Cameron MarkMARK CAMERON (ACT): Rural New Zealand is back. ACT is back alongside the collective rural caucus—they are back—and farmers are celebrating. We all came here to this place to speak our truth the way in which we all see it to share in a contest of ideas and have them canvassed have a full and frank debate. As a rural advocate a farmer I am certainly one of those people. I came here ACT came here the farmers came here unapologetically to speak to the issues affronting the rural sector without pause without fear without equivocation but with pride and a respect for the men and women that feed a nation; her people. For that I say they deserve forthright representation they deserve our loyalty they deserve our respect for without them we are a country economically destitute; we are a country half starved.For six years—perhaps more—rural New Zealand had been in a state of emotional decline. Many had suffered the left's farming illiteracy. But there's hope on the horizon. Real optimism has returned to the rural sector. The National - ACT - New Zealand First Government—we have heard those folks. We are here to deliver to those in the sector; they deserve no less. From previous vanity projects utopic or utopian ideas or burdensome regulation those former Government handbrakes will be a thing of the past and in quick order. This Government—Ingrid Leary: Are you reading your speech?MARK CAMERON: Well you could read it for me if you like. We heard the drive for change. Our rural caucus had consulted with the parties. All three parties had listened offered to discuss the problems and have them defined. Before solutions were sought we stressed the point the need for cost-benefit analysis and understanding on farm regulations to give farmers certainty not theatricality nor piety.There is much to fix. Whilst I absolutely refuse to politicise mental illness while I absolutely refuse to politicise suicide the terrible havoc and loss it leaves on rural communities is enormous. It is felt especially by those in small tight-knit communities. Sadly this is becoming more common-place and it must be reversed. We must not forget that for the last three years the world ground to a halt. Our country ground to a halt. COVID pushed pause on almost everything and everyone.Yet farmers rural New Zealanders—we persisted. We kept working. When the rules of nature halted so many they persisted. They kept working to feed a nation and to help feed the world. This Government we recognise that reality. We know that for many who wouldn't or couldn't farmers kept going. In spite of all the challenges and in spite of the former Government farmers were good for it.Hon Nicola Grigg: Hear hear!MARK CAMERON: Absolutely. Not those previous unworkable untenable outcomes that only knew piety not practicality. We need to balance places like the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee with practical people not those that were wet behind the ears but those who have experience on farm—vets farmers—who understand outcome and the rigour of farming practices not theorem.We will return the live animal export trade. Trying to reconcile that is worth half a billion dollars to this country. Imagine what you could do with half a billion dollars and employ the logic of a gold standard—giving certainty to farmers certainty to markets—Chlöe Swarbrick: How are we going to do that Mark?MARK CAMERON: —must be done; clearly evident. I'm not going to engage with that now. In coalition going forward we all agreed.Farmer morale has been at an all-time low. How do you reconcile that? I'm fascinated by the fact that we've had high payouts and yet we've got farmer morale at an all-time low. We all see this. We acknowledge it. This coalition Government knows that good lawmaking is tantamount to good outcomes that farmers and their canvas—it is their work; it is his work; it is her work. This is marked in inputs to outcomes where weather markets costs on farm are meted out to farmers as their daily rigour.Farmers in this building we all collectively recognise the absolute importance of sensible pragmatic lawmaking—something for so long we have missed out on—that achieves tenable outcomes on farm something that the previous Government and I have to stress this point were so often four sheets to the wind on. I am drawn into thinking of a story that highlights the spirit of Kiwi farmers. It is our tenacity; it is our guts; it is our pride. Recently I attended the RRT gathering an acronym for the post-cyclone rapid response team day out in Northland. Some were in tears many shed in their gratitude. A community embraced its people. I heard of a chap that illustrated to me the absolute epitome of rural New Zealand absolute Kiwi pride. He had travelled ill with cancer for four hours from Kaitāia to be part of that day. He battled on with his condition; he battled on with his post-cyclone recovery and yet he still managed the time to be there for himself for his community. Surely there is no greater conviction no greater belief in rural communities.I say to the members of this House rural New Zealand is full of fantastic people driven people capable people and this Government sees it. It is my hope all parties will come in this House to know this as a truism to know this as a fact. For to do any less is what I say to them is to have turned their back on rural New Zealand and this is something we must absolutely not do. After all I'm sure everyone would agree everyone here eats; we are a nation ever hungry and we must never ever forget that reality.