Sio Hon Aupito WilliamHon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO (Minister for Pacific Peoples): The direction for the future is often influenced by what happens in the past and history. I'm proud to be a member of a Labour Government that continues a proud legacy of looking long term but trying to deal with the immediate needs and not shy away from those challenges. It is also a legacy where we continue to look at the most vulnerable and figure out how you lift the most vulnerable in our society so that no one is left behind. I'm proud that this side of the House continues that particular legacy focused on the future—not just the three years but long term.In this Budget you have heard my colleagues say that we are getting on with the job of keeping everyone safe from COVID-19 that we are looking to accelerate the recovery and rebuild so that we are taking the whole population with us on tackling some of the foundational challenges. Climate change—we've heard today from a very important report and I'm pleased to hear that other parts of the House recognise that this is serious not just for Aotearoa New Zealand but across the Pacific region. The tackling of housing affordability. Often we forget; we've inherited many of these challenges but we have not shied away from it in tackling them head-on including child poverty.For Pacific communities long term we have a clear vision. It is about: we are the masters of our own destiny that we are the authors of our own solution and we've got a plan for the future. That plan was captured in the Lalanga Fou report where young people in particular told us that thriving Pacific languages and cultures are important as part of their identity; economic prosperity equally important because the old narrative from plantation farmer to factory floor is no longer the plan and narrative for our young people. They want to be the owners of enterprise. They want to be the masters of the digital economy. This Government will support them to achieve those aspirations. Healthy strong resilient families—and that's a holistic view. It is not just about physical wellbeing; it is mental it is spiritual it is cultural it is economic. It is with a holistic view that we look on these things. And finally the goal of resilient and confident young people because that gives you a glimpse of what the future looks like and the people that will shape the future of Aotearoa New Zealand.So this Government in its Budget of 2021 announced a package of $108 million over four years. This continues the legacy—unprecedented investment in this space recognising that Pacific peoples have suffered greatly alongside Māori. COVID-19 highlighted all of the inequities and the barriers that we face. It highlighted also that too often this House allows this pattern where Pacific peoples are the first to get hit in any economic downturn and are slow to recover. This Government is working hard with the Pacific community to make sure that we can accelerate that recovery.Fifty three million dollars in four years is added on to the Budget for the Ministry for Pacific Peoples to continue the work of Tupu Aotearoa to continue the wellbeing approach so that there is across-the-line sight across all Government departments so that there is more collaboration greater cooperation with a line of sight in making sure that funding flows to the community.And $16 million over four years now means that we can work with the regions. The regions are growing. And I know my colleagues this is funny but I often say Watch out with Pacific peoples they're growing fast in the regions we're going to take over New Zealand and we're going to take over the regions."With the $30 million that sits with education—first time ever that a Government is funding Pacific languages Pacific bilingual immersion education at school. In addition to that we will roll out a policy that sets in stone the value and the recognition that language is important right across for all peoples and in particular it is a fundamental cornerstone of Pacific peoples' wellbeing.Well done to this Government and well done to Minister Grant Robertson for a wonderful Budget 2021."