"\u003C!DOCTYPE html\u003E\u003Chtml xmlns:xlink=\u0022http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink\u0022 xmlns:xsi=\u0022http://www.w3.org/2007/XMLSchema-instance\u0022 xmlns:mml=\u0022http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML\u0022\u003E\n  \u003Chead\u003E\n    \u003CMETA http-equiv=\u0022Content-Type\u0022 content=\u0022text/html; charset=utf-16\u0022\u003E\n    \u003Cmeta name=\u0022viewport\u0022 content=\u0022width=device-width, initial-scale=1\u0022\u003E\n  \u003C/head\u003E\n  \u003Cbody style=\u0022font-family:sans-serif; font-size:100%;\u0022\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002211d3969a6c6649b4b6566700228a7e69\u0022\u003EWEDNESDAY, 26 AUGUST 2020\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000003\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002278a69f5556d449ac92a92212e0c007da\u0022\u003EWEDNESDAY, 26 AUGUST 2020\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000002\u0022\u003EThe Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000004\u0022\u003EPrayers.\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000005\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022dd05c0e3f6764feeb722e4e64845d657\u0022\u003EOral Questions\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000006\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022b441d6f954524d339f14fa71ed287fd0\u0022\u003EQuestions to Ministers\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000007\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022f3639973236b46f3b65a7192e3424fa4\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 1\u2014Prime Minister\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022 data-id=\u002237093f23f58e470a91fb22d13144ddad\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000008\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E1. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002237093f23f58e470a91fb22d13144ddad\u0022\u003EHon JUDITH COLLINS (Leader of the Opposition)\u003C/span\u003E to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by her statement that the reason the Government will not extend the wage subsidy to cover the additional four days of lockdown is because \u201Cit would require an entirely different process and regime\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022 data-id=\u002204614e592015415299046b3118612996\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000009\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002204614e592015415299046b3118612996\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister):\u003C/span\u003E That wasn\u2019t exactly my quote, but on Monday I was asked why we didn\u2019t just tack on an extension to the two-week wage subsidy. My reply to that question was: \u201CIt is not a simple exercise to simply tack on additional. It would require an entirely new application [processing] regime. Our focus is getting the money out the door quickly for everyone who\u2019s already applied.\u201D As a Cabinet, we also weighed up a number of other factors when considering the two-week wage subsidy that has been applied across New Zealand. That included that Auckland has had a combined lockdown at levels 3 and 4 in total of around nine weeks, and the wage subsidy has been available for 22 weeks in total, far exceeding the 3 and 4 levels. In addition to the short two-week extension, thousands of additional businesses have become eligible for the eight-week wage subsidy payment as a result of the shorter lockdown. The other financial support the Government is offering was also considered, including the Small Business (Cashflow) Loan Scheme, tax changes, and specific sector support packages. Finally, we also considered the fact that we do need to manage the Government\u2019s finances responsibly. Every dollar in wage subsidy is, unfortunately, a dollar that is also borrowed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000010\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e707d10c3f7b47eebd338444444d261e\u0022\u003EHon Judith Collins\u003C/span\u003E: [Interruption] Is she, in essence\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000011\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228406d8c5bcfe45c4a506b62dd7faccb5\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order! Which member was that\u2014made that noise? Well, I think Mr Hudson has a recognisable voice, or there are three other members in the quadrant that might have made it. Who made a noise\u2014a loud noise\u2014as the Hon Judith Collins started her question?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000012\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a254795a8b2947daae096c2909e37707\u0022\u003EHon Member\u003C/span\u003E: It was a sentence.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000013\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b8f1f4ac951f405fa47ce7f8d408e98b\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: All right. Well, that\u2019s honesty and transparency.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000014\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002218dd7c1c63b44a4e97dceb1f390d0f9b\u0022\u003EHon Judith Collins\u003C/span\u003E: Is she, in essence, saying it\u2019s just too hard?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000015\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223695fb937f0e44be9b1d66748badc883\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: I refer to the answer I gave in my primary, which is no.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000016\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022180cf81244c34bedb5208bdae7751cc9\u0022\u003EHon Judith Collins\u003C/span\u003E: Is she saying that workers could lose their jobs just because the Government thinks it\u2019s too difficult to extend the wage subsidy for four days, and, anyway, businesses have had enough help?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000017\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e96de46334ad4d55b06f47a76ac05665\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s absolutely not what I\u2019m saying.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000018\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002295d9a863c8f547b1857ac369469487a3\u0022\u003EHon Judith Collins\u003C/span\u003E: Well, then, what is she saying?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000019\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022089906ed770d4577a3e0dcecb5aa3c5e\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m saying that we have considered that over the levels 3 and 4 period, which has been the most constrained, that equates to about nine weeks of constraint, particularly for the Auckland region. But the wage subsidies that have been available now total 22 weeks. It\u2019s also worth considering, as I acknowledged in my primary answer, and we did consider this, that some businesses would not have been previously eligible for the wage subsidy extension, keeping in mind that that is an eight-week payment. A number of businesses, because of this more recent lockdown, are now eligible for that eight-week payment. In fact, we have received in the order of 37,000, if I recall correctly, applications for the wage subsidy extension. That demonstrates that businesses are actually accessing eight weeks of support in some cases, not just two.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000020\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b8b5c7a14e514e6d997ba63eb86a7bae\u0022\u003EHon Judith Collins\u003C/span\u003E: Does she understand that the wage subsidy does not actually end up with businesses because it is for the subsidy towards wages for workers, and that businesses who have been in lockdown do in fact have other costs as well as wages to pay, when they\u2019ve got no income coming in?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000021\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224b41cc92e1b84afdbcbaa75b629933a7\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: Of course we have kept that in mind all the way through, which is why we\u2019ve also had access to things like the no-interest business loan scheme and why we have put in place initiatives to reduce tax liability, also, for small business.