Russell DeborahDr DEBORAH RUSSELL (Labour—New Lynn): We've heard this afternoon at length from Mr Nathan Guy about what happened at Fieldays and particularly at Fieldays immediately after the Budget that has been delivered by the Government that I am proud to be a part of. So Mr Guy reported to us from Fieldays and it was a tale of gloom and dissatisfaction a tale of people who felt really hard-done-by. I was at Fieldays too and it was a fantastic experience. I want to bring to you some of the highlights of Fieldays because we had a big Labour presence—DEPUTY SPEAKER: As long as it relates to the Budget that would be good. Dr DEBORAH RUSSELL: —at Fieldays this year in response to the Budget to make sure that people knew about our Budget. One of the first things was that we had our Prime Minister there and she made a real effort to get around all the stalls to talk to people to let them know about our Budget. But actually she couldn't get very far because she was mobbed—mobbed by people who wanted to talk to her mobbed by people who wanted a selfie with her. I think what was interesting about that was seeing the reactions of our colleagues from across the House who were also at Fieldays spreading the Budget news—slack-jawed dumbfounded—because they couldn't believe what they were seeing: the sheer popularity of our Prime Minister. Another thing—another report from Fieldays. We had our stall there the Labour stall. New Zealand First had a stall. The National Party had a stall. We all talked to the punters. But we heard from our colleagues the one piece of feedback that our colleagues at the National Party stall were getting one piece that they got consistently from virtually every punter who came by: get rid of Simon. I spent a bit of time in the innovation tent finding out about some of the innovative work that is going on the sort of work that is going to be supported by our Budget through our innovation fund. There is some marvellous work going on there in the rural sector in irrigation in linking potential employees with employers and in trying to ensure that our rural sector can do better and meet the sorts of targets we need them to meet. So I say to Mr Nathan Guy who told us a story of gloom and doom and woe from the Fieldays that I heard a story of hope and positivity and innovation that this Government is supporting. One further thing from the Fieldays report that was brought to us by Mr Nathan Guy was the extensive report he brought to us about the 50 Shades of Green project. Actually that particular issue worries me too with a family coming from the back country of Taranaki who are precisely the farmers on marginal land the beef and sheep farmers who are worried that their land will be taken over by a flood of green. The reason for this of course is that we have been told that we should match the short-term gases with short-term forests—that's what you do. That's apparently the recommendation from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment—that all the methane that is being produced by dairy cows should be matched should be absorbed by short-term forests. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I'd really appreciate it if we could have a Budget debate. Dr DEBORAH RUSSELL: I suggest that when our colleagues across the House focus on what we need to do with respect to climate change with respect to moving to a low-carbon economy supported by this Budget there needs to be discussion between the dairy farmers and the sheep and beef farmers as to how they are going to manage that between themselves. Moving on to the positive news from this Budget—the positive news—I want to speak especially about the issues surrounding mental health but particularly addiction. When I first became an MP I made a point of visiting of course the agencies in my electorate and finding out what work they were doing. In particular I spent an amount of time with some of the entities who work on addiction issues and one of the first things they said to me was Make sure we're not forgotten." Yes there is a big concern with mental health but let's also focus on addiction. This was particularly said to me by Fiona Trevelyan who heads up Odyssey House in New Lynn and across the country. She said "Let's make sure that we have money available to support people who are addicted to alcohol and to other drugs." They do marvellous work at Odyssey helping people to get rid of addictions. I talked to Johnny Dow who runs Higher Ground up in Te Atatū—Te Atatū. I find it hard to say that correctly rather than "Tee At-a-tu" because at least we should try to pronounce it properly. At Higher Ground there is a real focus on helping offenders to get off the drugs and the alcohol that so distorts their lives helping people to regain control of their lives. I visited just the other day The Retreat actually in Ōtāhuhu and I spoke there to a woman who had recovered from alcohol addiction—though as she says she is still addicted to alcohol; she just doesn't use alcohol any more. One of the things she told me was that when she was in the grips of her addiction to alcohol it was a time of utter despair because she had totally lost control of her life and she felt she had no control over herself. This person is now working to help others with their alcohol addictions. All these people with addictions speak repeatedly of the need for support of the need for help to help them to get rid of their addictions and to lead better lives. I think the most inspiring day I spent talking with people who run some of these sorts of agencies was actually the day I spent with Judge Lisa Tremewan in the Alcohol—DEPUTY SPEAKER: This is very interesting but I really would like the member to discuss the Budget now. Relate it back to the Budget. Dr DEBORAH RUSSELL: Yes thank you. I'm going to refer to the mental health and addictions budget the money that we're piling into it—and for good reason. So Judge Lisa Tremewan works really hard in the alcohol and other drug treatment court and part of the point of what she does is she needs places where she can send offenders where she can send people who are addicts in order to recover from their addictions. So there is a crying need for this and in this Budget we have made a concerted effort to ensure that these services are properly funded. So let's talk about what is being provided in terms of expanding access to addiction treatment—access that is so crucially needed. It is vital that we fund these services so that people can recover control over their own lives. We're spending about $14 million expanding primary care for alcohol and drug issues. Why? So that people can have greater control over their lives. We're expending another $44 million to improve existing drug addiction services. Odyssey House Higher Ground The Retreat the alcohol and other drug treatment court—all these services will be better supported through this Budget to enable people to regain control over their lives. We are spending money on providing live-in services or residential beds in areas which do not have them yet—particularly Tai Rāwhiti which is absolutely critical for the critical need on the East Cape. So all of these sorts of things are being provided in this Budget to support these addiction services. I am delighted to see that kind of funding there and the reason for it is this: of course these services have always been needed—of course the funding is needed—but it connects so directly to wellbeing. It connects so directly there. When we draw on the work of someone like Professor Amartya Sen in terms of wellbeing he characterises wellbeing in terms of capabilities of ensuring that people have the capabilities that enable them to choose lives of value to themselves. The thing about addictions is that a person is controlled from outside; they cannot make choices. But providing addiction services enabling people to recover from addictions gives them precisely the capabilities they need in order to achieve wellbeing. That is the very deep connection here with our Budget and not just with the Budget but with the whole idea of wellbeing that this Government is committed to—not just dollars and cents not just managing and not just scraping by but actually enhancing people's lives. That makes this a very moral Budget. It is a Budget that instead of just being about paring away and managing—about what Government might do—it is about enhancing lives so that people can lead lives of wellbeing and New Zealanders will be better for it. I commend this Budget to the House."