Utikere TangiTANGI UTIKERE (Labour—Palmerston North): Mālō e lelei Madam Speaker. Can I start by acknowledging my parliamentary colleague the Hon Kiritapu Allan. As a new member of this House she has been extremely welcoming to this place and my thoughts are with her and her whānau as she's on her recovery journey.It's a great day because some 24 hours ago the Government made its trans-Tasman bubble announcement because of our successful management of COVID-19. I do want to acknowledge those who have been working hard on ensuring that that announcement has become a reality and our next step to our recovery. It is a recovery because we are in the midst of a global pandemic all around us all around the world and I often think that perhaps the Opposition seem to forget that. I am delighted that my colleagues Mr McAnulty and Mr McKelvie—from across the way there—who are fellow racing enthusiasts may actually get this analogy and that is the Opposition seem to have their blinkers on on the way to the starting gate. The reality is that perhaps they should just be scratched before they even leave the gates full stop. Why? Because they seem to be focused on knee-jerk reactions without understanding actually the full picture and the broader approach as to what is going on around them here in New Zealand. The Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister have made it very clear and for the benefit of the Opposition let me reiterate to them. This side of the House actually make no apology for prioritising the health safety and wellbeing of New Zealanders during this unprecedented time. I constantly hear thanks from members of my community and I know that members on this side of the House hear the same thing as they go about their duties as well. There's no doubt in my mind and in the minds of the community that we are a Government of action and we are not prepared to simply put everything at risk.Can I just paint a picture to provide some context for those in New Zealand right now? We have young people we have rangatahi who are able to go to school and engage in education and training. We have people who are in employment. We have people that can go about church and other faith-based opportunities. We have people—individually and collectively—who are able to play sports whether that's during the week or in the weekends. We have mass gatherings that are enjoyed by many many people. We're able to travel domestically and in the matter of a couple of weeks we will be able to travel internationally. We simply are the envy of the world.I have to say that last week was a fantastic week. We finished the visit from the first leader of a Government actually in over a year and that's the Cook Islands Prime Minister Prime Minister Brown. I have to say that I am disappointed if not I am appalled at the comments from the Leader of the Opposition this morning especially when she is the spokesperson for Pacific peoples. She infers actually that people on this side of the House who are of Pacific heritage—because us 10 members in the Pasifika caucus here on this side of the House and my colleague who has just resumed his seat: that's it 11; over there I don't see it. Now what I would like to say actually is that it is appalling that the Opposition spokesperson adopts that view because quite simply the 11 Pasifika members that have heritage here in this Parliament are concerned about the islands we are concerned about small nations and we are not prepared to place at risk those very communities by simply allowing us to go there without things being done properly. I reflect back to my last visit to the island of Aitutaki. The hospital there has fewer hospital beds than Palmerston North Hospital would have in one particular wing. So we're not talking about apples with apples; it is quite different.I guess though in reality the Opposition have a little bit of a dilemma. Because if they are to replace that spokesperson for Pasifika peoples just look at them who could they have? Is there an element of choice there? Is there an element of choice? Talofa talofa talofa is what we say on this side of the House. Now what I would say is that my colleagues have previously spoken about a number of changes that have come in last week and I'm really proud of that. I'm proud of the fact that people in my community of Palmerston North are going to have an increased minimum wage. I am proud of the fact that actually the very people who we talked about as a House around last night's Social Security (Subsequent Child Policy Removal) Amendment Bill are the very people who will benefit from the decisions that this Government has delivered over the last week. So it's a great time to be a member of a Government that is focused on its community is focused on delivering and we look forward to continuing to do that as part of our recovery for all New Zealanders. Tēnā koe Madam Speaker.