Upston LouiseHon LOUISE UPSTON (National—Taupō): Thank you Mr Speaker. I don't know which Fieldays that member was at last week but there weren't that many people oozing with confidence there weren't that many people who were talking about Labour's strong economic management and how excited they were about the future and there definitely weren't many people who were interested in or excited about their interest rates doubling thanks to the cost of living crisis that this Government has overseen. But I'll tell you who is the hardest hit with the cost of living crisis and that is those who are on low and fixed incomes. And so I want to look at some of the causes of the cost of living crisis and we know there are multiple; but if we look at domestic inflation alone what is one of the biggest drivers? It is the labour shortage. Combine a labour shortage—where there are businesses everywhere desperate for staff—with ineffective welfare policies and you've got a recipe for disaster. So it's the labour shortages that are constraining the economy right now. Auckland Airport are talking about shortages over Christmas delays over Christmas because they've got 1600 vacancies they can't fill. There are 30000 vacancies in hospitality; 20000 in construction—but how many people are on the job seeker benefit? It's 170000 and 104000 who have been on the job seeker benefit for more than a year so they're long-term. So why is it that we have these two things happening? I'll say it again: a contributing factor to the cost of living crisis is labour shortages and ineffective welfare policies. So let me give you some local examples about how that is impacting businesses and how they are definitely not excited about a strong and growing economy. Hotels and motels in my electorate in Taupō have a no vacancy" sign out during the week. That's not because they are full; that is because they cannot find enough staff to turn their rooms over during the week. So these are not skilled jobs that we are talking about. Cafes that used to open seven days are now open four days or five because they don't have enough staff. So how many job seekers are on the job seeker benefit in Taupō? Over 1200. And when I held "Into Work" workshops recently there were a lot of service organisations who were very prepared and able to support job seekers who had a few challenges—because we know some do. But guess what! They weren't being referred they weren't being connected; there are businesses desperate for workers—oh but then I get an email yesterday from a father who is really concerned about his young person his son who's been on the unemployment benefit for a couple of years with next to nil follow up from Work and Income. He was really worried about his son being left to rot on welfare. That is why National has been very clear about our "Welfare that works" policy because we are not willing to accept high numbers of young people when now under Labour a young person who goes on to a benefit under the age of 20 will spend 19.7 years on welfare; nearly twice their age on welfare—oh they're pretty quiet now—they don't like that because that is a figure that's come out of their own department—19.7 years is an absolute disgrace when there are businesses everywhere today looking for staff.So I'll come back to the cost of living crisis and it is hurting low and middle income New Zealanders; it's hurting those on fixed incomes the most and that includes those on benefits. So let's look at the Prime Minister's pet project of child poverty. There are one in five children being raised today in a benefit-dependant home; 35000 more than five years ago. So when Ardern promised in 2017 to lift 100000 children out of poverty—DEPUTY SPEAKER: Could we use full names or titles please.Hon LOUISE UPSTON: When Jacinda Ardern promised in 2017 to lift 100000 children out of poverty—guess what! There are more now than there were then. Yet another broken promise. So Merry Christmas to the children who are living in poverty this Christmas because they have a Prime Minister who has abandoned them—who has overseen a cost of living crisis—and their lives are going to get harder not better and they're destined to a life on welfare."