Penk ChrisCHRIS PENK (National—Kaipara ki Mahurangi): Thank you very much Mr Speaker for the opportunity to rise and speak to the Prime Minister's statement. Of course I'm in support of the motion that was the amendment put forward by the Leader of the Opposition but I do wish to dwell as others have too on the very serious situation that faces our country in relation to Cyclone Gabrielle. Of course it is not for the part of the world that I'm lucky enough to represent the first time even within that particular month that severe weather and flooding in particular had devastated the households and businesses of many constituents nor would it prove the last—even again within the space of a month.I acknowledge those who have lost dwellings businesses stock on the land the use of the land for horticulture farming and other primary industry activities. As others have done from the Prime Minister onwards I acknowledge too the loss of life. I'm particularly thinking of those two firefighters in Muriwai with whom I have had the fortune of interacting a little bit in the case of one family in particular. I acknowledge that whole community. They face considerable uncertainty at an individual household level; the suburb—the community indeed as a whole—as well. So please know to residents of Muriwai and surrounding areas who may be watching that I will work tirelessly as will others in this House—and I acknowledge that I've been able to do that in concert with some Labour Party members of this House as well—to ensure that as much certainty can be brought to your situation as possible as soon as possible.In addition to our brave heroic volunteer firefighters I wish to acknowledge as always the police the coastguard St John Surf Life Saving and other first responders. We are indebted to them even in the best of times and these have not been the best of times. I acknowledge too those who set up evacuation centres in West Auckland in the rural north of Auckland and everywhere in between—and further afield too of course but those were the centres that I visited and became quite familiar with a number of individuals who led those so well. Others have rightly acknowledged individuals by name and I would be remiss if I were not to acknowledge not only those who attended and set those up in an official capacity but also those who attended out of the goodness of their heart and simply were there to provide comfort to fellow human beings in their hour of need from the very first night of that first round of flooding onwards.I was very struck by a particular meeting that I attended in Helensville that was a group of volunteers: the local school principal of Helensville Primary there were representatives of local iwi the church in which the meeting was taking place various community workers representatives of organisations—for example Kindred Family Services. I was particularly struck by the introduction of a lady who said with all due modesty that she had only relatively recently arrived in that place to do the work that the others were doing to coordinate a community response. She had to be prompted by other members of the group the informal gathering to acknowledge that actually the reason that she'd only been involved in the last 24 hours was because she had been out from the very start providing emergency services in her capacity as a volunteer firefighter. That spirit of self-sacrifice and also modesty and concern for others ahead of self has characterised the response in this part of the world. As I say that is the wonderful electorate of Kaipara ki Mahurangi which I'm privileged to represent but also as I say I know others in this House would say that of other parts of the country too. So I acknowledge and thank you all.Much needs to happen in that part of the world whether it's Muriwai facing the uncertainty as to their very existence as a community in that place along with other beach communities—and I acknowledge the member of Parliament for New Lynn in that connection—the rural north suffering ongoing issues with power road access; the rural areas and the use of the land that they have traditionally been able to enjoy for their own benefit and the benefit of all of New Zealand Inc." as we say; and those who have suffered ongoing and repeated flood damage in north-west Auckland and West Auckland particular. We commit to support the Government in the work that they will do to improve that situation. If there are shortfalls in that response we will hold them to account and following mid-October whichever Government is in place at that time again we will support and work hard to those ends to support those people of New Zealand in my electorate."