Rosewarne DanDAN ROSEWARNE (Labour): It's my pleasure to rise in this House tonight to talk about the economy. Yes there's a lot to be done but it's worth noting that the size of our economy now is larger than it was pre-COVID and we as a country are now in a strong position to face any future global turbulence. I'll give some examples.The median earnings growth is at its highest rate since records began in 1998. Unemployment is at its near record low of 3.3 percent and 100000 people have moved off the benefit and into work in the past year. Young people are outperforming every other age group in entering the workforce and filled jobs for people from 15 to 19 are now up 18 percent compared to year on year. And in New Zealand our inflation rate is below the OECD average and our economy has pulled through the pandemic better than we did during the global financial crisis. That's what happens when you have a Government that believes that the economy exists to support people. That's what happens when you put people first. And like my fantastic colleague the member for Hutt South mentioned in her fantastic speech in the Waimakariri electorate where I live there's been significant growth in the last five years. Building consents are up houses are getting built and builders are taking on apprentices. If anyone wants to get into the trades then we want you in the Waimakariri electorate. Phone my office and we'll get you in touch with the people that can help you out. Last week the Hon Dr Megan Woods announced a massive Government infrastructure spend through the Infrastructure Acceleration Fund (IAF) to allow for thousands of more homes—11500 in total—for New Zealanders and their families. And a portion of this investment is going into the Waimakariri electorate. Rangiora specifically will receive $5.7 million for transport and three waters projects which is expected to accelerate the delivery of around 1300 affordable homes and they'll be a range of homes in a development in north-east Rangiora.Last week the Waimakariri District Council acting chief executive Jeff Millwood said that the IAF funding will help bring a greater number of sections to the market much sooner than would otherwise have been possible. Over the weekend I went and visited where this money has been invested just down the road from my place in the Bellgrove Rangiora development. Already that development has excavators clearing ground and drainlayers preparing for three waters infrastructure down Kippenberger Ave. This IAF investment is going to provide a significant boost to the local economy not just for builders but also for electricians earthmoving contractors plumbers and drainlayers.Now there'll also be another second-order advantage due to an increased patronage of local cafes initially from tradies working in the area but then from residents who move into the Bellgrove subdivision and call Rangiora home. This investment will generate work for apprentices to complete the competencies towards their apprenticeships. And because the Bellgrove development area aims to address the housing needs of the community through medium-density housing it will be affordable. And due to the apprenticeships being free some of these apprentices you know they'll come out of their time and they may even be able to purchase their first home in that same Bellgrove subdivision because they're not burdened with a student loan. So Waimakariri is a fantastic place to be a tradie. That's what it looks like when in the economy we put people first and investment trickles throughout all of society not from the top down like the other side of the House propose but where the average person gets to see the benefits of the Government investment. I'm proud that we are following two themes with the management of our economy. Firstly we are looking inwards investing in our people so that we can have a diverse and resilient workforce as we rebuild post COVID-19 and secondly we are looking outwards because there is an increasing global economic turbulence ahead and to prepare for that turbulence we've decided not to take on more debt to fund tax cuts for the wealthiest New Zealanders. We know that that would undermine our position because that's what we saw recently in the UK.We've come out of the emergency COVID response in a stronger position than we did after the global financial crisis and we are now the envy of many nations around the world. Thank you Madam Speaker.