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224abe9bd667744b51aa6311405974f80a\u0022\u003EHon Judith Collins\u003C/span\u003E: Why, when New Zealand went into lockdown for seven weeks the first time, did the Government pay 20 weeks of wage subsidy, yet this time round it\u2019s only paying two weeks\u2019 wage subsidy despite the lockdown being more than two weeks\u2014for two weeks and four days?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000023\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220734dc59fce24de991163df4b3342a2d\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: My recollection is that that isn\u2019t quite an accurate portrayal of the first and second\u2014of course, keeping in mind that we have had different alert levels for all those periods as well. What we\u2019ve tried to do, rather than just attach it to an alert level, we\u2019ve attached it to an analysis from the business around revenue loss. So if a business can demonstrate, over a period of time, that they\u2019ve had a revenue loss in the order of 40 percent, and they can include in that this two-week period, they will, for instance, be eligible not for two weeks of subsidy but for eight weeks of subsidy. So that demonstrates it\u2019s never just been about alert level; it\u2019s been about the impact of that alert level on a business\u2014after all, you wouldn\u2019t expect the likes of a supermarket who has had an increase in purchasing being eligible for a subsidy. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000024\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c06a2e6332a54583a6f0a847b63955e6\u0022\u003EHon Judith Collins\u003C/span\u003E: Would she be surprised to learn, then, that an extra four days lockdown would cost a small business with 10 staff at least $6,000 in wages, with no revenue to pay for it?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000025\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002242974d37427944c7b365469d7042ad2a\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: I would encourage any small business who has been adversely affected by the more recent lockdown to contact the Ministry of Social Development and check their eligibility for the wage subsidy extension. If they\u2019ve already received that in the past, they will almost certainly be, then, eligible for the extra two weeks and, therefore, have likely received 22 weeks of support for what equates to nine weeks of level 3 and level 4.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000026\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022286969c9e2ff46c9b22dd1d17f871496\u0022\u003EHon Grant Robertson\u003C/span\u003E: In light of that question, can the Prime Minister confirm that if a business has received all 22 weeks of the wage subsidy, it would have received $12,887.60 per full-time worker, which would represent $128,000 to a business with 10 full-time workers?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000027\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022999aa0a7230146f9b23217cd9728c7cc\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, I can confirm that. And, of course, there are a number of other supports that those businesses would likely be eligible for, including the voucher scheme we\u2019ve put through to support businesses who may be, for instance, trying to transition into an online environment, which means that more businesses can continue to operate at level 3 than perhaps they could at level 4. There are a suite of Government initiatives to support small business through this very difficult time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000028\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b0c20e3372f8448fb304e09c9c1faeea\u0022\u003EHon Judith Collins\u003C/span\u003E: Is she still committed to the Flexi-wage scheme that she announced earlier this month, considering that she said it would be paid for from the underspend of the wage subsidy, which has now been spent?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000029\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e5685334975f4ec6bdd4379f5c2f58ec\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: Of course, we\u2019ve said that when it comes to the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund, which has in the order of $14 billion still available for it, in our view that needed to be kept for times like these. I note the Opposition have committed half of that to roads, when it\u2019s our view that, in fact, we need to keep that $14 billion available for moments like this and for the likes of that two weeks of extra support that\u2019s been provided.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000030\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022262d17e428ba4520a2aa33d7a134d29a\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 2\u2014Finance\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u00221a08f8cf9830459a8039fbd4680af37e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000031\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E2. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221a08f8cf9830459a8039fbd4680af37e\u0022\u003EGREG O\u2019CONNOR (Labour\u2014\u014Ch\u0101riu)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Finance: How is the Government supporting New Zealand businesses and workers through the global COVID-19 pandemic?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022 data-id=\u00226be1c311144a4cffaf96dc0efc5735cd\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000032\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226be1c311144a4cffaf96dc0efc5735cd\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance):\u003C/span\u003E The scale of support provided by the Government to businesses and workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has been unprecedented: 1.65 million jobs have been supported by the almost $11 billion paid out under the original 12-week wage subsidy scheme. The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) estimates that around 58 percent of all jobs in New Zealand were supported during this time. This includes $3.5 billion in support of 528,000 jobs in Auckland alone. The original wage subsidy injected cash into firms across multiple industries, including the construction sector, which received nearly $1.4 billion, supporting 203,000 jobs; the accommodation and food services sector, over $1 billion, supporting 164,000 jobs; and the retail trade sector, $1 billion, supporting 156,000 jobs. In response to this one-in-100-year shock, the Government has stepped up with unprecedented levels of investment to cushion the blow to the economy and help keep businesses afloat and workers employed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000033\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e2ecc068b4b644209dd5d2bc063d4a49\u0022\u003EGreg O\u2019Connor\u003C/span\u003E: Why did the Government extend the wage subsidy beyond the initial 12 weeks?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000034\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022be3c1866af364daabeedf1ff9f4497a7\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: The wage subsidy extension was designed to target assistance to those businesses whose revenue was still significantly down even at levels 1 and 2, such as tourism operators and the hospitality sector, so that they could adjust to the new normal, while many other firms were able to largely go back to business as usual. The amount of support provided to these sectors is apparent in MSD\u2019s data, which shows that up to 14 August the accommodation and food services industry was the greatest recipient of the wage subsidy extension, receiving $302 million to support 73,000 jobs. This brings the total amount to $1.3 billion provided to the industry prior to the current outbreak. With the recent increase in alert levels, I would emphasise, as the Prime Minister has done, that businesses who have not already applied for the extension may now be eligible and can do so up until 1 September. For those firms who have used the extension, we have also introduced the new wage subsidy to provide a further two weeks of support.