Clark DavidHon Dr DAVID CLARK (Minister of Health): I rise to speak to this legislation as the Minister of Health who will have the responsibility and the privilege of eventually acting within it and—as one who has had many conversations with the Hon David Parker who has carefully drafted this legislation—to really take into account what we now know about this virus and the situation we find ourselves in as a country in a situation where we have gone hard and we have gone early where the risks have been diminished but the risk has not passed.The existing legislation that we have acted under as we have combated this disease is based on an emerging situation on an emergency situation and on a crisis and it is fit for purpose in that new and emerging structure. It has put us on a very stable footing for our response. Now as we have succeeded as a country in really combating this virus through the efforts of all New Zealanders who have come together to unite to fight COVID-19 we have the benefit of some time to consider how when we're operating under a lower-level framework with a diminished but not destroyed risk we can have bespoke legislation that ensures we have the powers necessary and desirable to ensure the best possible response to this virus for the health and wellbeing of all New Zealanders.We have taken a very precautionary approach. It has served us well as a country. I want to thank Minister Parker for his leadership in this area for his taking on the responsibility of making sure that we as a country have legislation that is up to the minute and that actually is based upon a good firm understanding in so far as the scientific community has it of the risks that present to us. Let's not forget that six months ago we did not know of this virus. Only in late January was human to human transmission confirmed and since that time in New Zealand we have put up a remarkable response. We have set up a contact tracing system that has national direction and that is consistent across the country. It has resources at the centre that simply did not exist before. We've put $70 million into public health. We've set up a national distribution system for personal protective equipment (PPE) because previously it was the responsibility of NGOs and private providers to source their own PPE in accordance with their own health and safety plans. But we determined that it would be important to have a national distribution centre to keep our essential service workers safe and we've set up a testing regime which compares incredibly well to other testing regimes around the world and sees us with the lowest positivity rate of any using the polymerase chain reaction with reliable data next only to Taiwan.Now as that situation emerged as the evidence changed and as we came to better understand the virus we have had to respond quickly and under the existing legislation that has been possible. And it's true that our understanding of the virus continues to emerge. So I would push back on some statements made by the Leader of the Opposition that minimise the risk. We do better understand this disease but we don't completely understand this disease and it is important that we continue to take a risk-based approach underpinned by the legislation that we have.He raised the issue of mosques temples and churches and raised a concern that people would not be able to assemble in numbers greater than 10. I have to say that taking the decision to limit those gatherings to 10 people at this stage was one of the most difficult decisions that I have faced as a Minister during this time. I know that the Prime Minister has expressed a similar view and I have had that feedback from Cabinet colleagues. It was not easy because we know of the human tragedy that surrounds many of these situations where families have not been able to grieve in the way that they traditionally would.It's difficult at any time to face grief and loss and as myself a funeral celebrant I know that people choose in those situations and expect to physically comfort each other. What we have seen overseas sadly is that in those situations people have come together and transmission of the virus has occurred and there has been further tragedy. In New Zealand our transmission has in different public situations been a challenge through this period. We did not want to see people grieving face the double jeopardy of potential further grief because in these situations where people physically comfort each other there was risk of any transmission.We hope this situation will not continue for too long because we do seem to see fewer and fewer cases. But as we begin to open up as we open up our economy again we want to be sure that we are putting the safety of New Zealanders first in these situations and ensuring that we continue to keep moving forward so that we can continue to open up and have a more normal safe engagement with one another in a controlled way that respects what we now know about this virus.In this legislation as the Minister of Health I will be required to have regard to the advice of the Director-General of Health about the risks of the outbreak or spread of the virus of the nature and extent of measures and whether they are voluntary or enforceable and how we can best address those risks. I will have consulted with the Prime Minister with the Minister of Justice and with other Ministers as appropriate before making any orders under this legislation.It is appropriate to the different footing that we find ourselves on in level 2 to have legislation that is looking forward to a situation where it may not be that burning emergency that it was in the first place but where those risks are still present where we have legislation that is designed and debated in this House in this Parliament across the House—the chance for a robust debate about the legislation that will underpin our response as a country. It is appropriate to have the Opposition have their view in this debate about the legislation that will shape our response going forward. [Interruption] The Opposition respond with perhaps sarcastic comments. The alternative is not to have this legislation and not to have this debate and I don't think anybody would think that was appropriate when we had the opportunity to have a wider debate to consult with legal experts and make sure that we had the best legislation in place going forward.We are very very fortunate in New Zealand to be in the position we're in and I do want to take this opportunity to thank on the international day of the nurse all of our nursing staff in particular but also all of our professionals across the health system who have responded so well. It is a privilege to lead the health sector response and to have had such success. I think the results speak for themselves as to where we find ourselves now and that is due in no small part to the response of the general public and their willingness to make sacrifices to make sure that we're in the position we're in now and it's also due to the fine work of our medical professionals.Now it is important though for all of us that we step forward and not back and so that is why in these situations we continue to take a cautious approach. We do not want people gathering in numbers of greater than 10 and even when in a premise that may hold up to 100 they will be separated. So for example in a restaurant a booking will not be for more than 10 people. These are to preserve the gains that we've made and to lock them in to make sure that we can keep moving forward and keep opening up our economy.We only have to look to Europe to see the situation they are in where they are in lockdown in many countries and continue to be in very restricted environments. That is very damaging to their economy but not only are they facing economic damage; they are also facing decimation in their populations where this disease continues to have tragic consequences.In New Zealand thanks to the efforts of New Zealanders and thanks to the public health response and quick action—going hard and going early—we are in a privileged position to now consider legislation that will take us forward and underpin our continuing fight against this virus. I commend this legislation to the House.