O'Connor GregGREG O'CONNOR (Labour—Ōhāriu): I think there comes a time in every nation's history—probably in world history—when we just know we're on the verge of some big change and I just think about what it must have probably been like in 1939 when war was declared with the recent memory of World War One. The world would have understood the implications of it and everyone would have sat thinking Woah something big is happening here." And I'm thinking now of the 80000 New Zealanders who are overseas. Every one of them—and the Minister of Foreign Affairs the Rt Hon Winston Peters has today recommended that those people come home—will be sitting in Europe they'll be sitting in Asia and Africa and different places now thinking "Woah we didn't think this would happen a month ago or six months ago." But they're going to come home; they'll be seeking flights. And that's what it must have been like when war was declared.We are at war. We are at war with the COVID-19 virus and like every war there will be change. The world will never be the same. So when that happens it's the time to look at how well equipped we are. I look at my own career—the times when times have got very hard. I think of when as a young police officer we had the Mongrel Mob decide to take us on in Porirua or the Nomads decide to take us on in Masterton. But we won because we were well led because we knew what victory looked like. We knew we had to win. Failure wasn't an option. And that's where we find ourselves now as a nation. The world won't be the same again.I don't blame the Opposition for doing what they're doing. They're doing what their job is. They're like the rest of us: we're all very much in trepidation and when we're in trepidation we're looking for ways; we're looking for what we're going to do next. Well I feel very lucky to be on this side of the House because I'm getting to sit and watch. Because the one thing we all should be looking for is leadership. I can tell you now from where I am looking we've got it on this side of the House. I'm not one given to superlatives I'm not one given to going over the top but I do have to say that I've watched the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern grow through these crises we've had. If she grew one leg after the first one this time last year she's grown more.What I can assure those listening those across the House who don't get to see what's happening behind closed doors in particular is that we're in good shape to face this. Really on behalf of certainly my electorate those in Ōhāriu I can give them assurance that while this isn't going to be a perfect outcome—there are going to be casualties; there will be business casualties; the world will not be the perfect place probably not for anyone—what we are is in a great shape as good a shape as we could be to actually take this battle on.The other thing that it's important to do at this stage is to have the right facts at hand—I suppose to know the enemy. There's an old saying—I grew up in the country—that said "It's not the pedigree of the bull; it's the pedigree of the man"—I should say "woman" in this day and age—"who's trying to sell you the bull which is more important." So what I would ask New Zealanders to do is when they're looking at what's happening actually have a look at who's telling you what. Go to the websites; do not listen to the radio jocks do not look at what the latest thing that you've seen on the web—on the latest website—is. Go to the people who actually know what they're talking about.We're very fortunate to have Dr Ashley Bloomfield every day giving us the numbers. If you listened to the rumours leading up to the facts every day when that press conference takes place you would think we had thousands. So what I would implore those listening at home what I would implore those sitting opposite to do is actually work with facts. Although again I can fully understand the positions you're taking—you're looking for that reassurance that everyone is—look no further for reassurance than the front row of this side of the House because we have got the leadership to take us into this. If we have mixed leadership if we are indecisive at any stage in this if we double-guess ourselves that will be the worst we can do. So all I can ask New Zealand is—yes the war has started; yes we're going into battle; we need good leadership; we need supported leadership; we have it—give faith and we will get through this.The debate having concluded the motion lapsed."