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000035\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bc2da6b03fdd41bb858e74edc4bb4b43\u0022\u003EGreg O\u2019Connor\u003C/span\u003E: How much support has been provided to businesses through the new wage subsidy announced last week?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000036\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c99b146749e247448dce89eb868a455c\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: Since applications opened on Friday, we\u2019ve already granted $145 million to 45,000 businesses through the new wage subsidy. I want to once again acknowledge the work of the Ministry of Social Development in being so swift in being able to allocate that funding. It is worth noting that businesses who have taken on all phases of the wage subsidy have received 22 weeks of support in a period in which Auckland businesses have seen 9\u00BD weeks at either levels 3 or 4. Since 12\u00A0August, we have also approved wage subsidy applications for 22,358 businesses, providing them $4,686.40 per full-time employee. This has been an extremely tough year for businesses and workers, but, as we have already demonstrated in this pandemic, we are committed to cushioning the blow. We have put the policies in place to support the most affected sectors and businesses, and helped keep workers in their jobs, so that we can all bounce back stronger together.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000037\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022d35fc57167814317bda8b8961d610588\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 3\u2014Health\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022 data-id=\u00227ee3dda035954f37ba066a7959a6523c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000038\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E3. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227ee3dda035954f37ba066a7959a6523c\u0022\u003EDr SHANE RETI (National\u2014Whangarei)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Health: How many people in managed isolation have not had day-three tests since the week of 8\u00A0June?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022 data-id=\u0022567c2399ec0545d9aefaa52be2cbaa66\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000039\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022567c2399ec0545d9aefaa52be2cbaa66\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister of Health):\u003C/span\u003E Mr Speaker, I thought the question was a bit longer than that. No\u2014it\u2019s been edited. The vast majority of people want to do the right thing and agree to get tested at day three and at day 12. So far, 20,065 day three tests have been completed since 8 June. During that same time period, 19,473 day 12 tests have been completed, and there are currently 5,204 people in managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ). There are some instances\u2014[Interruption] \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000040\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e369caaff5b34262a1dc663c0e894931\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order! The member will resume his seat. I\u2019ve warned members about that interjection which is a reflection on me and my responsibilities. Mr Goldsmith will withdraw and apologise.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000041\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002258881cc9d8b84895b3d01d6dc1550134\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: I withdraw and apologise.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000042\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221ed8a85f8ffd490dae4ca0f3903d2091\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: There are some instances where it\u2019s not appropriate to test a person with a swab, such as young babies who are six months or younger. The number of people leaving managed isolation or quarantine without a day three test has not been collated and reported in that way, because before people can leave managed isolation they must return a negative day 12 test. I\u2019m advised that only 15 adults have refused a day 12 test, and that means that they can be required to stay up to 28 days in managed isolation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000043\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002285af34629bd04acf983c8efc0a2f2b7c\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: Is he really telling New Zealanders that the Government cannot count the number of people who entered managed isolation and subtract the number who were tested at day three?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000044\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c92d7e627240483e99db4f5bccd7f9f0\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: No, I\u2019m saying that we don\u2019t routinely measure the number of people who haven\u2019t had day three tests, because it\u2019s not the most important consideration when it comes to our public health response. The key question that people should be asking is: \u201CAre people being released from managed isolation at risk of taking COVID-19 into the community?\u201D Because they get a day 12 negative test before they are released, they are not. With regards to those people who are in managed isolation, everybody who\u2019s in managed isolation is treated as if they have COVID-19.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000045\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227a97dc4656e047cdb1470685aabe8fc5\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree with reports that thousands of people have not been tested at day three in managed isolation since 8 June?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000046\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224f28b31bd47c452eae3e223af6512097\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: The numbers simply don\u2019t support that claim. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000047\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ed3be7803e9845a0af35e455b120a0f6\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: How many people in managed isolation have tested positive at day three, and how does that compare to the number who\u2019ve tested positive at day 12?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000048\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220a68093f76ec47799368ae9cc5f3d1c4\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: I think the number that the member would be most interested in is that, of the people who have tested\u2014there\u2019s 14 people who have tested positive on the day 12 tests; of those, 12 people had a negative day three test, only two of them didn\u2019t have a day three test. Those were people where they had their day 12 test shortly after we had introduced the mandatory requirements around the mandatory testing regime. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000049\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c7ce18c3cd3e45178fe4c40995f87df8\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: Have the majority of positive coronavirus tests in managed isolation been at day three and not at day 12?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000050\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227043a22743f04ea38a90e03a9d52ae9b\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, that would appear to be the case, yes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000051\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f2a3d4c0cb7e4e77a25621ea874b695e\u0022\u003ERt Hon Jacinda Ardern\u003C/span\u003E: Can the member describe for the House the purpose of the day three test from the Government\u2019s perspective and a public health perspective, relative to the purpose of the day 12 test, which is primarily, of course, to ensure public safety?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000052\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022be530944a87a4c48906950702ea53841\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: The day three test is primarily to ensure the people who have COVID-19 who are in a managed isolation and quarantine facility are getting the support that they need for that. There is very little risk to the public health from a positive day three test because, as I\u2019ve indicated, everybody who is in managed isolation and quarantine is treated as if they have COVID-19, until such time as they get a negative day 12 test before they are released into the community. