SpeechHon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY (Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety): Thank you Madam Chair. We turn now to the matters of labour market issues and labour market portfolios. The year under review the Government made good progress on a number of policy areas including fair pay agreements successive increases to the minimum wage pay equity legislation changes to screen industry industrial relations tackling migrant exploitation—a massive overhaul of our policies with regard to the temporary work visa system—all of which has been somewhat overshadowed by the events of the COVID-19 epidemic and so I wish to make some opening remarks in relation to that. Our response to the COVID-19 epidemic has required an extraordinary amount of work for both the immigration and the workplace relations and safety portfolios. I wish to record my sincere thanks to our Public Service who always pull out all the stops in a crisis. And because of that extraordinary effort we have been able to respond quickly and to be agile in a constantly changing environment so that tens of thousands of New Zealand workers—be they New Zealanders born here or migrant workers—have been able to get the support that they need as we tackle this epidemic.From the very beginning immigration has been working to keep New Zealanders safe firstly by closing our borders and doing the work to maintain those border restrictions and now also to provide support for New Zealand citizens and residents to be able to return home. I particularly want to acknowledge our border officials who have faced again a challenging and often rapidly changing environment to put in place restrictions but also to manage the exceptions process to support those people who have valid reasons for being able to cross our border to be able to do so. From the people working on policy changes to those front-line people making those decisions in real time—my very sincere thanks. We've introduced some flexibility for temporary workers. Visas have been extended through to 25 September for some allowing people time to find alternative employment if they have lost their job. And we're actively considering options for welfare needs while embassies consulates and high commissioners have been taking the lead in supporting their nationals. Work done before the epidemic to significantly streamline our temporary work visa system from six different visas down to one will set immigration up for the future to ensure that there is an incentive to pay temporary migrant workers well and to only use them where they are genuinely needed. We're also looking to the future. We will ensure that New Zealand workers can take up opportunities—something which of course is even more acute in the current circumstances. We're planning ahead in our regions and with sectors to make sure that they get the skills they need by linking up vocational education training and in-work training alongside the immigration system to ensure that we have a modern and dynamic workforce. In the workplace we have ensured that workers have an income while times are tough with the wage subsidy and to maintain that essential connection between employee and employer. We've provided support from the COVID leave scheme so that no one needs to go to work if they are sick or if anybody in their bubble is at risk. Most importantly we have supported workers with advice on health and safety and followed up complaints to ensure that employers and employees understand their rights and their obligations in this situation. This Government continues to work closely with business workers and unions in a tripartite fashion to ensure that we understand the issues that people are dealing with and for us all to be able to contribute to solving the challenges that we are facing. As part of this work we've ensured that those most vulnerable—our essential workers who are on the minimum wage—got their minimum wage increase because it is even more important now to support those people and to stimulate our economy. I do expect all employers to work in good faith with their employees and to follow employment law. Nothing about the current situation suspends our employment law or the obligations and rights that it affords people. Most businesses and employees are doing this admirably and I really do appreciate the effort that is being put in by employers and businesses across the country to support their workforce. But I also want to acknowledge the way in which Government agencies have been able to respond to complaints when they have come in. We have had a large number of complaints. We have had a large number of complaints that have been directed directly to agencies and many to my office. And I again want to acknowledge the speed with which agencies have responded to those so that people get clarity and certainty about how they are to operate in these circumstances.As we work towards a better future for our workforce we again are focusing on our most vulnerable. Fair pay agreements are needed to ensure that good businesses aren't caught in a race to the bottom and that there are incentives in place to ensure that everybody provides good conditions and health and safety measures for their staff. This work is even more important in the current environment. Those people who have supported us through the lockdown our essential workers include too many people who are on the lowest wages: cleaners supermarket workers and security guards for instance. We have certainly showed how much we value them over the last few weeks. I expect that in the future their pay packets will show how much we value them too. There are unacceptable gaps between the incomes of men and women. Now pay equity work will help those on lower incomes and achieving pay equity remains a priority for this Government. So whilst the COVID-19 work has been a massive undertaking for all of the agencies that I have responsibility for as we turn our attention to the recovery and what the future holds for New Zealanders it is even more important than ever that we ensure that migrants are valued that our workers are valued that health and safety remains a priority and that will continue to be a priority for this Government.