Davidson MaramaMARAMA DAVIDSON (Co-Leader—Green): Thank you Mr Speaker. The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand would like to send solidarity to our neighbours in Australian communities who are currently battling unprecedented catastrophic fires in New South Wales and Queensland. Here in Aotearoa we want everyone in the world including our neighbours across the Ditch to have a safe and thriving country that is protected from the increased risks of these fires that devastate communities. We want to help Australia protect her people and communities protect her unique biodiversity and her precious wildlife.I would like to pass on my deep condolences to the family and friends of the three people who have died in these fires as well as 150 families so far who have had their homes destroyed who have lost their beloved pets like their dogs and their horses. I extend deep sadness and love for the precious biodiversity of Australia and the koalas in particular because 350 of them already have been wiped out from one colony alone in the Lake Innes Nature Reserve. The joeys the laughing kookaburra the wombats the echidnas—all at risk from these fires that are ravaging their habitats.Regional communities have felt and experienced the change in bushfire seasons in recent years. The Deputy Mayor of the MidCoast Council in New South Wales Claire Pontin said We're in the middle of an unprecedented dry spell with river levels sitting at the lowest they've ever been. This is not normally a dry area—the hotter drier conditions that are driving the current catastrophic fire conditions have developed only over the last 10 to 15 years. And the science tells us that it's climate change causing it." We agree with Deputy Mayor Pontin who goes on to say "The future out-of-control fires we feared are already here—this is our 'new normal' and the science tells us it's only going to get worse unless urgent action is taken on climate change."Inaction by global leaders across the world on climate change has gotten us to this point where climate change is reshaping our planet and threatening our communities our precious wildlife and a world for our mokopuna. For 30 years our leaders have known what could happen if we do not act. Politicians and corporate leaders have continued on the path of the growth of unfairly distributed wealth at any cost. Scientists experts locals and their expertise have all warned that Australia's fire season has grown longer and more intense due to climate change. To the people of Australia who are experiencing incredible stress and trauma this very second we send our aroha and we say to everyone around the world: we cannot accept this as the new norm. Together the people have already been demanding and working collectively to create a clean green stable climate that stops the acceleration of these horrendous natural events. I am proud that New Zealand has begun to do its part with the zero carbon bill which will get us down to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 alongside the offshore oil and gas ban water reform phasing out plastic bags and other essential measures that must help.The answers are here but we as leaders must implement them and I am so proud that in New Zealand we have made that start. Politicians and corporations can no longer make decisions to keep amassing wealth into the hands of too few at the cost of the many people and the planet. We are pleased that Minister Tracey Martin is sending over 21 firefighters to help tackle the fires additional to the six that are already there working around the clock to help. I echo Minister Martin's words that our firefighters head to Australia with the support of all New Zealanders behind them. I add that the people of Australia have our support to take urgent action to address climate change. Thank you Mr Speaker."