Redmayne SuzeSUZE REDMAYNE (National—Rangitīkei): Thank you Mr Speaker. Agriculture has been the backbone of New Zealand for the last hundred-plus years. Our Minister of Agriculture Todd McClay often reminds us that when farming does well New Zealand does well. And to use a word much loved by my friend and colleague Mark Cameron the counterfactual is also true.The previous Government spent six years undermining the future of farming with a raft of unnecessary often conflicting rules and regulations that were bad for farmers and rural communities. So many businesses large and small so many livelihoods across the mighty Rangitīkei and indeed across New Zealand are dependant on a buoyant agriculture sector.The mighty Rangitīkei represents heartland rural and provincial New Zealand at its best. Despite recent challenges excellence shines through. I want to take this opportunity to talk about Jack Jordan from Taumarunui New Zealand's top axeman who just last week competed in Italy against 15 of the best from around the world and won the Stihl Timbersports World Trophy for the third year in a row breaking his own world record in the process. And senior constable Conrad Smith from National Park who was awarded a gold medal at the New Zealand Search and Rescue Awards held at Parliament last week for his outstanding service and commitment to search and rescue. And James and Debbie Stewart farming at Dairylands near Fielding who won the 2024 Fonterra Responsible Dairying Award at the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards and are also the Ballance Farm Environment Award supreme winners for the Horizons region.Our farmers are indeed guardians of the land. We walk the talk. Kaitiakitanga is what we do; it's how we farm. A recent report from the University of Canterbury revealed 24 percent of New Zealand's native vegetation—approximately 2.4 million hectares—is on sheep and beef farms. This represents the largest amount of native vegetation outside of public conservation land and it plays a vital unheralded role in supporting biodiversity.National in this Government backs our farmers. Sixteen National MPs turned up to Gisborne in force last weekend for a fund-raising sports fixture. It was Federated Farmers versus the politicians to support the cyclone recovery and raise money for much-needed fencing. Minister of Agriculture Todd McClay proved fast on his feet down the wing. Local MP Dana Kirkpatrick did a magnificent job of organising. We won the rugby lost the netball happy to call it a draw. But the winners on the day were the farmers and rural communities on the East Coast with over $300000 raised.Farming is the engine room of this great country. I am a proud farmer and I'm proud to be part of a Government that gets it; a Government that's committed to letting our farmers get back to doing what they do best: farm; to reducing red tape cutting unnecessary compliance costs; a Government that's determined to get New Zealand back on track. We have a plan to grow the economy and backing our farmers to succeed is a huge part of that. Parts of Rangitīkei and indeed New Zealand are suffering the effects of a significant drought. We can't fix the weather but changes to the Resource Management Act mean we don't have to worry about more red tape slowing us down about ridiculous rules and compliance costs getting in the way.Market access—let's talk about that. We can't get rich as a nation selling stuff to ourselves. We need to sell to the world and we need to go to the world and that's what this Government has focused on. In six months the Prime Minister and Minister for Trade Todd McClay have focused on opening up new markets and solidifying our place in new ones. This Government is ambitious for New Zealand with a plan to double agricultural exports over the next 10 years.A Federated Farmers survey last year found over 70 percent of farmers' mental health and wellbeing was being adversely affected just by doing their job. This Government is doing something about it. We have Matt Doocey New Zealand's first ever Minister for Mental Health and we're funding the Gumboot Friday initiative $24 million over four years as part of tomorrow's Budget. Across there the message hasn't changed. Even in Opposition they're attacking farmers. They don't get farmers they don't get rural New Zealand; we do and we're proving it. I'm proud to be part of the solution. This Government's relentless focus on reducing red tape and allowing our farmers to get back to what they do best: farm.