Penk ChrisCHRIS PENK (National—Kaipara ki Mahurangi): Thank you very much Mr Speaker for the opportunity to speak on this the adjournment debate for 2021. I'd like to start by thanking all those essential workers. To me the phrase essential worker" is actually a tautology. All workers are essential whether they're deemed as such by the Government or not. I refer to those of course within Parliament who enable all of us to do our jobs and of course all around New Zealand as well. Particularly I'd like to thank a number of different categories of people. To all those who keep the lights on keep the place clean and so on please know that your work is noted and appreciated even if we do not always see you and have the opportunity to thank you directly. To those in the select committees the clerks the advisers—they have provided such great support—for your keeping on the lights of democracy in this place again in 2021 we thank you for that work. Specifically to my colleagues on the Regulations Review Committee we've had to reckon with a lot of clauses this year. Thankfully with the conclusion of the meeting now taking place the only "clause" that you'll have to deal with for a while is Santa! So good luck and have a wonderful break over the Christmas period.To our colleagues in offices throughout New Zealand the electorate and community offices as well as here physically in Parliament we thank them. From a personal perspective and noting others who have been in lockdown across the country particularly in Auckland but other places too we note the burden of working from home and trying to juggle the commitments that each of us have in our individual lives as well as trying to provide the best possible service to our constituents the good people of New Zealand.I do also want to pay particular tribute while I have the opportunity to express some gratitude to the men and women of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF). I felt very grateful to represent them and veterans in the sense of being Opposition spokesperson. I'm very pleased that that portfolio representation is in the very good hands of my friend and colleague Tim van de Molen an army reserve officer and I know that he will engage strongly with the Government to hold their feet to the fire on such an important aspect for our country. I acknowledge all of those who serve in uniform including the police who along with our NZDF friends are in the Solomon Islands right now as well as keeping New Zealanders safe up and down this land. To those who have deployed there and also in Afghanistan this year as well as other places around New Zealand thank you for your service. I also want to acknowledge others who inhabit this building who also have an important role to play in democracy: the fourth estate. To the press gallery I say with you and your colleagues having received some $55 million of Government largesse on behalf of the taxpayer this year but noting the press gallery party is about to get under way thank you very much. It's your shout!Team I also do want to just acknowledge the fact that we have a large number of Aucklanders today able to go across the country; those not fortunate enough to be designated "essential workers" as MPs inexplicably are. I say today that there will be many Jaffas rolling down these aisles and I wish them all the best. But also to those left behind those trying to make a living in Auckland who have been doing it really tough whether workers or the owners of businesses I say to you: please hang in there do your best to survive well and prosper into the new year. I know that it has been a really difficult year for you as well as our fellow Kiwis in the South Island who have had considerable restrictions notwithstanding less COVID-19 and of course all those in between as well. I do want to finish on a note that does acknowledge and engage the fact that we in the National Party have had a year that is ending well for us. But as always in this place there are ups and downs and there are bumps and scrapes. But I feel very optimistic that the important constitutional role of the Opposition will be performed very strongly by us going into the new year. We have cause for optimism with a leader who we were told quite rightly came here with no baggage. Ordinarily for someone who runs an airline to be forced to admit they have no baggage is generally not a good thing. But actually in the case of our leader Christopher Luxon he is a breath of fresh air and I believe that he will lead us strongly into the new year in Opposition. But soon enough that plane will be not only having taken off now but it will be due to land in the Beehive and we are right on schedule to land in 2023. To my colleagues then in the National Party as well as colleagues across the House from all the different parties I say thank you for your efforts this year. I've enjoyed engaging with all of you in all the different ways that we do in this place. To each of you then as well as your respective constituents and the good people of New Zealand I say have a good break now and we look forward to doing business and doing battle with you in 2022. For now thank you and merry Christmas to you all."