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000053\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ac45227a9e92437795d00f50ff58c583\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: If the majority of positive tests in managed isolation have been at day three, doesn\u2019t that justify the importance of compulsory testing at day three?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000054\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002298b650ec52c04067b196439ae2dedc12\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: The importance of compulsory testing at day 12 is to ensure COVID-19 doesn\u2019t move out into the community. Day three tests\u2014which, as the numbers have indicated, the vast majority of people are doing\u2014help us to better serve the needs of the people who are in MIQ.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000055\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002266c62650d0574c0ca044d96f46a310fa\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: Does the modelling that the director-general used at a recent media stand-up to justify the current policy settings at the border require compulsory day three testing, and, if so, has the Government made serious border decisions on a modelling assumption that now turns out to be wrong?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000056\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002242db433fec3b4bde80a15af4cc76f638\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m not sure I follow the question. Can I get the member to repeat the question?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000057\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bef74530587c44dd9aec192f52723f25\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: Does the modelling that the director-general used at a recent media stand-up to justify the current policy settings at the border require compulsory day three testing, and, if so, has the Government made serious border decisions on a modelling assumption that now turns out to be wrong?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000058\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e2ab50f3601949f58476c7b3f1b907c9\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: No, and I do want to remind the member opposite that it was only three weeks ago he was accusing me and the Government of subjecting people to medical procedures in managed isolation and quarantine that they didn\u2019t consent to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000059\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ac10d82082af4a508535d96c703e7c89\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: Will he require testing in managed isolation to be compulsory at day three?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000060\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224fc3ee3c4d5147ed8e8b2a489f4a79e4\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: The current requirement is that it\u2019s mandatory at day 12 before somebody is released, and I have no intention of changing that, because the public health grounds to do so would not be strong enough. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000061\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00220754df53ccf9405abbd8aa7a3e971bc9\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 4\u2014Prime Minister\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022 data-id=\u00221bf0307aecb24c0ca924b0355f5e2cb8\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000062\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E4. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221bf0307aecb24c0ca924b0355f5e2cb8\u0022\u003EHon JUDITH COLLINS (Leader of the Opposition)\u003C/span\u003E to the Prime Minister: Does she agree with Professor Nick Wilson from Otago University, who said, \u201CWe must have had some failure at the border, it\u2019s unlikely there could have been silent transmission for that long\u201D; if not, why not?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022 data-id=\u00227c48fdcf8aef457c97e7a2741bfdccbf\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000063\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227c48fdcf8aef457c97e7a2741bfdccbf\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister):\u003C/span\u003E I agree with him that it is unlikely that there could have been silent transmission for that long, and the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) analysis supports that to date. However, that does not necessarily mean there has been a failure at the border. As I said on 15\u00A0July, when announcing our resurgence plan, \u201CWe only need to look to Victoria, New South Wales, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Korea to see examples of other places that, like us, had the virus under control at a point in time only to see it emerge again. This does not mean anyone has failed. It means perfection in the response to a virus and a pandemic is just not possible.\u201D There are a number of ways the cluster originating at Americold could have entered New Zealand. To date, we have not established the source of the cluster, but we are working hard to investigate all possible options.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000064\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cb454e6db2fe4a1e81d7909cb900c0ea\u0022\u003EHon Judith Collins\u003C/span\u003E: Does she agree with Professor Des Gorman, who, following the recent revelations that 63 percent of border staff were not routinely tested, said that the community \u201Cdeserves better than such a casual approach to surveillance to possible infectivity among the border workforce\u201D; if not, why not?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000065\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002239251cab7dff4f8caa4b3768b56a76c0\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: The member is again trying to imply, without any evidence, that that is the source of the outbreak. I again point to the fact that the vast majority\u2014the vast majority\u2014now of our border staff, our managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) staff, those at ports, have been tested, and to date we have not found the source of this outbreak. [Interruption] And for the member who is pitching in, the ESR evidence demonstrates that the genome sequencing suggests that the source of this outbreak was in very close proximity to the first cases, thus demonstrating that it\u2019s not a matter of there having been, necessarily, a case that was not picked up.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000066\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221496260d5ee1408db06c816c493a2a83\u0022\u003EHon Dr Megan Woods\u003C/span\u003E: Further to the member\u2019s answer there, can the member confirm that the\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000067\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022da6eb548cbd3451287db0c6b8e452f12\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order! Order! The Minister\u2014the Prime Minister, in this particular case.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000068\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d4f1673c20e64812a3206b11d8cfef8f\u0022\u003EHon Dr Megan Woods\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry. Can the Prime Minister confirm that the genomic sequencing has not formed a link with any case coming out of a manged isolation facility or indeed any other worker at the border\u2014that that link to the B.1.1.1. genomic clade has not been established? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000069\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221fce4f9eef0b4faa9afe92265a54f820\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, I can confirm that of those tests we\u2019ve been able to run, we have not been able to demonstrate a link between the genome sequencing of this cluster, which is a B.1.1.1. cluster, and those to date, where we\u2019ve had the ability to test, who have come through our MIQ.