McAnulty KieranKIERAN McANULTY (Labour—Wairarapa): Thank you Mr Speaker. I want to start by not only acknowledging the cross-party group but also the other members who have contributed to this debate. I am pleased to follow on from Barbara Kuriger. She is up there with those that I respect the most in this House because of our shared commitment to rural communities. We may have different ideas but our values and our drive to ensure sustainable rural communities and wellbeing within that is the same and I genuinely believe that across the House on the whole that is the case. And this today should encourage us all because today's debate has demonstrated to the people of New Zealand that actually this Parliament is committed to working together. We work together all the time but sadly the public doesn't see that. But on this issue we have come together and I hope that this is a watershed moment and that this House will continue to work together. As Barbara Kuriger said there is no room for politics in mental health so let today be the moment that we collectively commit to putting politics aside and finding solutions that work for everyone in this country. No family is spared from the impact of mental health. No one in this country can say that they have escaped its horrid impact. That is certainly the case for my family with close family members having committed suicide and if it weren't for the support and intervention of our health service there would have been more. I remember as a youngster hearing conversations about elderly family members and their nerves". Other members may have heard similar conversations: "Great-auntie can't come out tonight because her nerves are at her." How good is it that as a country particularly in rural areas we have moved away in so many ways—not enough but we've made progress in actually acknowledging that this is an issue and it is something that we should talk about. In my grandfather's generation people that had mental health were "queer bastards" or "silly buggers" or "funny buggers". That attitude helps no one. Now when I go on programmes like The Country Jamie Mackay and Rowena Duncum dedicate so much time on that radio show to raising awareness and talking about mental health issues in rural communities and it empowers people to come forward. It empowers them to talk to their mates. But there are fundamental issues that we as a country need to address. In rural areas people are isolated. The realities of farming and working on farms means that it is so much more difficult to access the help that they need. It can take so much longer. And isolation is not just geographical; isolation can be from technology as well where those that live in larger urban centres if they don't want to meet face to face can contact someone through their mobile phone or the internet. Not everyone in rural communities have that and I am encouraged by the principle that drove the policy decision from this Government to get rid of district health boards which was that we need to eliminate the postcode lottery. It should not matter whether you live in Wellington Auckland Pōrangahau or Eketāhuna you should have the same level of access to the care that you need. I hope that when these changes come in rural communities will be at the forefront along with all other marginalised communities. I want to take the opportunity in the time that I have left to acknowledge our first responders. For seven years before I entered this House I was a volunteer firefighter. They are present in every single community in our country and it is the rural volunteer firefighters that are the first responders to suicides. They are not anonymous people. They are our friends. They are our family and attending a call like that is something that will hurt you and haunt you for the rest of your life. Our rural communities are dependent on the generosity and time of volunteers and they don't get acknowledged enough. I'm encouraged by the collaborative approach of this debate. Long may that continue and to those that are struggling with mental health reach out. You are loved you are wanted and help is there."