Allan KiritapuHon KIRITAPU ALLAN (Minister of Conservation): Mānawa maiea te putanga o Matariki. Mānawa maiea te ariki o te rangi. Mānawa maiea te mātahi o te tau. Mr Speaker tēnā koe otirā ki a koutou katoa tēnei te mihi ki a koutou.[I acknowledge the rising of Matariki. I acknowledge the sovereign of the heavens. I acknowledge the first day of the year. Mr Speaker thank you indeed to all of you. This is my greeting to all of you.]Whilst we're still in the time where Tangaroa rules the moon it is a time to reflect and admittedly I've had a little bit more time to reflect than some in this House as I've had the opportunity to take a few months out and I want to acknowledge the House for the support that has been provided. I must say that during that time of reflecting can I just say how exceptionally excited I felt to be a part of a Government that is united that is focused and that is getting down to the real business. We are making progress for our country that we love Aotearoa and I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge my colleague the Hon Christopher Hipkins who has been working like a mule to make sure that we are indeed keeping New Zealanders safe that this Government is keeping New Zealanders safe with 150000 vaccines that have landed in this country. I have felt incredibly proud reflecting during this period of Matariki. This period of Matariki does make me think about a couple of things. We have plenty of time to reflect. On this side of the House it's our 105th birthday today and gosh we're doing all right. But I too have had a little bit of time to think about how the opposite side of the House are going and I don't know if it's all true but from what I have been seeing on the wee box in the evenings at 6 p.m. it looks a little bit chaotic. A few things have changed since I have been away from the Chamber. My mate Nick Smith replaced by the stellar queen here Rachel Boyack the member for Nelson—he's gone. It seems that there's been a few leaks in the Whare and—well I don't know but he's gone. He's cleared out. My mate Todd Muller—he's a mate. He's a good guy but I think he was taken out by his own team. I don't know what happened there but he's gone and now I've just heard a rumour that my other mate Mark Mitchell—I think he's running for mayor or something like that. Anyway I don't know what's going on. But I will say this: I am very proud to see my relation—my whanaunga—Harete Hipango back here in this House and aren't we glad team? [Interruption] Yes we're glad. Now Matariki is a time when we reflect on the nine stars. Waitī: Waitī is aligned with our fresh water and our environment and I want to acknowledge my colleague the Hon David Parker for the incredible progress that he is making and our Government is making to restore the health of our freshwater ways. Waitā: this is a time when we acknowledge the oceans and the coast and acknowledge the work that we are doing to tackle the challenges there too. In particular whilst I was away I want to acknowledge my colleagues Dr Ayesha Verrall and the Hon David Parker for the announcements that they've made in terms of the restoration of the Hauraki Gulf and all of the hapū the iwi and whānau there that have been working incredibly hard. Now Waipuna-ā-rangi: this is a time when we look to the winter skies and winter in all of its forms. I was going to make a little joke here about the leaks but I've already done that but that was directed to that side of the House. Tupuānuku: plants—now I could take a pot-shot at their position but I've done enough of that so no; I'll take a leaf out of the agriculture Minister's book. This is a time when we acknowledge the plants and make hay while the sun shines even if it has to be done in managed isolation. So to the Hon Damien O'Connor: thinking of you buddy. Tupuārangi: this is something that falls squarely within my delegations in the conservation portfolio. I want to acknowledge the thousands of men women people across the country that are out there being kaitiaki to our whenua to our forests—that are out there in Jobs for Nature. We have got thousands of people out there across the country doing an immeasurable amount of work to restore the mana and the mauri of the whenua as that Jobs for Nature programme is rolled out.I turn to the star of Ururangi: the four winds. The winds of change appear to be blowing hard from across the Opposition benches and I have been looking up and I've been looking for the Leader of the Opposition. Is it or is it David Seymour? I don't know—I don't know. We'll take a poll later on as to who the new Leader of the Opposition will be but anyway. The winds are a changing and that's something that happens in this House. Pōhutukawa: this is a time when we reflect on those that have passed. I want to acknowledge that over the past year we have been afflicted by COVID and that we have lost many lives. I also too just briefly mention Hiwa-i-te-rangi and the time that we look forward cast our dreams and aspirations to the future. And it's going to be a great year ahead with Jacinda Ardern at the helm. Tēnā koe.