Lotu-Iiga Peseta Sam: General Debate 
Lotu-Iiga Peseta Sam: General Debate 
[Volume:670;Page:16833] 
PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA (National—Maungakiekie) 
: 
 It is a pleasure and an honour to speak today. Today is a historic day for the House of Representatives of New Zealand. As has already been noted by other speakers the Prime Minister of Australia is the first world leader to address this Parliament albeit outside sitting times. It was an honour to hear her words of encouragement. It was an honour to hear what having a relationship with New Zealand means for her and her country. 
Australia is our closest ally. She spoke about Australia and New Zealand being family. She spoke of the history that was forged on the battlegrounds of Gallipoli and around the world. Of course the history was also forged in our similar cultures—in the culture we share with Australians—and on the sports battlegrounds. 
Today is a day of celebration but it is also a day of sadness. We heard that another member of the New Zealand Defence Force sadly lost his life overnight. It is a sad day when we lose defence people in foreign lands but we salute Private Kirifi Mila for his service to this country and we certainly salute him for the service he gave to democracy and freedom around the world. 
We heard today that the partnership—Closer Economic Relations—between New Zealand and Australia has been enhanced. It has been enhanced through an investment protocol. The investment protocol is critical because as we climb out of the global economic recession it is important that investment continues to flow to our New Zealand businesses. When I visit the businesses in the Maungakiekie electorate—spanning from Onehunga in the west to Mount Wellington Penrose and Panmure the heartland of manufacturing and industry in Auckland—they say that the keys to their success will be the upskilling of people but also access to capital. The investment protocol for New Zealand and Australia ensures that more funds will flow to those businesses and that there will be more investment opportunities and more jobs and food for our people and for New Zealanders around the country.  
The protocol is more than an economic agreement as we have heard from the Prime Ministers of both New Zealand and Australia. We heard from Ms Gillard that it is about highly mobile and educated populations. It is about having capable and effective armed forces harnessed in partnership. We have committed to working with the Australians in a range of different areas including defence. Our own Prime Minister the Rt Hon John Key referred to Australians and New Zealanders establishing friendships and leading successful lives in each other’s countries. Having lived in Australia and having forged a number of close relationships with Australian people I concur with our Prime Minister.  
I will share with members a little story. Over the Christmas break I visited Australia. I visited a friend of my mine a brother and someone I consider to be a family member. He is suffering from cancer. [ 
Interruption 
] If Mr Twyford thinks it is funny for me to tell a personal story then I feel sorry for him. I visited my friend. I have known the bloke for over 15 years. He is married to a New Zealander. He has a New Zealand - Australian child. I consider him a brother. Our passion for our families for sport for business and for the Australian and New Zealand way brings us together as friends but also as brothers. I wish him well: Mark Robert Copping.  
Finally I will make a statement in Samoan about our fallen soldier. Ua vala’auina e le Atua le uso le Susuga a Kirifi Mila. E momoli atu ai o matou alofa’aga ma tatalo mo le ’aiga fa’anoanoa. Ia pa’i atu le ’a’ao fa’amafanafana o le Atua. Ia manuia ma maua le filemu. Soifua. Thank you.