Omer IbrahimIBRAHIM OMER (Labour): Thank you Madam Speaker Lau Afioga le Fofoga Fetalai. A lot has been said about this Budget. There are a lot of good things in this Budget as well and many people describe this Budget in many ways—good ways. While we still have a long way to go this Budget is a game-changer for many many people. It addresses historical injustice for those most vulnerable among us those who carried the burden for a long time those who were left behind for no fault of their own. For many increasing benefits is long overdue. It's a step in the right direction. A friend of mine asked me how I describe this Budget and my answer was with no hesitation—this is the answer that many people give—the Budget hardly leaves anyone behind. It addresses a lot of issues that've been around that've been unjust. To mention some: Māori Pasifika women ethnic communities our tamariki and low-paid workers—and the list goes on.This last category is what I want to highlight today. This Budget is about COVID-19. It's about prioritising our recovery from COVID-19. This means it's looking out for our front-line workers such as security guards who are contracted by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD). This is only an example of the meaningful delivery of this Budget.Hon Scott Simpson: Where are the vaccines?IBRAHIM OMER: It's under way it's happening; we're vaccinating people and you know that Mr Simpson. I had just spoken to one of those security guards who works at the Naenae MSD. His name is Robert Duston; we call him Dusty". Me and Dusty worked together. I was his union organiser his advocate. Dusty and his colleagues came to this very House and they shared their stories. They spoke about their struggle on low wages and they spoke about their families. One of the people they spoke to was our finance Minister the Hon Grant Robertson. I was in that meeting and Grant told Dusty and his colleagues that "We are doing everything we can and we will deliver you the living wage." Dusty is one of many many people in this country who struggle on low wages. Today this Government has listened and it has delivered. Dusty and his colleagues are now getting paid the living wage. Dusty and his colleagues after what happened after the tragic and sad incident in Ashburton they put their lives on the line every day shielding our hard-working MSD staff. They get a lot of abuse on minimum wage. Now this Government have decided to honour them have decided to pay them what they deserve.Just before I came to this House while I was preparing for this speech I spoke to Dusty and I asked him what this Budget means to him. He said that he doesn't have to live week to week any more and he said that he feels valued and has the motivation to get out of bed and go to work every day. One of the many aspects of this Budget is supporting parents like Dusty and that many children get the benefit because they get to spend quality time with their parents.Hon David Bennett: Oh that's a great economic theory!IBRAHIM OMER: Absolutely. Dusty drove this point home when he said that he now gets to have more free time to spend with his daughter that originally he would have spent working just to meet an end. Also for giving people like Dusty more money they will be spending it in the local economy. They don't go to Australia. They don't go to the Gold Coast and spend the money. They are locals and they spend it in our local economy.This Budget seeks to deal with the root causes of poverty such as addressing low wages. The common response we are getting is that this Budget is what everyone had been waiting for and we have delivered it. I am proud of our finance Minister I'm proud of this Government—I'm even more proud of our team. Kia ora."