Dean JacquiJACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki): We have learnt a lot in the years since the Christchurch earthquakes—the Canterbury earthquakes—which disturbed much of Canterbury and much of New Zealand many years ago. We have learnt from a government and from an administration perspective so many lessons with regard to the Government's response and to what is immediately needed in what are now North Canterbury's earthquakes centred in the Kaikōura district and so the response has been swift and the response has been sure across a number of Government agencies. I want to acknowledge the wide support across the Parliament and across the parties including across party leaders for the response that the Government is making.We have also learnt a lot about the NGOs responding with surety and with swiftness and so is the community. Communities all around New Zealand are responding strongly to what is now the terrible situation that the Kaikōura and North Canterbury communities find themselves in. I am very mindful of the message given by Christchurch and Canterbury people arising out of their earthquake and that was: Do not forget us." And we have not. This Government has not forgotten Canterbury. There continues to be a large amount of support that goes into Canterbury and it will be the same for Kaikōura. The Prime Minister has on several occasions in the last 3 days—I doubt that the Prime Minister has thought of much else nor have senior Ministers nor indeed have any of us thought of much else. But the message from the Prime Minister right down and across the Parliament I am sure is that "No we will not forget you Kaikōura. It is a crisis now. It is a crisis that is going to last for some time—some many many months—but you will not be forgotten."We have so many regrets now and the first and strongest regret is for the loss of life. Two people lost their lives in this latest earthquake and we all send our condolences and have done and will continue to do so to their families. We regret the disruption and the fear that people have in these current times particularly with the aftershocks continuing. We regret damage to homes. We regret damage to businesses. We regret the ongoing disruption of tourism opportunities in and around the Kaikōura district. Many of us are very familiar with that district. We holiday there we have family there and we know that these are tough times ahead for them. Again the Prime Minister has indicated that "No we will not forget you." We regret things like the beautiful coastal drive from Picton down to Christchurch. We regret that we will never see that again in its current form. We regret that Waterfall Creek looks like a place of the past as a significant and well-loved breeding colony for seals and the most wonderful experience for New Zealanders and tourists alike as they have done that short walk up to Waterfall Creek to see the pups waiting out the time getting into mischief while their parents are out to sea fishing so that they can come back to shore and feed their pups. We regret the lifting of the seabed. That is going to make a fundamental difference to the ecosystems of the Kaikōura coast recreational fishing opportunities. We regret all those things but I tell you what it is the response that matters now—the response by Government agencies which has been legend but also the response of the locals. I just want to read an email I have received from a person dear to me who lives right in Kaikōura Bay itself. "Thanks so much" she says in response to my email. "All good here but we really do need the internet so we can keep working. Can't be far off now. Just saw a huge frigate. I think it's the New Zealand one and there's choppers in South Bay and all sorts of choppers all flying around today. We had light showers earlier but now cleared. Gosh it's a busy old place. We made a fish and rice curry and took that up to the marae yesterday and will head up again to see if they need a dishwasher or a vegetable peeler. It's all good really." Mr Speaker that is the power of the people and the power of the community. Thank you."