Utikere TangiTANGI UTIKERE (Labour—Palmerston North): Kia orana Mr Speaker. It's a real privilege to take what I think is the final call of the 53rd Parliament. It's obviously an opportunity to reflect on what is the absolute privilege to serve as a member of this House and I do want to start my contribution this evening in acknowledging you sir. The mana the dignity that you bring to this House is something that many colleagues have commented on. I want to personally thank you for your advice guidance and leadership that you have shown to me and other members of this House and I extend that to your Deputy Speaker and Assistant Speakers permanent and temporary from time to time as well.As a member who entered in 2020 I join my class of 2020 colleagues and those who have arrived since for whom there have been many firsts over the last three years. But I also note that this place has its various quirks about it too noting that it does however appear to be a place that is more family friendly more dog-friendly. My own dog Reichen benefits from that from time to time and in my recent observation it seems that it is now cat-friendly based on the corridors as well.But today does have a feel about it in the sense of it being the last day of school in that we're about to be let loose and we will be free from this place for the next six weeks. I want to say that having been here for a term I've found this place to be rather collegial and while there have been a few smart or snide comments from time to time on both sides of the House as my colleague Teanau Tuiono will I'm sure attest to there's nothing that a boy from Palmy can't handle from time to time.In the spirit of collegiality I want to acknowledge those members who have delivered their valedictories making the decision to leave this place by choice. I want to particularly acknowledge my Kūki Āirani sister the Hon Poto Williams and fellow Pacific caucus colleague the Hon Aupito William Sio for the role that they've played in supporting our large and fit Pacific caucus as well over the course of this particular term.Hon Member: Eight-week challenge.TANGI UTIKERE: The eight-week challenge is something not of a mystery but of a certainty indeed. But I also want to acknowledge the retirement of my parliamentary neighbour Ian McKelvie the member for Rangitīkei. Ian and I have known each other for quite some time. Our time goes back to local government together and I want to acknowledge him for his service to our wider community and to this House.I joined the Standing Orders Committee and the Privileges Committee and I was told at the time that it doesn't do much work. I have learnt rather quickly that that is not the case on either of those committees but it has been an enjoyable opportunity. I do want to acknowledge how collegially those committees have worked. I know that the House has already debated the Standing Orders report earlier today but I also want to particularly thank the Standing Orders Committee for taking on board some of the changes that some of our newer members of Parliament had proposed and put forward. What I think that demonstrates is that this is a House and a place that is prepared to change the way it goes about things and it will set the next Parliament up I think on a particular path where there have been some tweaks and changes along the way. I think that is a positive thing.The adjournment debate does provide for a time to reflect on the highlights of the work of the 53rd Parliament and I'll talk about that in a moment. But I do want to just acknowledge those who have supported all members of all sides of the House in this Parliament. To our own families who no doubt keep the home fires burning while we spend most of our time here or away I think it's important that we say thank you to them. To our electorate and community offices and off-precinct staff I acknowledge the work that they do while we are often here or away from our electorates or our constituencies. To those who are here on precinct from staff from the Office of the Clerk the Chamber and gallery staff; to our own MPs' staff—including my own David Bieleski who has been with me from the very first day of my maiden statement—to the leader's office staff messengers cleaners those in Copperfields and eateries security travel and the wider Parliamentary Service staff I say thank you.Can I also thank my own whips team and also the whips musterers and matarau from other parties represented in the Parliament. I think one of the great things is that we are very collegial and when the Business Committee meets we are able to deal with things as they need to be dealt with and that's a positive thing as well. Can I acknowledge the Leader of the House and the Deputy of the House and the wider Business Committee as well. I am proud of what has been delivered and the milestones that haven't actually only been met but in many cases have been exceeded by our Labour Government. I want to spend the remaining five minutes just covering off some of those because I think it is important to place on record some of these for the future.In health fundamentally we have as a Government successfully navigated our way through a global pandemic. Now members opposite often I think forget about that fact. They have short memories. But it is a reality and one that we should all be very proud of in terms of navigating that difficult journey that has meant that many many lives have been saved communities have been protected and businesses have been well served as a result of this Labour Government.We have transitioned to a new New Zealand health system in Te Whatu Ora and Te Aka Whai Ora. Why? Because as other colleagues have said the fact that Māori Pacific rural women and migrant members of our community have been overrepresented in all of those negative stats and those changes are specific changes to address health equity issues in Aotearoa New Zealand. The largest ever funding for health as a sector in many many years—thank you Labour. Free prescriptions: it's not even been two months and already we have nearly 3 million scripts that have been filled as a result of that.All of that is at risk as we head into this election. Let's not have any doubt about that—it is at risk. Why? National have made it very clear that they will effectively get rid of free access to scripts—See ya!"—for our community. I don't think it's because they have actually been out having conversations with pharmacists and community. I have not heard a bad thing from one single pharmacist about making free prescriptions for communities all around Aotearoa New Zealand—not a single pharmacist—and I don't think they have either because they clearly have not been talking with them out and about in their communities.In police we have given police the significant tools that they need to do their job. It is about keeping our communities safe. It is about empowering police. It is about having more police resource out on the streets out on the beat in our communities all around Aotearoa New Zealand.I hear all the time from National and ACT that it's actually not cops on the beat. Well who are these extra 1800 folk? They are forensic accountants they are those who are working in serious criminal tactic teams they are the very people that get things done—thank you Labour in Government—and I will say that National have not announced a single extra dollar of resource in police. They are full of chatter but no action on that side of the House.In housing I want to acknowledge the work of the Hon Megan Woods. This is something that we are particularly proud of: building more than 13000 houses since we came into Government. National was very keen to pull them down to sell them off to hock them off. Whatever you want to call it you can't window-dress that. New houses in my community of Palmerston North—I know the member for Nelson this week was at a recent opening of public houses in her own community. This is something that is happening all around the country. If National continued to invest in building houses we would not have to play catch up which is the situation that we are facing at the moment.I am proud of the work that the Pacific caucus have done. Actually the Hon Poto Williams and I make up the entire Cook Island caucus here in Labour which is more than the National and ACT caucus in terms of Pacific representation completely. But one particular highlight was the Dawn Raids apology. I know that Mr Seymour would rather we not talk about this. I know that members opposite would rather shove this under the carpet but the reality is that this is a Government under Labour that did the right thing for our Pacific communities and that is something that I will not apologise for doing.I want to also acknowledge the rainbow caucus and the work that this team has done ensuring that we have been able to pass legislation that effectively has banned conversion therapy as a milestone in this particular Parliament.I am proud of the record of achievement that this Labour team has delivered while in Government and no doubt all of these issues will be teased out and we are very happy to talk about that over the next six weeks. But rest assured that the New Zealand Labour Party will go into this campaign fighting fit and in very good shape and that is because in Chris Hipkins we have a leader who Kiwis can trust. We have a leader who people can relate to. We have a leader who cares about communities and we have a leader who gets things done.Kiwis aren't fooled by hollow promises and fiscal holes and misnomers—they see through all of that. Kiwis embrace unity and diversity not division and hatred and they're too smart to be fooled by blatant scaremongering from the right and the coalition of cuts.As we head into 14 October we are excited. We have fire in our belly because we know that we are going to fight hard for every vote for this community and for the continuation of a Labour-led Government. Kia orana."