Whaitiri MekaHon MEKA WHAITIRI (Ikaroa-Rāwhiti): Thank you Madam Speaker. It's a real privilege to take a call in this local debate. I want to talk about two particular orchards. I want to talk about Ngāi Tukairangi Trust and Wī Pere Trust. These two orchards despite being devastated through both Hale and Gabrielle are finalists in this year's Ahuwhenua horticultural awards which are on tomorrow evening in Tauranga.I want to talk particularly about Ngāi Tukairangi Trust: it's 106 hectares mainly kiwifruits and apples in Ōmahu and if people had watched Gabrielle and the devastation Ōmahu was one of those images we saw on televisions where the banks came over and the marae and the urupā were completely flooded out. Well this particular orchard is just up the road from the devastation of that river. They also called for volunteers because it was their first cropping of kiwifruit and they called for local volunteers because their crops were deemed to be unusable. This was their first crop of beautiful kiwifruit and I answered the call like many to go there and help to take the fruit off the trees. It was devastating because there were millions and millions of dollars that we were picking to drop on the ground. I'm really proud that they are one of the finalists in this year's Ahuwhenua awards so I want to mihi out to Ratahi Cross and to all the owners and the chairs of this particular orchard: 106 hectares in Ōmahu. The other orchard I want to mention is Wī Pere which is a 79-hectare mixed-hort operation in Tūranga-nui-a-Kiwa flat areas. It has kiwifruit persimmons citrus blueberries and apples. Again another one of our great orchards throughout my electorate devastated through recent flooding but they still find themselves being classed as a finalist in one of the longest-running horticultural pastoral awards in this country. Can I just acknowledge that Ahuwhenua was created by Sir Apirana Ngata and Lord Bledisloe back in 1933 so it is New Zealand's oldest continuous horticultural and pastoral awards system. So I wanted to stand up and acknowledge these particular orchards that are in the final. But I also want to pay a tribute to Whiritoa Orchards which is located in Te Teko because they're the third finalists.It's important that when we are talking about local issues—particularly as we're trying to deal with the aftermath of Gabrielle—we still have some gems that come through. These two local gems are mine which is why I want to draw attention to that and say that despite some of our challenges in our electorate of Ikaroa-Rāwhiti we've got these amazing operations that employ local people that are on whenua Māori and that operate in a very Māori kaupapa way and they should be celebrated.I also want to talk about the young growers who are also nominated for tomorrow's award. I want to acknowledge Alix Te Kere Erica Henare and Grace Rehu. The reason why I want to acknowledge all of them is because Alix is Ngāti Kuhungunu Ngāti Tu Ngāti Maru Ngāti Maniapoto; Erica Henare is Ngāti Kuhungunu Ngāti Maniapoto; and Grace Rehu is from Rangitāne. So these people whakapapa to my electorate of Ikaroa-Rāwhiti which is why it makes it especially pleasing for me to stand and put a spotlight on the positivity despite some of the challenges of the people throughout Ikaroa-Rāwhiti but I particularly draw our attention and this House's attention to our ability to grow good things. I come from an area that grows great food and grows great people.So it has been a delight to acknowledge Ngāi Tukairangi Trust Whiritoa Orchards and of course Wī Pere as the shared 2023 Ahuwhenua horticultural finalists for this year and our young Alix Te Kere Erica Henare and Grace Rehu. Despite our challenges we have these gems amongst us and it's important that this House takes the time like I have done to acknowledge them. Tēnā koutou katoa.