Luxon ChristopherMOTIONSNew Zealand Olympic Team—CongratulationsRt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON (Prime Minister): Point of order. I seek leave to move a motion without notice congratulating the New Zealand Olympic team on their achievements at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.SPEAKER: Is there any objection to that course of action being followed? There is none.Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: I move That this House congratulate the New Zealand Olympics team comprising 204 athletes across 23 sports on their success at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris where they won 10 gold medals seven silver medals and three bronze medals.On behalf of all of the Government I congratulate the New Zealand Olympic team on its incredible performances and achievements at the Olympic Games in Paris. These games were historic for New Zealand not just for matching our record tally of 20 medals in Tokyo but for clinching the most gold medals New Zealand has ever won and finishing 11th on the medal table ahead of such sporting powerhouses with far bigger populations such as Canada Spain and Sweden. Our athletes without exception performed with skill determination and integrity. One brilliant statistic is that of our team of 204 athletes 42 of them are coming home with at least one medal around their neck.Now we had many notable and standout performances across the 17 days of action and competition. But I want to acknowledge a few in particular. Dame Lisa Carrington has etched her name in Olympic history with her eighth gold medal. [Interruption] yep between her eight golds and the bronze that she won in Rio Dame Lisa is comfortably New Zealand's most decorated Olympian. To put that feat into the historic context it deserves eight gold medals is bigger than the haul managed by any of Spain Sweden Brazil or Hungary in Paris.Hamish Kerr also made history by becoming the first New Zealand male to win a field event in the Olympic track and field programme. His jump-off in the final was probably responsible for an increase in heart palpitations right across New Zealand. But what a fantastic result it was in the end.I have to say I personally also enjoyed Lydia Ko's impressive performance winning gold in the women's golf. Frankly for an athlete who has done it all to see her with immense pride standing on that podium hearing our national anthem was something pretty special.The super-mums Brooke Francis and Lucy Spoors who have worked so hard and also juggled family life so well to win gold in the women's double sculls.We had Finn Butcher the boy from Alexandra whose gold at the inaugural men's kayak K1 cross event saw him honoured as our flagbearer at the closing ceremony.And then we saw the cool clutch mental skills and poised maturity of 24-year-old Ellesse Andrews winning gold in the women's keirin and also the women's sprint as well as being part of a silver medal - winning team sprint crew.And then there was our women's sevens team whose epic final against Canada resulted in the gold medal in front of an ecstatic Stade de France crowd thanks in part to a heroic try assist by captain Sarah Hirini who despite her having several fractures in her face during that game managed to set it up for a win.I mentioned Lisa Carrington earlier but I can't go without also mentioning her paddling teammates. Our women's K2 crew of Dame Lisa and Alicia Hoskin were utterly dominant in their final finishing more than a boat length ahead of their rivals. And our women's K4 team of Dame Lisa and Alysha along with Olivia Brett and Tara Vaughan came home victorious ahead of European paddling powerhouses Germany and Hungary.I could keep going for a long time because every one of our athletes whether they medalled or not produced performances that frankly inspired and delighted us. I do want to echo the remarks of the Minister for Sport and Recreation the Hon Chris Bishop when he said that our athletes' performances had been magnificent and that every one of them exemplified our values of fair play and integrity that New Zealanders are known for across the sporting world. Our athletes' respect for their competitors their commitment to fair play and their ability to forge lasting friendships across nations showcased I think the true spirit of the games. In the men's triathlon for example New Zealanders cheered Dylan McCullough for his selfless act which actually ruled himself out of the medals to ensure that Hayden Wilde had a shot at a podium finish and then we proudly watched Hayden's heartwarming gesture and sportsmanship towards Great Britain's Alex Yee despite Alex having just pipped him at the post for a gold medal. I also know that Lydia Ko and Maddi Wesche were acknowledged for their support and their encouragement of fellow competitors exemplifying the true essence of Olympic values excellence respect and friendship.Additionally two former New Zealand Olympians were elected to roles with the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Beijing 2008 silver medallist Sarah Walker from BMX was elected as an independent IOC member. And Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Marcus Daniell from tennis will join the IOC's Athletes Commission. As members of the IOC they will be instrumental in shaping the future of the Olympic movement.Furthermore Barbara Kendall triple medallist in windsurfing and a Kiwi Olympic icon has been honoured as an Olympian for Life; one of only five former Olympians to have been recognised in that way in Paris.It takes a huge team effort to get even one athlete to the starting line at the Olympics let alone 204 of them. So I do want to take a moment to recognise all of those who have been a part of the team behind the team. Thank you to the New Zealand Olympic Committee thank you to High Performance Sport and Sport New Zealand who all worked incredibly hard to get our team to Paris. Thank you also to all the sponsors and the donors whose generosity helped our amazing team succeed. Thank you to all of those on the ground including our 75 volunteers who helped establish New Zealand House our very Kiwi homebase situated on the famous Champs-Elysees. New Zealand House served as a gathering place for around 20000 people during the games—New Zealand ex-pats friends and family of athletes and often the athletes themselves as well as curious Parisians and international tourists who were keen to see a little slice of New Zealand and to experience some of our food wine and hospitality. The team also hosted international sports Ministers and heads of international sporting federations.I do want to extend a very very special thankyou to our incredible chef de mission Nigel Avery and his team of operations sports performance health psychology communications athlete support experts and volunteers who worked so tirelessly to ensure that New Zealand not only had a successful Olympic campaign but also a memorable presence in the village and in Paris.Perhaps most importantly I want to say thank you to all the families partners and the friends of the athletes. I know how many of you have made huge sacrifices to enable your loved one to compete on the international stage. Our athletes couldn't do what they do without your unwavering support and love and I hope you feel so proud—and so justifiably so—of them.In closing let me remind you that the sporting excitement isn't over yet. I do want to take the opportunity to wish all of our New Zealand Paralympic team all the very best as they compete in the Paralympic Games beginning in Paris next week. Know that New Zealand is behind you 100 percent and that we're going to be cheering you on loudly from the sidelines.Congratulations once again to all our athletes on your very inspiring performances. Thank you for representing and thank you for being the very best of us. I know I speak for all of New Zealand when I say how immensely immensely proud we are of you all. Thank you.SPEAKER: The question is that the motion be agreed to.