Davidson ReubenREUBEN DAVIDSON (Labour—Christchurch East): Thank you Mr Speaker. I want to start by acknowledging the significance of today Wednesday 24 July 2024 the date of the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions. Thank you to all who have taken part for your commitment to the process and for your bravery. Ki te kotahi te kākaho ka whati; ki te kāpuia e kore e whati—when we stand alone we are vulnerable but together we are unbreakable. The journey continues today. Kia kaha.I turn now to a local issue in our electorate of Christchurch East. I want to take this time to speak to three small words: build the bridge. Three small words that could be the difference between life and death for residents of New Brighton. The Pages Road Bridge is our vital lifeline. It carries traffic and utilities like water fibre and power into New Brighton. In an emergency it will be crucial to be able to get residents out and emergency services in. Our current bridge was badly damaged in 2011. It's only had a temporary repair since. It's not safe. It's not strong. Our community deserves better.Now there are many in this House today and some who are watching or listening who have lived through the Christchurch earthquakes and others who have lived through natural disasters here in Aotearoa. For those of us who live in Brighton we know how vulnerable we are and that the risk of a tsunami is real. We will all remember what happens in the immediate aftermath of natural disasters. Communities can come together they help each other they commit to building back better and to making sure we create safe and resilient homes and infrastructure.I do not see that commitment from the Minister of Transport. I do not see a commitment to the South Island to Christchurch to Christchurch East. The Minister Simeon Brown is missing in action. I know this because I have read the Government's policy statement on land transport. The Minister claims in that report to have an and I quote ambitious land transport investment agenda designed to boost economic growth and productivity resilience reliability and safety." Does the Minister even know what that means? Not when it comes to New Brighton and the Pages Road Bridge he doesn't. He either doesn't know or he simply does not care.At the start of this month we hosted our annual fireworks display in New Brighton. It's a massive night: 1980s bangers and 10 minutes of fireworks. But at the end when everybody goes to get home it takes over an hour to get across that bridge. If there's a tsunami coming we will not have an hour. If there's a tsunami coming we will not have a traffic management plan and staff directing cars. If there's a tsunami coming people won't be able to get out fast enough and those who don't get out could die. All New Zealanders deserve to feel safe and to know they have a Government that backs them and will invest in the vital infrastructure they need. So why is this not the case for residents of New Brighton? Instead we get a Minister fixated on removing road cones and fixing potholes. The biggest pothole we've got in New Brighton is the river between Hawke Street and Pages Road.So I have launched a petition: build the bridge. Our transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere joined me in Christchurch to launch that petition and it has a very simple ask: it calls on the Minister to step up and play their part. [Interruption] The good news for those bellowing from across the House is that the response locally has been much louder than yours. We've had people signing the petition. We've had volunteers already coming door to door with us. We've had people asking to put signs on their fences. This morning I got a call from the local library telling me they have a steady stream of visitors asking for a hard copy there.So I have two invitations for the Minister: come to New Brighton for a public meeting we're very good at those and I can guarantee you'll get safely in but I'm not sure you'll be able to leave because of the bridge; or come for a closer look—I have a local boatie who'll take you out onto the water and show you that there's much more than water under that bridge. Thank you.SPEAKER: I appreciate the gallery want to respond but it's not a usual sort of reaction. If you wouldn't mind we'll get through this part before we get to the most important part of the afternoon. I call on Rima Nakhle."