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000070\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c8195e6ca8f8470d8a15a541ddae4a71\u0022\u003EHon Judith Collins\u003C/span\u003E: When did her Government ask the Ministry of Health to work through a protocol which prioritises regular testing for staff who are more front-facing and at higher risk, and did the Government ask that the strategy make weekly testing mandatory for front-facing border staff?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000071\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002264b8417fac524748852b4646ec320bae\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: Of course, as I\u2019ve referred to in this House on many occasions, we had a testing strategy that was endorsed by Cabinet on 22 June. It included reference to regular asymptomatic surveillance testing, which included, for example, customs, biosecurity, aviation security staff, and front-line staff at ports. Also, I had further, on 6 July, an appendix on the testing strategy in another Cabinet paper, which talked about proactive surveillance testing, including asymptomatic testing, and regular health checks of all border-facing workers\u2014for example, air crew, customs, biosecurity, aviation security staff, and front-line staff at ports. So both on 22 June and 6 July.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000072\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e34e558815594feaaec938aedff10a13\u0022\u003EHon Judith Collins\u003C/span\u003E: Does she agree with Professor Nick Wilson, who said that \u201Cto prevent such outbreaks again, the Government needs to further improve the quality of its border management yet again.\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000073\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229936761e0b7241ed8cbfcf2a12e85b63\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: I cannot tell you whether or not the member is quoting from some of the original statements from Nick Wilson, but I note her first quote was actually right at the beginning of the outbreak\u2014so, I believe, somewhere in the order of 13 August or thereabouts. Obviously, an enormous amount of work has been done, sweeping across with surveillance testing of asymptomatic workers at our front line, and has not demonstrated a link between the outbreak at Americold\u2019s site and our border staff. So the member can continue, of course, this line of inquiry, but I would say to the member that no one wants to find the source more than we do. It helps us make sure that we have got all of the periphery of this cluster. But it is not evidence based to imply it has come from one particular origin when we have not defined that as yet.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000074\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227a3766b6966c448490cd53941c991ec9\u0022\u003EHon Grant Robertson\u003C/span\u003E: Does the Prime Minister agree with Dr Shane Reti that it would \u201Cbe almost impossible\u201D to have 100 percent watertightness at the border, and \u201CI don\u2019t think anyone in anyone\u2019s hands anywhere around the world has done that.\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000075\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f3ecb2170a6447c590cdf76d35a4fbd4\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: Dr Reti is correct because, as I\u2019ve said, Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, Australia\u2014places that have managed to get their cases down low, although none have managed to do it for as long as we have\u2014have all experienced resurgence. I note Vietnam reached 99 days and has been highly praised for their proactive and rigorous regime. They are yet to determine the source of their outbreak either. We will continue looking, but it is simply not fair to say that this has been illustrative of a particular failure when there is no link to our borders or anywhere else at this stage.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000076\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a6c113195664451989070abd8ba602d6\u0022\u003EHon Judith Collins\u003C/span\u003E: When she said yesterday, \u201Cwe\u2019ve asked the Ministry of Health to work through a protocol\u201D\u2014[Interruption] \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000077\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224e7eb1380c274a9ca440ba35fd17bc74\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order! Order! I know there were two members involved in that conversation, and I can\u2019t quite work out how it\u2019s coming through the sound system, but it is. Can I ask Mr Seymour and Mr Shaw just to be quiet. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000078\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221e707a8d450c4a579663b6add3d014d1\u0022\u003EHon Judith Collins\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Mr Speaker. When she said yesterday, \u201Cwe\u2019ve asked the Ministry of Health to work through a protocol, a matrix, which prioritises more regular testing for those staff who are more front-facing and at higher risk.\u201D, how does that differ from the testing strategy announced nine weeks ago on 23 June, which said the same thing?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000079\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b6f1694526da4ead8565224626605aa8\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you for finally acknowledging that the Government did ask for and seek asymptomatic testing, because that is true, and I have produced countless evidence in the House of that. What I\u2019ve also demonstrated is that when we originally had that working through a voucher system, we could not monitor it adequately. We moved to pop-up sites at the airport on 10 July and 16 July. Then those numbers were not adequate, and we were seeking again to scale up the border testing and had every expectation that our surveillance testing, as contained in the strategy of 22 June, would have been rolled out. We\u2019re now working with Health to get the support of other agencies across airports and ports across the country to make sure we have that ongoing surveillance testing. I would say again, though, to the member, that we still, as yet, do not have evidence that this is where the cluster at Americold, which we have not traced any further back than 31 July, at a cool store facility in Mount Wellington\u2014we have not as yet determined where it came from.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000080\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226ced7a5bd8154321ae74d784024e94f0\u0022\u003ENicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: Sloppy!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000081\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223d1b4b88749a4e189487476db506d57f\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000082\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a573f51b60f040cc89c4f768487c6035\u0022\u003EHon Judith Collins\u003C/span\u003E: Has her Government\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000083\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c0e5c9b00db742b9a1485e4fce561621\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I know that her leader hadn\u2019t started, but using words like that as people are about to is disruptive and, I think, not a good reflection on the member\u2019s own leadership. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c565c0effe044bd19ee661045b2e99f5\u0022\u003EHon Judith Collins\u003C/span\u003E: Excuse me, Mr Speaker, that\u2019s not my leadership, I hope you\u2019re\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000085\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220803df69454548fa99d581a57d888db8\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, the point that I\u2019m trying to make is that when a leader is getting up to ask a question and a word like that is used through the leader\u2019s microphone, as it was by Nicola Willis on that occasion, I think it\u2019s a sign of disrespect to the leader whose microphone is being used, and I know in my time, if that was done to a leader, there\u2019d be some pretty serious consequences, and not from the Speaker. