong position we are in. Rural New Zealanders are more upbeat now about their prospects than at any point since 2003. This is the Rabobank's latest rural confidence survey. It shows that rural sector confidence rose to 54 percent in the June quarter on the back of course of rising commodity prices. The Ministry for Primary Industries is forecasting that primary sector exports will grow to $41.6 billion in the year to June next year. That is an increase of 9.1 percent—9.1 percent. So I am proud to represent rural New Zealand and the confidence and the optimism and the aspiration of rural New Zealand. Actually I find it really disturbing to be surrounded by Opposition members who really just want to keep this country down. The members on that side of the House are all doom and gloom but on this side of the House—the Government members the Government Ministers—we know how optimistic the rural sector is. Let me talk just for a moment about one of the areas I am responsible for. In forestry the outlook is just superb. In terms of the growth we have seen significant growth in the last year and actually the industry has an aspiration to reach $12 billion by the year 2022. This is a Government that supports its aspiration. I would hate to see what the Labour Party's reaction to forestry is for example. But what we want to do is to support that industry's aspirations work with it and make sure that as it is the third-largest primary sector by export revenue we are supporting the work that it does. Annual harvest reached a new record in 2016 so the industry is delivering results supported by a Government that believes in growth believes in opportunity believes in rural New Zealand and believes in rural New Zealanders and that backs their hard work and backs them to succeed. Just one initiative that I think is going to contribute to its target of aspiration is the Steepland Harvesting PGP Programme. The Opposition wants to ask about health and safety. Here is one example of many which is a research project to ensure that we can plant in areas where currently it is too dangerous to harvest. So one investment alone into the Steepland Harvesting PGP Programme means that we can get more trees into the ground in the areas where we need that. In our regional economic development plans whether it is in Northland or whether it is in Tai Rāwhiti we are backing rural New Zealand. We are backing regional New Zealand to succeed. There is another one coming shortly so when we are across the country we are able to support the work that is happening whether it is in the increase in skills—Northland is a great example. We are supporting those young New Zealanders into work and into sustainable employment and they are increasing their skills and opportunities because we believe in their future and we are optimistic for what they are able to achieve. In terms of connections through our Rural Broadband Initiative and through our ultra-fast fibre we are also connecting more Kiwis across the country. Smaller towns like Pūtāruru and like Tūrangi are the next in line which will be absolutely fantastic. It is really interesting because that side of the House wants to run those small towns down. But this side of the House is proud of rural New Zealand and proud of their success and we are backing them to grow even more.