Verrall Ayesha; Rurawhe AdrianCOVID-19 ORDERSApprovalHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL (Minister for COVID-19 Response): I move That this House approve the following orders made under the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020: COVID-19 Public Health Response (Protection Framework) Amendment Order (No 8) 2022 (SL 2022/143) and COVID-19 Public Health Response (Protection Framework) Amendment Order (No 9) 2022 (SL 2022/165).It's a pleasure to speak in this House as the new Minister for COVID-19 Response and in particular to follow that contribution from the previous Minister. I also want to take the time to thank him for the work he did over the course of his time in his roles first as Minister of Health and then as Minister for COVID-19 Response to keep our country safe to balance a strong health response with the rights of people in our population as well as the need for us to maintain social and economic activity. The success of New Zealand's COVID-19 response has been in large part due to his tireless effort.As the House is now well accustomed to Parliament is required to approve orders I or the former Minister have signed within 90 days of them being signed. Today's motion covers two different orders. First the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Protection Framework) Amendment Order (No 8) 2022 amends the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Protection Framework) Order 2021. This order amends the face-covering requirements in relation to voting and ensures that a person cannot be denied entry into a voting place on vaccination grounds. It also clarifies several technical matters including excluding all sports from the definition of a close-proximity business" and clarifies the meaning of "gathering" to people who are a group in a defined space. I thank the Regulations Review Committee for its consideration of this order and I note they raised no concerns.The second order we are confirming today is the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Protection Framework) Amendment Order (No 9) 2022. This order amends the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Protection Framework) Order 2021. It clarifies that the 2-metre distancing rule applies between entertainers and their audience and creates an exemption process for a person with a physical or mental illness condition or disability to apply for an exemption pass to be issued by the director-general making them exempt from the face-covering requirements under the principal order.I understand that the Regulations Review Committee wrote to the former Minister who clarified some of the questions they raised and I can briefly cover those responses. I am informed in relation to the proposed enforcement of certain clauses the former Minister confirmed that breaches of the clauses are intended to be enforced under section 26 of the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020 and are not the subject of infringement notice offences. This is consistent with the approach taken to the enforcement of the rules against the misuse of COVID-19 vaccine certificates. I further understand it was reinforced that enforcement action is likely to be exercised only when exemption cards are misused in organised systemic or serious cases. The committee also considered it was unclear whether a breach of clause 106A(7) results in liability under the Act the Crimes Act or both. I am informed the former Minister explained that a declaration required by an appellant for a face mask exemption and referred to in clause 106A(4)(a) is not a declaration in the form provided for in section 9 of the Oaths and Declarations Act 1957. Therefore section 111 of the Crimes Act is not available to enforce false declarations.I don't want to take up too much of the House's time today. As the new Minister I am very much aware there is much more work to do in this portfolio to ensure our ongoing response as well as being prepared for whatever the future may bring. Our response will continue to be based on public health advice and will continue to adapt to any new challenges or changes that we may face. I look forward to working with you all and continuing the legacy of New Zealand's successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic.DEPUTY SPEAKER: The question is that the motion be agreed to."