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000086\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b2da0e58c5784f17ad39add77eeb4da4\u0022\u003EHon Judith Collins\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Has her Government ensured yet that border workers are getting tested weekly?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000087\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022caaa73d55ab64207b1c23e04ce220350\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: As I identified yesterday, we\u2019ve had a first sweep of staff that has included both those that you would consider at higher risk, because, roughly speaking\u2014280 or so agency staff just at Auckland Airport alone would be considered higher risk. There are then some that are further back that we would still want to be part of ongoing surveillance. They were part of our two weeks of sweeping through. We\u2019ve started that again. We expect that will happen over the next fortnight again, and then, from there, we\u2019ll have a regime that means those who are more frequently interfacing, potentially, with at-risk individuals will be tested more frequently than those who are not considered at risk but we\u2019d still want to be part of asymptomatic surveillance testing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022793e1936c5d14ecd90353023bee59d71\u0022\u003EHon Judith Collins\u003C/span\u003E: Does she agree that Part 3, clause 18 of the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Maritime Border) Order, which deals with crew of non-departing ships who arrive in New Zealand by air, should be tightened to require mandatory testing of those replacement crews after their arrival in New Zealand?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000089\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d91266a42bd0433381ee761edee0e55b\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: Those crews are directed to go directly to their ships. If the member wants to stop the ability for imports and exports, that is a matter for her. We have a health order that very carefully manages the safety of our seafarers and our port workers. If anyone is to have any time in New Zealand, they must quarantine. This is an arrangement for those who are departing a departing ship.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000090\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002203a44796ccf8481e913bc7ad9649f7f1\u0022\u003EHon Judith Collins\u003C/span\u003E: So is the Prime Minister happy for such crew to fly into Auckland Airport and then fly to Wellington Airport to then board a ship without being tested?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000091\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224a179c3078464404b5e78b72058e8e13\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: The order is very specific about it being crew who are leaving directly, or who are coming into port and then leaving directly to their home country. That is what those orders are designed for. Of course, we have regimes in place that mean people should not be having contact, outside of those arrangements, with others.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000092\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00226731cff08aa745d5858f918c0cca0acb\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 5\u2014Finance\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022 data-id=\u0022c79dfde5ea9e460380ac7d32dbd2bc8e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000093\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E5. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c79dfde5ea9e460380ac7d32dbd2bc8e\u0022\u003EHon JAMES SHAW (Co-Leader\u2014Green)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Finance: Is the Government taking steps to ensure the economic recovery from COVID-19 contributes to New Zealand\u2019s zero carbon 2050 target?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022 data-id=\u00227a77ed98d26744f5887ed3a965c9200f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000094\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227a77ed98d26744f5887ed3a965c9200f\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance):\u003C/span\u003E Yes, the Government is committed to a zero carbon 2050 target, and, in rebuilding from the current economic crisis, will build on the progress we\u2019ve already made, including through the zero carbon Act. We are focused on futureproofing the economy, including through investments in new technology and productivity enhancements that contribute to a more sustainable economy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000095\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225cafaba47f53418c9f24d728bc74e8f4\u0022\u003EHon James Shaw\u003C/span\u003E: Has the Minister seen reports showing that 86 percent of New Zealanders believe that climate change should be a part of our COVID-19 recovery plan?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000096\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002256b3726160cd4c2099b067e2e7d008d9\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I have. According to IAG\u2019s 2020 climate change poll, 86 percent of New Zealanders want climate change to be part of the Government\u2019s economic response to COVID-19. Fortunately for that 86 percent of New Zealanders, I can assure them that on this side of the House that is indeed the case.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000097\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002234c3056cf7404c27baf6025ac828fa70\u0022\u003EHon James Shaw\u003C/span\u003E: Has he seen reports showing low-carbon stimulus spending generates far more jobs and long-run economic activity than carbon-intensive spending?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000098\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002212650dcca520466b88a630fb5d9cfd13\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I have, because the member sent it to me. It\u2019s an Oxford University study which identified five policies with high potential for both economic multipliers and climate impacts. These are: clean physical infrastructure, building efficiency retrofits, investment in education and training, natural capital investment, and clean research and development. The Government agrees with both the economic and environmental benefits of these policy areas, and that\u2019s why they are areas where we have provided significant investments through the COVID response and recovery fund.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000099\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a5c52b5024024627a2a5dfc42fe3284e\u0022\u003EHon James Shaw\u003C/span\u003E: What projects have been funded this year which reflect the wishes of New Zealanders who wish to see climate change tackled head-on?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000100\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022aa8c1d5989f847abba8506668ab9afa3\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: Mr Speaker, there are a number, and I will run through as many as you\u2019ll let me get away with: investment in the Hiringa hydrogen refuelling network; $120-plus million invested in waste infrastructure; $220-plus million invested in cycleways; $200-plus million invested in climate resilience\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000101\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229c90c011aac84edfbce39d82f06b88ac\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: All right. The member invited me to interrupt him. I have. Question No.\u00A06, Dr\u2014oh! Further supplementary?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221f72e8896f57444baa193b3caa1b9148\u0022\u003EHon James Shaw\u003C/span\u003E: I was wondering if it would be possible to ask your permission to allow the Minister to table the remainder of his response for the House\u2019s information.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000103\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022132a69e1c6964ba9b7a09cc85b5ba377\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, in fact, if the member has it in his official document\u2014he must\u2014but he can seek leave to table it anyway.