SpeechHon RON MARK (Minister of Defence): Thank you Mr Speaker. Well whether it be in the community the nation or the world the women and the men of the New Zealand Defence Force are proving to be once again our greatest asset and continue to demonstrate their value as they support our people here at home and our friends and neighbours abroad whenever and wherever it matters. It doesn't matter whether it's floods earthquakes volcanic eruptions—here at home or abroad—humanitarian assistance disaster relief operations search and rescues they are there 24/7 at the drop of a hat when necessary. They never go on strike they never ask for more; they simply focus on delivering loyally and faithfully to the people of New Zealand. I'm proud that this coalition Government has recognised that.I'm proud that this coalition Government has done something that no other Government has done in the last—crikey—I think we've got to go back 40-odd years and that is invested so heavily in the women and men of our Defence Force who contribute so much in areas people don't think about. Whether it's air dropping supplies to Department of Conservation staff in the Kermadecs whether it's patrolling the Southern Ocean keeping an eye on things like whaling operations keeping an eye on what is happening in our environmentally protected area keeping an eye on the illegal fisheries operations or providing surveillance and information and data that enables successful international prosecutions of poachers that work is done by the women and the men of the New Zealand Defence Force—army navy and air force—working collaboratively together.But these things do not happen by accident; they happen because they're planned. They happen because people train to the highest levels of professionalism that they possibly can. The only thing they ever ask of a Government is that they be supported—they be supported with the appropriate training they be supported with the appropriate equipment and platforms that enable them to compete in the international environment with what are proven to be some quite innovative tactics and strategies by those who would deplete our resources and attack our environment. It is those people who we are the first to deploy when things like tropical cyclone Harold hit and ravage the Pacific Island nations who are already suffering the effects of climate change on a size and scale that many countries around this world are still not recognising. But there is a group of people who do recognise it and they are the women and the men in the New Zealand Defence Force. They are the people who deploy whether it's a tsunami or a cyclone and help put people's lives back together—be it our pilots be it our engineers be it our medics be it any of them.That's one of the things that I'm so proud of—the way in which at the same time they've been doing all this the Defence Force has leaned in to support all Government agencies through COVID. Special recognition to Air Commodore Digby Webb who was already in there providing such amazing assistance and planning along with a broader team—and I'm thinking of Tony Miller right now—who have been providing the planning and logistics support and advice to other Government agencies. I'm pleased now that that advice and professionalism has been recognised and that Defence has been given a greater role and command and authority particularly on our borders. I know—I know—that their professionalism will enhance the safety and security of every New Zealander right now and will make sure that the gains that the team of 5 million made are not undermined or destroyed.There is so much that we could talk about on our Defence Force people in the 57 seconds that I've got left. Where do I start? I'm just going to finish by saying this: the Hercules are often challenged but people need to remember that our biggest military deployment is Antarctica and it's the Hercules that provide the donkey work. They are the heavy lifters that make it possible for our scientists for our engineers and for our people who work in Antarctica who do such valuable work studying climate change and studying the environment. None of that is possible without the women and the men of our Defence Force. A big thankyou also to those people who have been heavily engaged in repatriating the thousand-odd people back just recently into Vanuatu—job well done loyally and faithfully serving the people of New Zealand. I congratulate all of the women and men of our Defence Force and thank them very much. And don't worry we've got more positive announcements on the way.