Whaitiri Meka; Rurawhe AdrianHon MEKA WHAITIRI (Labour—Ikaroa-Rāwhiti): E Te Māngai o Te Whare tēnā koe. Otirā ngā mema o Te Whare nei tēnā tātou katoa. It is indeed an honour to make a contribution on the Prime Minister's statement by the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern. Can I say as the proud member of Ikaroa-Rāwhiti that for two years since this coalition Government has been in place it has delivered real gains across the electorate—not just across the electorate but actually across the nation. It has been made several times by colleagues in this House: the enormous issues that this side of the House have rolled their sleeves up and got on with tackling—the real real big issues. We haven't shied away from them.The big issues like housing—the housing crisis. What have we done in our two years since we've been in office? Well we're building 4000 new homes more than that side of the House had ever done in the entire nine years that they were in Government.Last year we heard about a $1.2 billion investment into well-needed mental health services throughout the motu something that every community big and small have been demanding that we address and this Government is doing that.We've got education. We have more teachers in our schools. We've got the school donation that removes the hardship and the barriers for many families and their children doing those extracurricular activities at schools. We've also invested in infrastructure to address the deferred maintenance that many of our schools around the country have concerns about. I've met many principals throughout my electorate who have talked about that extra $50000. It now means that they can do things around their school property that they weren't able to do in the past. So I'm really proud of that.Of course I joined the Prime Minister recently in a visit to Flaxmere Primary School where we launched the school lunches. Can I say for the House—and what the principal said in front of the 400 children there is the enormous difference that that has made to those children's learning while they're at school. The principal talked about the reduced I guess challenges that children have in the playground after lunch because they've had a healthy lunch. I want to acknowledge the jobs that were created by this initiative in a place like Flaxmere. The healthy component of those school lunches is making a real difference to learners' abilities in that place of Flaxmere.But it's the economy that I want to celebrate. In our first year of this coalition Government we talked about being the wellbeing Government. We continue to deliver on that because a lot more needs to be done. We recently through the Minister of Finance the Hon Grant Robertson made a $12 billion investment into infrastructure. Yes we are the infrastructure party along with the wellbeing party. That investment is going to stimulate economies right throughout the country. So I want to acknowledge Mr Robertson's commitment to our nation in terms of that investment that gives surety to large and small firms that this Government is putting their money where their mouth is.Unemployment is down. I want to acknowledge the great work that Minister Willie Jackson is doing particularly with our rangatahi around the motu. Debt is down wages are up and of course our exports grow. But we're not deluded that more doesn't need to be done. That's why we need a return of a Labour-led Government.I want to now turn to the gains for Māori and there are so many; I've only got a few minutes to mention them but it's really important that I share that the Prime Minister's statement does acknowledge specifically the gains for Māori. I want to talk about the New Zealand history in schools by 2022. I want to talk about the real issue that when we have Treaty settlements in this House where we come together as a House that the telling of our history is a reclamation of who we are as New Zealanders going forward. That is a big policy announcement for all people but particularly for Māori people whose stories are now going to be told in our schools.I want to also mention that we are investing $32 million into Kōhanga Reo a fantastic nest of language learners but more so for those people like Dame Iritana Tāwhiwhirangi and others who started that movement and it is resonating right throughout the nation.I want to talk about the 1200 rangatahi Māori in He Poutama Rangatahi. I want to talk about the 11 new Māori district judges as we identify that in our justice system we do need to diversify and we are doing it on this side of the House. I want to talk about the $50 million targeted funding in last year's Budget of 2019/20. There have been so many gains for Māori: $100 million towards Māori whenua development $80 million more on papakāinga investment up and down the motu. The list goes on and on. But I want to use my time to also acknowledge that we are not deluded because for Māori gains there is more to do and we are the party that will do it.I want to now turn to my beloved electorate of Ikaroa-Rāwhiti and I want to talk about two particular issues that the Prime Minister's statement alludes to addressing and that is the COVID-19 outbreak in the East Coast. I want to acknowledge the local leadership shown by the Tai Rāwhiti leaders led by the mayor Rehette Stoltz. We had members from the Eastland Wood Council we had members from Trust Tairāwhiti we had the people from Port Gisborne we also had the forestry contractors and right down to the whānau and right down to those working in the Whānau Ora space working alongside those whānaus.Can I acknowledge the leadership the proactive response that local leaders have done. But I also want to acknowledge the Prime Minister's response in dispatching our colleague the Minister of Economic Development the Hon Phil Twyford and myself with Kiritapu Allan up there to spend a whole day meeting with those leaders and looking at solutions that keep our people local that do address the real concerns around some of our business owners in Gisborne but also making sure that we as a Government are going to work alongside those leaders and those organisations to address a real threat to our economy that no one knows when it's going to end. So I want to acknowledge that. I know the Prime Minister and other colleagues have met about this particular issue in Tai Rāwhiti but all around the country in terms of our preparedness around COVID-19 and the impact on local economies.I now want to turn to another part of my electorate Wairoa and I want to talk about the gains of a town that is one hour south of Gisborne 1½ hours north of Napier—often gets left out from successive Governments but not this coalition Government. No sir. They have taken and invested in Wairoa a small rural community on the East Coast and they have invested big time because that community came to Parliament over a year ago and put their priorities to this Government. What did this Government do? They listened—they listened.So in Wairoa for example we have got over a million dollars being invested in the Wairoa CBD. We've got the Ngāti Pāhauwera Horticulture Forestry and Land Enhancement project of $6.9 million. We've got $960000 for the Wairoa Digital Employment Programme. We've got $400000 for the Wairoa Regional Digital Hub $4.8 million for the Wairoa Integrated Business and Tourism Facility and just last week I joined our colleague Fletcher Tabuteau in announcing over $6 million for roads in Māhia to the rocket launch.For a small community in Wairoa to feel the investment from this coalition Government shows—and should show to all people in this House—that this Government is a Government of action. It is a Government that listens. Under the strong leadership of the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern we're getting on with the mahi. That's what's being put towards the challenges towards this side. We're taking it with both hands but we also know we've got more to do. I'm proud to belong to a coalition Government and I commend the Prime Minister's statement. Kia ora.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Adrian Rurawhe): I understand this is a split call. I call Andrew Bayly—five minutes.