Luxton JoJO LUXTON (Labour): Thank you Mr Speaker. It's a pleasure to take a call in the general debate and it's one I haven't had the opportunity to do for quite some time. But before I begin my contribution can I just acknowledge the firefighters in Auckland fighting the blaze at the SkyCity Auckland Convention Centre who have been working extremely long hours in extremely dangerous conditions. I'd also like to acknowledge the family members of those firefighters. As the wife of a volunteer firefighter myself I know that every time that siren goes off there is an element of worry that goes along with them racing out the door to attend the fire or motor vehicle accident or whatever that might be. So I just want to acknowledge them and thank them for the efforts with which they are fighting that fire today. I want to talk about what this Government has achieved in the past two years and there is so much to talk about. Marja Lubeck: You'll run out of time. JO LUXTON: I know—five minutes is never going to be long enough. But under this busy hard-working Government under the leadership of our Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern great things are happening after nine long years of neglect from the previous Government. We're getting on with the job. It's not going to happen overnight but we are getting on with the job. The economy is going gangbusters. We've delivered one heck of a surplus and that puts us in good stead to face any headwinds that we might find come our way within the global economy but actually it's not all about the economy. We're tackling the long-term challenges that the previous Government left behind and we're actually focusing on the wellbeing of New Zealanders. We've lifted the minimum wage unemployment is down to record levels and we're seeing great successes in our Mana in Mahi programme. One example of that is a young girl that I visited in Palmerston North recently who is working in a rest home for people with dementia. The joy that that young girl is bringing to those people every day shows that she is the perfect fit for working in a place like that—an outstanding young woman. We've increased school funding so that schools do not have to ask for donations from their families. Netherby School in Ashburton has signed up to that. They were getting around $6000 to $7000 in school donations and what this means for that school is that they are going to get close to $20000 with this in place. It is a heck of a lot of money for schools who every time I've visited them talk about the fact that they never got enough money under the previous Government to just get on with the day-to-day running of their schools. I also want to talk about the fact that we have provided families and people with the winter energy payment. Nothing gives me more pride than to know that people are not having to go cold during the winter months particularly our elderly frail people. I think of the pictures that we see—the horrific pictures—of a little old lady wrapped up in a blanket blanket upon blanket or in her bed just to keep warm and now she doesn't have to do that. That is fantastic news. We're funding 2000 more trades academy places and up to 2000 more places in the Gateway programme. We are moving away from focusing on pushing our young people into university because that is what we've seen happen at the expense of the trades sector. The decline in the trades sector—Kieran McAnulty: Isn't your husband a builder? JO LUXTON: Yes my husband is a builder—that is correct. That is correct. I just want to touch on something that a couple of the members from the Opposition said. They talked about the lack of focus the lack of delivery negative this negative that. They talked about incompetence incompetence incompetence—I wonder if they are self-reflecting in that word. But anyway negative this negative that negative National—no solutions unlike this Government who is working hard providing for New Zealanders with a booming economy and looking after the wellbeing of our people. I am so proud of what this Government is doing and there is so much more to come. The debate having concluded the motion lapsed.