Andersen GinnyGINNY ANDERSEN (Labour): Thank you very much Mr Speaker. One of the most humbling and I think good things about such a difficult time in our country's history is how well the community has come together and how much strength they've shown. I'm really proud to have been part of a Government that works so closely with community at a time when they've needed it the most. I've seen so many local examples where Government has provided extra support whether that be through trade training whether that be through the wage subsidy in round one or round two or whether that be through providing interest-free loans for those small businesses that need that extra help. I have seen so many examples of Government and community working hand in hand to be able to make sure our people are well looked after. I'm proud of that because it's underpinned by the Prime Minister's message of being kind and that is what drives me to be in this place today. That is what drives me to make sure that we have a country where people look after each other. What we've seen locally is food banks working together with the extra support provided through Government to enable those meals to be delivered during lockdown. One example in particular is we have a place out in Waiwhetū called the ReMakery or Common Unity Project. They delivered 13000 meals over lockdown to our community to make sure people were fed who were either in short-term accommodation or in situations where they were unable to be able to provide for themselves. They worked they utilised funding and they were able to feed those people who needed it. Another one: in Wainuiōmata we have Kōkiri Marae who worked to feed over 11600 families and they worked hand in hand with a range of different agencies. I went in there to see them loading up their van and being able to deliver it round to each house and each family. Apart from the fact that they did that they also talked about how they connected into those families that previously they wouldn't understand—some of the problems and issues. So by having a social worker along with them that was funded to go inside and deliver the food they got a closer understanding of some of those issues that we strive to make sure New Zealand becomes stronger through fixing.We have responded to COVID-19 and now is the time to recover and rebuild and that's exactly what we've seen today with today's announcement to make sure that the Government is providing businesses up to $16000 to help pay the cost of each apprentice for the first two years. That's jobs. That's young people in training and that's also people who may have lost their jobs to continue to retrain and make sure we are utilising the strength of our country which is our people. Those people will be utilised in jobs through the rebuild project through the funding that we've seen right across New Zealand and the $12 billion New Zealand Upgrade Programme. Just in my space we've seen the funding of Melling Interchange to make sure that there will be opportunities for local businesses and apprentices and workers—to make sure that's fully funded and going ahead. Only earlier in the week we saw also the announcement of a very popular cycleway and walkway between Pētone and Ngauranga which will enable electric bikes bikes and walkers to make use of a really good space to be fit and to get outside of your car and to reduce emissions and to be healthy. Again that will be fast tracked under this Government and it will provide more jobs and more opportunities for local people to be able to continue to be employed. Because what we want is our local businesses to feel strong and supported at a time when we know it is difficult. I've spent time over the last month to walk around every single shop in Lower Hutt and meet each of the businesses and talk to them about the experiences they're going through. And yes there are some tough stories out there but every single one I spoke to had taken the wage subsidy. Every single one of them said Thank you so much for being able to pay my staff to pay myself to be able to keep living." at a time when previously they thought it was not possible. For many of those hard-working people it was the first time they'd actually had help from the Government in their lives and they were appreciative to be able to keep their door open once we moved into level 3 and to continue trading. I'm proud to see that we keep supporting people whether they be in trade training or in businesses to make sure our economy and our wheels keep turning; that people have money in their pockets to feed their families but also to spend at their local shops. This has been a very hard time but I am proud to be part of a team that is dedicated to not only responding to COVID-19 but recovering and rebuilding."