Little AndrewHon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Defence): Thank you Mr Speaker. I acknowledge the member who's just resumed her seat Golriz Ghahraman and her longstanding commitment not only to international human rights but to rights around democracy. It's well worth pointing that out because the reality is in many countries today it is democratic institutions that are under threat.I want to draw attention to the challenges that this Government has been facing for some time and to acknowledge that 5½ years into this Government it continues to tackle some very hard challenges in these difficult times and is delivering on them.The spirit of democracy is not thinking three years by three years by three years but is actually serious about challenging some of the really serious intractable problems that have been ignored for years—things like responding to climate change things like having an affordable water regime—so that when the rains get harsher the storms get stronger and climate change creates greater intensity in our weather systems we actually have stormwater systems that can cope and we have waste water systems that can keep our water supplies hygienic and operating.But this is a Government that came to office determined to restore or to rebuild public services; to restore more recently the economy after the ravages of COVID-19; to recover from climate change - driven weather; and to make sure that we build back better. How thrilling it was today that the Hon Kiritapu Allan has now already confirmed the preferred contractor to rebuild one of the bridges in Coromandel that has been taken out—a plan is already in place contracts have been identified and that work can get under way.That's what a Government does when it responds seriously to the challenges we've got has got its eye on the ball and is prepared to do the hard graft and respond to the public need to make our systems and our roadways better.But it doesn't of course just stop there. This is a Government that came to office when the previous Government had run down our public housing stock had sold it off and left it unoccupied; and this is a Government that has committed to rebuilding our housing stock—making sure people have warm dry homes—and more recently expanded the Warmer Kiwi Homes programme so we continue to get insulation in homes and drive down people's power costs.In health we've invested massively in restoring our health system: $7 billion invested in infrastructure when the last Government—over its nine years—spent just $1 billion. We've increased the incomes of most of our health workers; nurses' incomes have gone up significantly. In this year's Budget we've now taken off the prescription charge—something that members opposite completely and utterly opposed because they don't get what poverty looks like for those who struggle to afford $5 to get their prescription filled.Of course on law and order 1800 additional police were added to our front-line workforce; the clearance rate for serious crime is better and those who commit serious crimes are being caught much more quickly. The biggest deterrence to crime is the high probability that you're going to get caught and our police force has demonstrated that that is exactly what is happening.Of course addressing child poverty: our Government has committed to it we report on it we've reported on it again in this Budget we've increased childcare assistance we've extended the school lunch programme and we've lifted benefits—all of which helps to alleviate child poverty and family poverty. Those are things you do when you are faced with a cost of living crisis and when you're trying to assist those on the lowest incomes.These of course all are long-term challenges. In defence we've now got money to pay our front-line soldiers and sailors and aviators more—that'll assist with the retention challenge that we've got. We're modernising our equipment; we're investing more—because that's what we have to do for our internal security when we face storms and we need humanitarian assistance and to help our neighbours in the Pacific when they need humanitarian assistance and also to have trained and equipped people ready to deploy overseas when that call is needed.What we aren't going to do is descend into the kind of gimmickry that we're seeing opposite. So for the ACT Party who says they want smaller Government their headline announcement is a Government department to look at Government departments. That is just a silly gimmick from a silly party and we saw that in full display today in question time.In the end what is needed for parties who aspire to Government is a vision for all of New Zealand a vision for every New Zealander to lift those out of poverty to help grow the wealth of the economy; and to make this country safe.