Upston Louise; Rurawhe AdrianHon LOUISE UPSTON (National—Taupō): Thank you Madam Speaker. Gabrielle came but she did not conquer. She caused havoc across the country from one end to the other but what no cyclone will ever do is destroy the spirit of New Zealanders. I want to speak specifically about some of those New Zealanders that I've spent time with in the last couple of days in Hawke's Bay—the stories from Hawke's Bay will no doubt be reflected across the country—and as you've heard from other members in the House the ability of parliamentarians other elected representatives whether they're councillors first responders community organisations friends and families but also the support of strangers.So on days 8 and 9 when I was there all I was trying to do was to listen to look and understand. As the MP from the neighbouring area—as I said from over the hill until somebody looked at me and said You're not over the hill." and I thought "Well that's great; that's quite a compliment." But actually the road like many roads from the Hawke's Bay are completely separated. So you can't travel on State Highway 5 and one of the things that of course has been distressing for many over New Zealand is the inability to connect with loved ones and in some areas like Hawke's Bay no power or phone contact made that more extreme.I think the challenge with an environment like Hawke's Bay—and both Katie Nimon and Catherine Wedd were able to show me some of the hardest-hit areas. But then some areas have zero damage so it was a bit like the Canterbury earthquakes where there were sections of the city that are completely fine and then you go into the next block and it's decimated—one side of the road is fine and the next one isn't; one valley of orchards where a metre is covered in silt a metre above that the waterline and a few apples on the trees still clinging on above that; and yet the valley over they're beautiful and they're being picked today.So of course the first thing has to be that immediate relief and the provision of welfare both in terms of food clothing and shelter. But the other thing that people in those communities were looking for was a sense of safety. And that's one of the things that I want to focus on today. The many welfare centres—some of them formal many of them informal—that cropped up in their communities they knew who their people were they knew who needed support they knew where the resources were and got them out the door.But what you don't expect—what you don't expect in an emergency like this in New Zealand in our country—is to then have the threat of some of that food and clothing and essential resources like generators to be threatened by parties groups gangs who want to take it for their own purposes. They are stealing from their neighbours.And then you know we unfortunately had a Prime Minister in response to people speaking out including community leaders who said "Unsubstantiated rumours."—unsubstantiated rumours. Well I have to say having listened to small community organisations people volunteering on checkpoints the thing they don't expect to deal with is threats when they are serving their community. And they do not expect a Prime Minister who minimises and doesn't listen and doesn't believe their concerns about safety. And that was outrageous. That is outrageous.So it is important in situations like this to listen to the voices of those who are there. And as a representative I'm bringing their voices to Parliament. Because you shouldn't have to have a welfare centre that decides not to be open to the public because they're concerned about safety. You shouldn't have to deal with that when you are leaving your family at home to look after others to then worry about whether you are safe in doing that. It is absolutely crazy and when I described it to someone he said "That's what happens in war zones all around the world." When aid is threatened—that's what happens in war zones. And unfortunately it has been happening in New Zealand. When you have clearly lost your home lost your belongings still don't know if some of your neighbours have survived your business is pretty much gone the last thing you should be worried about is whether anyone is going to drive up your drive while you are digging out the next-door neighbour's gateway and whether your property is being looted right now. It is the last thing they should be worrying about and it is heart-breaking to know that they have to.When crises like this start and disasters of all types—it is absolutely our responsibility as parliamentarians to pull together and to support the Government which we do. But that will not stop us from raising the hard questions raising concerns and challenging the Government on what they've said. So here's one of the other resounding messages from the Hawke's Bay: where is the wage subsidy—where is the wage subsidy? So for one business in Napier $30000 they would have normally earned this week and they earned $300. How does that mean they keep their staff they pay their staff and they are able to have a future for their business and let's remember that if there's no businesses there are no jobs. So we have to look at what other support is available and when that will be delivered. Because that would have been other than safety one of the most important questions asked. Great to see some support in terms of the support that was announced on Monday. How do they access it? The $50 million—how do they access it? Who do they get it from? How does it work? How soon can they get it? Where's the wage subsidy? So I encourage the Government to focus on these issues.Yes food and clothing and shelter have been the focus in the first week. But in some communities that have been devastated by the cyclone safety must also be a consideration. So I ask the Prime Minister: listen to the people. Listen to what they're saying. Do not—do not—ignore what they are saying. And I urge you to start delivering. For a Government that's cancelled more roads than built them promised a light rail three years ago that hasn't started yet promised 100000 KiwiBuild homes I really hope for the sake of New Zealanders whose lives have been destroyed that the Government does way better in delivering for them and delivering for them soon. Because they deserve to have hope to be able to look forward—for themselves their families their business their community their sectors—and to know they have a future in the communities that they live in and love and want to continue their future in. Thank you Mr Speaker.SPEAKER: I understand this is a split call. I call Rachel Brooking—five minutes."