SpeechANNA LORCK (Labour—Tukituki) (remote): Thank you Madam Speaker. As I Zoom into the House from the Hawke's Bay I do so having just read the headline Reasons for optimism for Hastings" following the release of its economic report card yesterday. The timing as I take a call on the Budget Policy Statement could not have been better because it demonstrates that even while the impacts of COVID-19 restrictions are being felt here locally with Omicron sweeping through the region Hastings' economy is performing and continues to perform very well. It proves that the health response our Government has taken is the best response for protecting and growing our economy across New Zealand for keeping people wherever possible in work and business in business. This Budget is laying those foundations for the future—a future that according to the National Party is nothing but doom and gloom. But not in the Hawke's Bay and I am sure other regions are optimistic too. We are seeing businesses investing here at record levels not retracting. And if you visit you will see before your eyes groundworks and new buildings occurring almost every week. There has been a phenomenal 59.6 percent increase in non-residential consents. That is a demonstration of optimism for the future.Now that does not take away from those business owners and their staff especially our retail and hospitality sectors who have found and are still finding it incredibly tough. But let me say with as much optimism as I can muster from Hastings we will get through it because growing jobs growing work opportunities better wages and keeping people in jobs and keeping the work coming in matters for the people of New Zealand. That's why we need to keep building strong resilient regions which the Budget Policy Statement does. I know as we move forward in the recovery it will be the provinces of this country that will come into their own. I have demonstrated that in Hastings this is an excellent example of the focus our Government has and the commitment we have to the regions. We have seen record Government investment millions and millions of dollars coming in to help back the Bay in partnership with council iwi and business for infrastructure projects that will continue into the years ahead as we keep building more affordable homes investing in climate change projects for our regions and in health reforms.But I've got to say as a regional New Zealander who has always fought hard to get our fair share of Government investment hearing the Opposition leader telling us he's going to cut the Auckland regional fuel tax can only mean one thing and that is that he and his National Party have not changed and they will be deserting the regions again. National forgot about the regions last time they were in Government and they are clearly signalling it again because if Aucklanders don't have to pay for their region's roading infrastructure problems unfortunately it means the rest of us will have to pick up the tab which will then mean there will be less money to go around for our regions' roads and our desperately needed infrastructure projects will be cut across town and country. We will end up right back where we were a decade ago with a two-speed economy. That's what happened under National because National neglected the regions. But in Budget 2022 this Government will continue to keep giving them space to accelerate their recovery and rebuild from the impacts of COVID-19 and will lay the foundations for the future. It is the regions who help grow this country and that's what our Government is backing. Thank you Madam Speaker."