Strange JamieJAMIE STRANGE (Labour): Madam Speaker thanks for the opportunity to take a call. I'd like to begin where the previous member Louise Upston left off because the previous member is the member for Taupō and she was talking about the Provincial Growth Fund and how terrible the Provincial Growth Fund is. However the Taupo Airport in February received $5.87 million for an upgrade—$5.87 million to create 60 jobs; to create economic benefit in the region for tourism and particularly domestic tourism at this point. The Mayor of Taupō said this is a landmark day"—a landmark day for Taupō in terms of economic development in the Taupō region. So obviously the member who just resumed her seat has a fairly short memory.What we've been facing across the country is a pandemic that we haven't seen for a hundred years. The last time we saw an influenza pandemic was 1918—in terms of this scale—and it swept the globe and it killed 60 million people around the world. Now history tells us that those countries that responded early in terms of strong and strict measures their economies recovered quicker at the other end. So that's what we've done as a country as we've been led by our Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. We have gone hard and we've gone early in terms of that health response.In terms of the economic response this Budget is a huge shot in the arm for our economy. We understand that there are a number of challenges out there in a number of different areas and this Budget begins the recovery in terms of addressing those. I'd just like to pick up on a couple in particular—there's one that I haven't heard during this debate yet and I'd just like to touch on it and that's a $63 million investment in Surf Life Saving.Now we are a water nation. We are a nation surrounded by beaches. Every summer people flock to the beaches. Unfortunately 82 preventable drownings took place last year—82. I'd just like to give a really big shout-out to all of our surf lifeguards out there most of them volunteers. I spoke to a board member today before this speech and I asked him "What will this mean for Surf Live Saving clubs and those who are carrying out the role of surf lifesavers in New Zealand?" The board member said that this operational grant is a game-changer for the sector and that it provides stability in terms of the delivery of services. The way things currently work is that regional councils pay the wages for lifeguards over the six-week summer period; the rest of the time which is the other 46 weeks of the year the lifeguards are funded through donations. Those donations are certainly really appreciated but this Government investment gives them certainty for those other 46 weeks mostly between October through to March; however areas in the Waikato region like Hot Water Beach have people go there all year round and unfortunately they have had a number of drownings there in recent times. So this Government contribution pays for operational costs—for example signage; medical; fuel; life jackets; radios; all those things that the lifeguards need to perform their duties. There is also a capital-works component which will enable a number of clubs to do much-needed capital work. This is just an example of the Government hearing from people out there in the community—because the lifeguards have been saying this for a number of years—and we've got a Government who's been listening to those in the community and putting that investment in. So that's something that I am particularly proud of. In the Waikato region there are a number of surf lifesaving clubs and I know that they're certainly excited about this.In my last few seconds I'd just like to touch on another one which is the night classes—and the Hon Jenny Salesa mentioned this. Look lifelong education is incredibly important for our society. As we've seen through COVID-19 unfortunately people have lost their jobs and they need to retransition into other jobs. Having the ability to learn and to retrain is incredibly important for people to have the skills that they need. These night classes—the $16 million—the previous Government cancelled the night classes and we're bringing them back. That will enable more lifelong education right across New Zealand.I commend this Budget to the House. Thank you."