Henare PeeniHon PEENI HENARE (Minister for ACC): Thank you Madam Speaker for the opportunity to correct some of what I've heard already this evening from the other side of the House. I want to be very clear with the member Melissa Lee's contribution who sadly talked about the fate that met one of her family members and I hope her family member is receiving the care that they deserve. But I want to be very clear: what we are saying here on this side of the House is that we do take equity seriously in the health sector. What we are saying is clearly after COVID-19 there was a backlog in those who were waiting to receive surgery and it was important in order to address inequities we had to do something about that waiting list. There are a number of factors that are considered but the first and primary point to be made is that we trust our doctors to make the right decision so that the person who needs help the most gets that particular service—those in acute need those in emergency need. And we trust our doctors and back our doctors to be able to do that.What we also know is just this morning that side of the House—Mr Luxon in his interview on Radio New Zealand with Corin Dann said he doesn't believe the health system is currently designed in a way that discriminates against Māori and Pasifika." Well the first thing I'll say to that is actually he's right. That's because this side of the House fixed the inequities in the health system through our health reform. That side of the House wants to get rid of Te Aka Whai Ora—the very system Mr Luxon this morning admits is designed not to discriminate against Māori. That man and that member and that side of the House might want to check their facts on this. I'm proud that on this side of the House we take equity seriously whether you are Māori whether you are rural—and in fact you only need to ask the ACT Party about their overpriced stall at the Fieldays and their poor humour and sense of humour in using golf balls to try and make a point. Well here's something for them—fore!—because they're way off the mark they are so far off the mark. It is—Damien Smith: Point of order Madam Speaker. We did not use any golf balls or any balls at all. They were actually promoted by Groundswell.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa): It's not actually a valid point of order—Damien Smith: Well it is I'm just making a point.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa): —in terms of Speakers' rulings.Hon PEENI HENARE: Fore! That's another miscued shot. I want to say that on this side of the House in order to make sure we have equity in our system we also are asking them to remember our rural community. This side of the House have heard the pleas from our communities in the rural sector who say "We deserve better access to healthcare" and this side is taking it seriously. If you live in poor socio-economic parts of our country—we know where these places are from electorates in the deep South to the Far North and we made it clear that we want to prioritise them; and also for our Pasifika community the evidence is overwhelming the research is overwhelming. I want to invite members on that side of the House—I can even tee it up for them if they would like; I can tee that golf ball up for them—to get along to a Māori health provider spend the day with them and make sure they truly understand the health needs of our people and our community.I want to quote one of the great National Party Ministers in his time the Hon Chris Finlayson who said "What is good for Māori is good for the rest of the country." And if that side can't see it then they are the ones who are short-sighted and continue to use race as a political football in the upcoming election. And I'm not surprised by that—I'm not surprised by that because on that side of the House all we hear are flip-flops a backtrack on the policies that they announce nothing more than rhetoric to appeal to fringe voters. On this side of the House we are delivering for our country and we will continue to do that and we will be unapologetic about that. We will make sure that our people get what they deserve when they deserve it.I'm proud to be surrounded by colleagues who are truly passionate about healthcare they are passionate about our agricultural sector they're passionate about our primary sector. I reflect on National's policy announcement the other week saying that it's all going to be about farming and nothing about forestry. Well forestry providers and forestry owners have already been in touch with me and said "The other side got it wrong." Well done to the Labour Government for making sure that their interests are carried into primary production in this country. I'm looking forward to joining the Prime Minister at the end of this week alongside our colleague Naisi Chen—who I saw come into the House a little earlier—to go and make sure that New Zealand puts its best foot forward when we engage overseas to make sure that we continue to look towards high export value to make sure that our primary products continue to feature on the global market in a way that our people deserve.On this side of the House we've always been clear—we tackle the big challenges. We don't hide from them and we don't hide behind rhetoric; nor do we not hide behind some of the cheap lines and cheap attacks coming from that side of the House. I can't wait till election day whānau because it's coming and I'll be there for the fight.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa): Order! The time for this debate has expired.The debate having concluded the motion lapsed."