Hipkins ChrisCOVID-19 ORDERSApprovalHon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the House): I move That this House approve the following orders made under the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020: COVID-19 Public Health Response (Required Testing) Amendment Order (No 2) 2021;COVID-19 Public Health Response (Air Border) Order (No 2) Amendment Order (No 4) 2021.I should probably begin with a bit of an apology to the House for bringing things back down to this level after the very uplifting waiata that we have just had. This motion is the latest in a series of similar motions to approve orders made under section 16 of the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020 and it ensures that two of the orders made under that provision are not revoked. Under that particular Act I as Minister for COVID‑19 Response am able to issue orders. Unless they are confirmed by the House of Representatives in this debating chamber then those orders are revoked.I want to thank the members of the Regulations Review Committee. As always they have diligently gone through these orders checking them against the rules to make sure that they all comply with the rules under which I have to operate scrutinising them. I'm very heartened to say that in the case of these two particular orders they had no matters that they wanted to bring to the attention of the House. But I can also assure members of the public who may be watching on that that's certainly not always the case with the Regulations Review Committee and they do take their responsibility to scrutinise these orders very closely very seriously and they have made suggestions for other orders including suggestions that the Government has accepted around changes that should be made. So I'm heartened that in these two particular orders they don't have matters to bring to the House.In terms of the two orders that we are confirming the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Air Border) Order (No 2) Amendment Order (No 4) 2021 has a relatively simple purpose and that is to add Air Chathams as a recognised quarantine-free carrier. Therefore they join Air New Zealand Qantas and Jetstar in being allowed to fly the trans-Tasman as part of the safe travel zone. So we welcome the Air Chathams to quarantine-free travel. They are flying services between Auckland and Norfolk Island and in order to do that they have to be added to the list of authorised quarantine-free carriers. At the moment there are only four including Air Chathams. I hope that further airlines will join the trans-Tasman bubble soon and add additional competition to the trans-Tasman route. A lot of airlines would normally fly the trans-Tasman and we're down to only four at the moment and of course I'm looking forward to the time when other airlines express an interest in coming back.COVID-19 Public Health Response (Required Testing) Amendment Order (No 2) 2021 also has a relatively simple purpose and that is that increasingly we're seeing healthcare assistants if you like working alongside those doing the required testing at the border for COVID-19. So the order extends the same testing provisions that apply to registered health practitioners who undertake testing to any other health worker that may be assisting them in that task. So the other health workers assisting them in that task are currently required to be tested every fortnight. This brings them into line with the health workers in requiring them to be tested every week. These are the people who potentially are most at risk of exposure to COVID-19 and therefore they need to be put in that same cycle.In anticipation I know of one of the issues that one of the members opposite I'm sure will raise those who are subject to a weekly testing cycle are those who are being prioritised for eligibility for saliva testing on a more frequent basis with less frequent nasopharyngeal swabs which are recognised as one of the less comfortable ways of being tested and I certainly expect to see the roll-out of that speeding up. All of the barriers for saliva testing from the central government end have been removed and so I hope that there will be greater uptake of that to ensure that those who could have those tests—David Seymour: Why's it taking so long?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: Sorry what was the question?David Seymour: Why is it taking so long?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: Why is it taking so long? Well that would be a question to ask those who are rolling out the saliva testing as opposed to me because in terms of the central government's approval for saliva testing that approval was granted some time ago.I would like to see a greater use of saliva testing. It is more comfortable although we are as I've indicated previously seeing some reluctance amongst those who can get it now as of today—and there are people who can opt in now. The opt-in rates are very low amongst those who have the opportunity right now as of today but I hope that that will change over time. I think it is a potential change that will benefit the workers who are being added to this more frequent testing cycle under this particular order. So these are relatively straightforward orders and I commend them to the House.