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000104\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c58a51eecafd495b90f2a2dc06717f7a\u0022\u003EHon Grant Robertson\u003C/span\u003E: I seek leave to table the list that I didn\u2019t get even halfway through.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000105\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224d017f62444241268419973a6b4278d4\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Is there any objection to that? There appears to be none. It may be tabled. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000106\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003EDocument, by leave, laid on the Table of the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000107\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00228d4b42a79e4a4aaf8e7edb8be35aa1d1\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 6\u2014Health\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022 data-id=\u00221278153a872c4a7a9da92df4ddb6af2d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000108\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E6. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221278153a872c4a7a9da92df4ddb6af2d\u0022\u003EDr SHANE RETI (National\u2014Whangarei)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Health: When he said he hadn\u2019t read the Ministry of Health\u2019s COVID-19 Testing Strategy for staff at the border, why had he not read it?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022 data-id=\u002244344ac8fe3645a8b7cdc3f10e3184b7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000109\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002244344ac8fe3645a8b7cdc3f10e3184b7\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister of Health):\u003C/span\u003E The Government testing strategy is the strategy decided by Cabinet. The document that the member refers to was prepared before I became the Minister of Health, and informed the Cabinet paper on testing which was considered by Cabinet on Monday 22 June\u2014also before I became the Minister of Health. Cabinet took decisions at that meeting, and at subsequent meetings, that went beyond the initial Ministry of Health strategy, including on the issue of asymptomatic testing. It\u2019s the Government\u2019s approved testing strategy that I have been focused on the implementation of. Though I am a diligent and conscientious reader, I have not read every document the Ministry of Health prepared before I became the Minister.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000110\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a196ce4e23874032878c0fe97cf52732\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: Was this an important document for the Minister to read?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000111\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f7441b01ad7045ff82a8aff965a8fc33\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: I think the member, once again, should have listened to the answers before reading pre-scripted supplementary questions. As I indicated, the document was prepared before I became the Minister and it informed Cabinet\u2019s approved testing strategy. Of course, as a member of Cabinet, I read that document even before I became the Minister.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000112\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c9d1439e6f0943f2af8dfba30577e600\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree with the strategy recommendation that testing of all border-facing staff is not viable?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000113\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224c7e2a53bd604fdaa0c4471a743c1396\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: No. The advice at the time\u2014and bearing in mind that the Government did get advice that there would be some difficulties around implementing that\u2014was that we needed to find ways to get past those difficulties and make sure that that testing strategy was implemented, and that\u2019s what we have done.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000114\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229422e299aa114e2394aa4991c44c4d3d\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: Have all border-facing staff, including staff at managed isolation facilities, been tested for coronavirus, and have they all got their results?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000115\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f16fb2d7721f4a65b0b03736ba831e6b\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: Yes. In terms of the managed isolation, yes. In terms of those front-facing airport workers that are at higher risk, yes. In terms of the port workers that are at higher risk, yes. Has absolutely everybody who has been at the port, for example, been tested? The vast majority of them have been. There will still be some where they may have moved on, for example, or we may not have been able to get in touch with them. That would be a very small number of people. About 13,000 people in the overall categories that I just mentioned have been tested over the last two weeks, and a second sweep of testing those people is happening again now.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000116\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002224ceed9d9e96411182b07bfa93d082d3\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: Will it be compulsory for all border-facing staff, including staff at managed isolation facilities, to be tested weekly?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000117\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227a85d44cefc6452aaa4abfbb549f66b2\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: Not necessarily. The Government is currently doing a second sweep of everybody. By the end of that second sweep we will release a schedule that will set out how frequently people in different roles need to be tested. That will be based on a risk assessment, so that the lowest risk people are tested less frequently and the higher risk people are tested more frequently.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000118\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d29cbba78b2746dfb5f8bb90735a6d92\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: How infrequently could low-risk people be tested?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000119\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223e21451338ad46698532b91d17a112c3\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: Those decisions have not yet been made.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000120\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226645c3f8658f4f88b57244829832151a\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: When he said last week that staff testing failures were reported to him but were not facility-specific, why was the Jet Park, a high-risk quarantine facility, not reported separately?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000121\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022989024b85f6740f1a66627da6582d67b\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: I reject the first part of the question; that\u2019s not what I said last week.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000122\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022b5927336cf6844d8b4b9493f7b94aaa1\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 7\u2014Revenue\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022 data-id=\u0022d0097c3ecb5b43969701400fb9f62b04\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000123\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E7. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d0097c3ecb5b43969701400fb9f62b04\u0022\u003EGINNY ANDERSEN (Labour)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Revenue: What advice has he seen about the take-up of the Small Business Cashflow (Loan) Scheme?