SpeechHon TRACEY MARTIN (Minister for Children): Kia ora Madam Speaker. So I rise on behalf of my colleague Fletcher Tabuteau to contribute on behalf of New Zealand First to the COVID-19 Response (Taxation and Social Assistance Urgent Measures) Bill. New Zealand First will be supporting the bill. I know that Mr Tabuteau would like me to mention and congratulate the Minister of Finance. Eighty percent of the measures that are inside the bill were actually inside the New Zealand First manifesto so Mr Tabuteau wanted me to make sure that I complimented Mr Robertson on what are practical common-sense changes to support businesses and our families.I don't want to take too much of the House's time so just on two points then: on the information sharing it has been refreshing inside this debate so far that the House hasn't fallen to the lowest common denominator which sometimes is what we do when we talk about taxation or spending or making decisions quickly or rushing things through the House as we are and we need to acknowledge that. It is important that we focus on those among us who might take advantage the few among us who take advantage. So it is good that the information sharing between the Inland Revenue Department and other Government agencies will not only allow us to assist New Zealanders better faster more accurately because we have got that flow of information but it can also be used as a method to make sure that those who don't follow the rules as such and try to take advantage of what is an unprecedented situation in our country know that there will be systems in place that once we have got past the crisis that we are in at the moment will make sure that the New Zealand taxpayers' dollars that have been used to support business have been used appropriately and not misappropriated.The second thing I wanted to address was the winter energy payment. I take on board the comments by the speaker who just resumed his seat Paul Goldsmith and the suggestion that actually there were better things that the Government could have spent their money on. One of the things that we do know is of course seniors are among those who are going to receive the doubling of the winter energy payment in the 2020 year. That's been doubled by Order in Council to $900 per year for single people with no dependent children and $1400 per year for couples and people with dependent children. So seniors will be receiving the doubling of that winter energy payment for the 2020 year. What that means of course is that the money that they have aside from that winter energy payment they can now use to go back into the economy. So right in this single moment Mr Goldsmith himself pointed out that these were not necessarily urgent or immediate measures but they were slightly more long term looking more towards after the four weeks after the six weeks after when we start to pull back out of what has been the situation created not by a Government but by a virus. We need people to have money in their pockets that they can spend locally.With regards to the $25 a week increase for beneficiaries I don't think anybody can ignore the fact that the Welfare Expert Advisory Group has pointed out—and the members there some of them having an epiphany after years of being in business—to us as a nation the truly difficult place that many of our beneficiaries have been in for some period of time. Right now when our beneficiaries are going to be among the most affected by COVID-19 there's never been a better time to actually make sure that we let them know through a $25 increase to their main benefits that this Government is there for them. They are not going to be ignored or not be seen merely because of their circumstances but that we know they're there and like any other group that this Government has moved to try and support they're supporting big business small business independent businessmen and women employers seniors beneficiaries—all New Zealanders is where this Government is addressing its attention. So New Zealand First strongly supports the COVID-19 Response (Taxation and Social Assistance Urgent Measures) Bill.