Lewis Steph; Salesa JennySTEPH LEWIS (Labour—Whanganui): As my colleagues have mentioned yesterday the Prime Minister announced that as of 19 April Kiwis and Aussies can travel back and forth without needing to book a spot in managed isolation and quarantine. I know that that's going to be a huge relief for many people in my electorate who like many across the country have missed their friends and their family over the last 12 months. It's been a long and at times hard year but the combined effect of our efforts means that friends and families can again be reunited. I've heard from many grandparents in my electorate who have missed the birth of a new grandchild and I know it will bring them great joy to finally be able to meet their grandchild. That is a good thing. So too is the fact that last week we introduced a range of measures that will raise the incomes of 1.4 million New Zealanders and that's a crucial step to making sure we build back better and further our recovery. Last week minimum wages went up to $20 an hour. Pensions and benefits which were indexed to increases in wages also went up because despite the odds last year wages in New Zealand increased by 3.1 percent. Abatement thresholds were also changed and what that means is that people receiving a benefit and in part-time work can keep more of what they earn. That is great news for people in my electorate too. You see a few years ago when the previous Government was in Whanganui was called a ghost town by a visiting reporter and that was at the point where we had a so-called rock star economy. Well we didn't see that rock star economy in the regions. Instead what we saw was shops closing more and more families living in cars and we didn't see wage growth. Times were tough for families—unnecessarily so—but what a difference a few years makes when you've got a Government that backs the regions that invests in our regions that works in partnership with our regions and we've felt the benefit of that in my electorate where we feel more hope and more optimism now through a global pandemic than we did when we had a so-called rock star economy. COVID has been tough on us all but together we have come through it and in Whanganui and Taranaki we've come through better than most with tourism numbers up and spending data showing increases too. Instead of a ghost town we are well on our way to becoming a thriving vibrant city again. Take our arts community for example. In the last fortnight we've had Whanganui Walls where artists have come to Whanganui and painted beautiful murals on walls across our city. We've had artists open studios where local artists across the region have opened their studio doors to the public for two weeks and the changes that were announced last week are going to help more people to be able to afford to come and see that vibrancy and experience it for themselves. I recommend starting at the Whanganui Sarjeant art gallery in its temporary location of course because the iconic Sarjeant art gallery is being restored thanks to investment from this Government and yes—credit where credit's due—the previous Government too. But don't just stop in Whanganui. If you've come for the arts scene take your time travel up through Taranaki to the amazing small galleries and make sure you definitely stop at the Percy Thomson in Stratford too. There's so much more to do. Check out the local attractions travel up the awa on the historic Waimarie paddle steamer. Visit our shops. Check out our cafes. Take the kids to the two best playgrounds in New Zealand: Kowhai Park in Whanganui and King Edward Park in Hāwera. While you're in Taranaki check out the Taranaki Crossing with its upgraded tracks and facilities thanks to help from the Provincial Growth Fund from this Government. Drive up the Forgotten World Highway which is at long last finally in the process of having the last 12 kilometres sealed thanks again to investment from this Government and that investment is creating local jobs which is helping us to recover locally. Do not underestimate the impact that an increase in income can make to our regional communities. If it allows a few more families to get out and explore our regions then this is good news for our recovery. ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa): Order! The time for this speech has expired.