Utikere TangiTANGI UTIKERE (Labour—Palmerston North): Tēnā koe Mr Speaker and it's my pleasure to rise to take what is the final call on the Immigration (COVID-19 Response) Amendment Bill. I have to say that over the course of the afternoon we've heard a number of contributions some more interesting and valuable than others.I guess what's really important is that we need to reflect on well what does this amendment bill actually seek to do? Quite simply it seeks to amend the principal Act that was enacted last year which has eight powers that are in essence time limited powers that exist. I want to concur with colleagues that have already commended the Minister the Hon Kris Faafoi on the sterling job that he has done in protecting our country and those—Hon Michael Woodhouse: Sterling? Did the Minister write this speech?TANGI UTIKERE: Yes sterling indeed. I am delighted that the Opposition concur with that.I say that the Minister has undertaken and performed a sterling job because even the Opposition accept that on the 18 occasions under which the Minister has exercised those special direction powers the Opposition accept that they have been appropriate in every single one of them. So that is why he is a fantastic Minister who is doing an excellent job. And the Minister himself also this afternoon indicated that at the time that this principal Act was enacted it was not clear actually as to the impact of the global pandemic at the time and we are still obviously learning through that and that uncertainty is also accepted by the Opposition. So that is pleasing to hear.But in essence this is a very simple and straightforward bill. It comes in two parts but I just want to touch on two of them. The first is that it will extend the repeal date of those temporary powers by two years and much has been said around that. The member opposite inferred in her contribution earlier today that the Government in setting that two-year time frame is seeking to hide or suggest that the borders would be closed for longer than we might suggest. Now that is not the case. If the member had a look at the Act those powers can be rescinded when it is safe to do so within the two-year time period if that is the case.Secondly it also amends the maximum duration of a suspension for some persons who are offshore to make these applications from three months to six months. And what I would suggest is in response to the honourable member who had recently resumed his seat: why is that? Well do we need to reiterate that perhaps they're missing the point? Immigration New Zealand staff who were processing normal visa applications are now dealing with border exemption applications. That is a huge workload and those members here who have constituents that come and meet with them to discuss that—perhaps the Opposition don't realise that because they don't have many constituency seats but the reality is that that is a huge level of workload that the staff in Immigration New Zealand are undertaking and that's why it's so important that we move to amend that three-month time frame to one of six months.In summary this is really important. It will be an amendment bill that will be subject to public scrutiny and as one of my colleagues commented earlier New Zealand's immigration system does need to be flexible yes but in my view it also needs to maintain its currency and its value. We are perceived and seen and received around the world as having a strong response to COVID and our immigration settings our immigration approach is a key part of that. It is a keystone a cornerstone part of that. And so on that basis I am delighted to commend this bill to the House.