Sio Aupito WilliamHon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO (Minister for Courts): Mr Speaker thank you for the opportunity. I think it is an understatement of the year when we say that New Zealanders have been doing it tough. Yes Auckland has been doing it tough and I particularly want to acknowledge South Auckland because that's the battleground the main border. But I also think it's important for us to acknowledge that New Zealanders outside of Auckland have been doing it tough especially those who have not yet experienced community transmission and have wondered why we are still in lockdown levels.I think lockdown levels have served us really really well. It's taught us about social distancing mask wearing washing of hands. It's taught us about COVID testing. We've even begun to use Zoom all over the place—TikTok dancing the sharing of baking menus. We've seen all of this. Sadly the other side of doing it tough: funerals birthdays. Those celebrations are no longer the same. Even coming into this place is a bit weird after being away for several months. So the other side of it is mental health stress job insecurity the uncertainty of the future and certainly business closures. All of that means that we as a team of 5 million have been doing it tough. But I think we need to now draw a line and recognise that when we compare our situation with the rest of the world we're pretty blessed. I've often wondered why we didn't see more deaths in Auckland but that was because our health system was able to cope compared to if you look to Fiji look to French Polynesia or look to across the Ditch in Australia—192000 cumulative cases in Australia 1898 deaths. In Victoria alone they had over 106000 cases and 1239 deaths. For us we're very blessed we're very lucky.The announcement today—and I know everybody in Auckland everybody is wanting to get out of this lockdown and I know as I've been talking to our providers and our church leaders in our community they're looking forward to Christmas. So here's the plan. For Christmas it was always planned that we now need to lift our vaccination rates. I want to acknowledge the majority of New Zealanders. I'm really pleased. For Pacific peoples in the Hawke's Bay Bay of Plenty and Nelson they've achieved 90 percent - plus of fully vaccinated—a small population and they've managed to also include the Recognised Seasonal Employer workers. I'm also pleased that for Pacific Peoples generally while it's been challenging and particularly in smaller places outside of Auckland we're now at 88 percent first dose. So the momentum is going to carry us through.On 29 November I think Aucklanders are looking forward to moving into the new framework the COVID-19 Protection Framework red zone. That's going to give us a lot of confidence as we head into the big family gatherings. I want to be able to be with my siblings my older children nieces and nephews and our dad who is bored at home and has found YouTube to be something that keeps his sanity. And so that's the plan. On 29 November we will all shift into this new framework. It's important that we stay on course and quicken our pace to achieve high vaccination for everybody and so I'm really pleased. But the one thing as you look to Singapore the UK other places is vaccines will reduce the potential for people to get sick the potential to get hospitalised but we've also got to maintain mask wearing. That's what the clinicians are telling us. Social distancing the washing of hands regular testing—all of these things combined will hopefully ensure that we have pleasant and wonderful Christmas gatherings where we can celebrate with all of our families and have the confidence that we're going to be OK.