SpeechHon RON MARK (Minister of Defence): Thank you Mr Speaker. I rise to give New Zealand First's support to this COVID-19 Response (Further Management Measures) Legislation Bill and I do wish to start by thanking and acknowledging the work—in Mr Woodhouse's words—of what was a herculean effort on the part of officials who were able to so swiftly knock together a good piece of legislation which has been improved by the parliamentary process and the contributions of all of those parties and individuals who make up the Epidemic Response Committee.So much has been said about this bill already and I think to rotary hoe the same paddock again would in some ways be pointless. But I think from the New Zealand First perspective I do need to note a couple of points. One is very clear: this is a very broad omnibus bill—some 45 different pieces of legislation all contained within the one. I do note with a degree of satisfaction and comfort the changes to the Local Government Act which are very pragmatic changes and take care of the issues although there's no local government elections pending on the immediate horizon so that—[Interruption] Oh by-elections of course. It does take care of those should we have this—well we have one local government election under way in Ōtorohanga as has been said and I am aware that there are other mayors who have stepped down. In fact I think—Hon Member: Two others.Hon RON MARK: —the current president of the—yeah that's right. The current president of Local Government New Zealand is still the president and there has to be a process at some stage whereby a new president is able to be elected who is in fact indeed a mayor because David is not any longer. The changes around the company law corporate law that are aimed at assisting businesses to survive and also deal with the issue over the lease and rent of commercial properties—it's an interesting debate and discussion. Listening to some people as this bill was put together and the discussion that was had prior to the bill going to committee it's often the way for some people to be very focused on the tenants and—forgive me—maybe not so aware of the circumstances that often landlords themselves are in. It's probably fair to say that people look upon landlords generally in the same sets of eyes that they have through history as being the one who is actually profiteering off of the person who's renting their property. We sometimes forget that very often landlords are just Joe Blow mum and dad investors who look at that property—be it a commercial property or be it a residential property—as part of their superannuation plan. And they struggle—they lever in to purchase the property and accept the overheads that come with it given the market circumstances at that time and they lease it at what is considered to be a fair marketable attainable margin. Of course then COVID-19 comes along and everything changes. So there had to be a way in which we could protect tenants and offer some pragmatic changes to the law that will at the same time give some protection to the property owners themselves who were up against the banks and the provisions in terms of their mortgages. So it is satisfying to see cross-party unanimity and the work of the COVID response committee that has actually produced for the House for New Zealand a very pragmatic workable piece of legislation. Of course the changes that have happened here go hand in hand with the initiatives that the Minister of Finance and Cabinet have already announced aimed at alleviating circumstances of people who own properties who have large debts and who are struggling to pay staff during this crisis.I've got to say obviously as a firearms owner—I acknowledge Brett Hudson's comments—very satisfying to see a very pragmatic solution. A lot of people to be fair are feeling under the pump at the moment—those people who are licensed firearms owners due fit and proper people and by a quirk they would have been found to have been in breach of the law and unable to continue to own firearms simply because their applications for renewal could not be processed.I just want to congratulate all involved. A great piece of work; good to see it was turned around so swiftly so accurately and I commend the bill to the House.