Kanongata'a-Suisuiki AnahilaANAHILA KANONGATA'A-SUISUIKI (Labour): Kia orana e Maine Vaa Tuatua. It is an absolute privilege to stand here and speak on this very important topic: health. It would be rude of me not to acknowledge some of the words that have been echoed from across the Chamber in terms of the talkfest by the Hon Nicky Wagner and what Dr Shane Reti has just gone through. Again for me it's a rundown of the transcript on the day which is another talkfest and Some doctors make you sick" I think is a bit of a compliment to some of the doctors across the other side.Anyway let me get back to Vote Health. We've heard people in the committee talk about numbers talk about underfunding and neglect for nine years but last night I took my out-of-Parliament staff member to the accident and emergency in Wellington Hospital. There is where we see what we are talking about. The hospital was full. People were coming in. My staff member needed to go to A & E to get a blood transfusion because she wasn't aware how ill she was. We went into A & E and the hospital was full. Every seat was taken. When we were met we went into a room where we were met by the nurse followed by the doctor. They put the drip in her arm but they then had to put her in reception because there was no room—there was no room at A & E for her to be in. The nurses despite reception being full were upbeat and they were really engaging with everybody.I want to acknowledge all the staff that were at accident and emergency in Wellington Hospital last night. We walked in at 8 o'clock in the evening and we then went up to Ward 4 North Pod A where the nurses—Kerry junior and Kerry senior—had talked to us. And we hear about messages that were shared by the Minister on his visit to the select committee. He talked about hard-working health professionals that have been under the pump for the past nine years providing invaluable service. The senior nurse and the junior nurse had not had their dinner—had not had their dinner—and it was 11 o'clock. Their priority was to ensure that the blood transfusion had started before they took their break. Not only that; their role also was to teach the junior the student nurse—to take them along the journey of teaching them what to do when they're in hospital.So as a person who took in someone—as a support person—I saw everything that we are talking about in this place. I saw the hard-working nurses who were not taking their breaks because the priority of the health of the patients was No. 1. I saw a young woman with a bloodied face and everything because of family violence. They were at reception—full.So I want to acknowledge the Minister of Health on the leadership that he has with this Budget because this Budget is truly about leadership. It is about the leadership to fix what New Zealand has inherited after the last nine years. I want to make a special mention. I live in South Auckland so I want to make a special mention to acknowledge the Minister in terms of the leadership this Government has addressed with the severe buildings of high concern in Middlemore Hospital. Can I take this opportunity to acknowledge the appointment of lau afioga Fepulea'i Margie Apa by the Counties Manukau District Health Board as the Chief Executive for Counties Manukau district health. That is about leadership and insight bringing in experienced insight to serve the public to serve—definitely for me—Counties Manukau. I want to acknowledge the Minister on his leadership in the appointment of the Hon Vui Mark Gosche and now the appointment of afioga Fepulea'i Margie Apa in Counties Manukau. I'm happy that that has happened.I want to talk about—I know I'm running out of time. I want to again commend the efforts of the people at Wellington Hospital accident and emergency last night. They definitely earned the appreciation of New Zealand and everyone's appreciation for the effort they had put in. Not only do they have to look after the patients but they have the responsibility to teach the future nurses and with that sentence meitaki maata."