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022bbded2ec-ac25-4a73-a380-3f4d87693084\u0022 data-id=\u00226b63da063f7c4d71b9247c41b2c3d43b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000124\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022bbded2ec-ac25-4a73-a380-3f4d87693084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226b63da063f7c4d71b9247c41b2c3d43b\u0022\u003EHon STUART NASH (Minister of Revenue):\u003C/span\u003E The Government took decisive and considered action to support small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Inland Revenue advised me that almost 100,000 small businesses have applied for an interest-free loan, totalling more than $1.6 billion. Around 81 percent of the loans have gone to small and medium businesses with one to five staff, and around 11 percent of applicants have six to 10 staff. Interestingly, 61 percent of loans have gone to mature or longstanding firms that are at least five years old. Only around 6 percent of loans have gone to new firms that are less than one year old. As the economy starts to open up and recover, many businesses have begun repaying their loans. Around 3,500 small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have repaid almost $15 million so far. The interest-free loans are a cheap source of working capital for firms that find themselves in a tough spot. They have proven to be a popular and fast way to access capital for viable but vulnerable small businesses.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000125\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002243bd4104751a46119a56e763801dfe3b\u0022\u003EGinny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: What advice has he seen around the regional distribution of the Small Business Cashflow (Loan) Scheme?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000126\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022bbded2ec-ac25-4a73-a380-3f4d87693084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c694e539aaf4457485c3426dc54d6e6c\u0022\u003EHon STUART NASH\u003C/span\u003E: Inland Revenue advises that one in four small businesses has received a small business cash-flow loan. The lion\u2019s share of interest-free loans, or around 41 percent, has gone to SMEs in Auckland. That\u2019s more than 42,000 businesses that have applied for almost $700 million. Around 12 percent, or $192 million, of loans has gone to the Christchurch region; 9 percent, or $144 million, has gone to Wellington; and 7 percent, or $111 million, has gone to Hamilton-based small businesses. SMEs in smaller regions and cities have also made good use of the initiative. Around a third of all loan applicants are from outside these main centres. For example, Napier has had almost 2,500 applications for $42 million in loans. The loan scheme is only three months old. The wide distribution across the country and repayments show the efficacy of this policy, and I urge small businesses to check out the Inland Revenue website to see what help may be available to them through the tax system.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000127\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002255d16216beb74027ae7894f7136f1857\u0022\u003EGinny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: What advice has he seen around the industry breakdowns of small business cash-flow loans?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000128\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022bbded2ec-ac25-4a73-a380-3f4d87693084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022849ec53a23194cacadfff3d1d641cad2\u0022\u003EHon STUART NASH\u003C/span\u003E: Construction, accommodation and food services, professional industries, retail, trade, and manufacturing have received the most loan proceeds to date, but while the construction industry has received most loan proceeds, the largest loans on average, or around $22,000 per business, were approved for applicants operating in the accommodation and food services. Inland Revenue analysis also shows that almost 50 percent of transport, postal, and warehousing providers have received a loan, compared to roughly only 8 percent of all businesses in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing sector. Together with the numerous Government initiatives, such as the wage subsidy and the loss carry-back scheme, these measures are designed to cushion the blow of COVID-19 on our nation\u2019s small businesses.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000129\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002229850163f8ac4aa6bb3d9a72a053fd80\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 8\u2014Research, Science and Innovation\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u0022c037415cda834e50a98fadccbd275047\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000130\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c037415cda834e50a98fadccbd275047\u0022\u003EHon GERRY BROWNLEE (Deputy Leader\u2014National):\u003C/span\u003E My question is to the Minister of Housing and asks\u2014sorry, the Minister of science, research, and\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000131\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c0c48ae3093348309bff623e1365d169\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Research, science, and technology. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u00224e2ea16697c24b30b654c741e8cb27ba\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000132\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E8. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224e2ea16697c24b30b654c741e8cb27ba\u0022\u003EHon GERRY BROWNLEE (Deputy Leader\u2014National)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Research, Science and Innovation: Yes\u2014thank you. Your education of me continues. Where precisely on the Southern Interceptor is ESR testing for COVID-19 in Auckland\u2019s waste water, and when was the first positive result?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022 data-id=\u002210f42097ae9543f4bd51f53dc6ef2da2\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000133\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002210f42097ae9543f4bd51f53dc6ef2da2\u0022\u003EHon Dr MEGAN WOODS (Minister of Research, Science and Innovation):\u003C/span\u003E I\u2019m advised that testing is undertaken precisely where the waste water from the Southern Interceptor meets the M\u0101ngere treatment plant. Testing commenced at the Southern Interceptor on 12 July, and the first positive result was confirmed on 16 July. As I mentioned in my answer yesterday, it is expected that we see positive results in the Southern Interceptor as this is where the waste water from the Jet Park Hotel flows through. I would caution the member about reading too much into these results at this early stage of the project. This is scientific method development and not yet a verified public health surveillance tool. The research obviously does not provide granular information about the precise location of COVID-19, and to read too much into these interim findings could ultimately undermine the public health response. I\u2019m happy to offer the member a briefing on the use of waste-water testing or, indeed, when alert levels allow, a visit to the Southern Interceptor, should he be interested in how the process works.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000134\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002251fa5e4181c94c60a608519811c8569e\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Well, I just want to indicate that we\u2019ll most certainly take up the Minister on that generous offer.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000135\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002242378f3c610648029daa1950f152d680\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s much better than he did for Mr Parker\u2014his offer for a trip at one stage. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000136\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b4f11652c87f47f6969f634325dffa93\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s not a point of order.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225d5507f67c994de0b11346a602a1068d\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Oh yes, I understand that it\u2019s probably not, and if I was going to be really strict through my term, I think the Deputy Prime Minister himself might have been pulled up a bit more often than he was. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000138\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a4ea01b8d1ce436585170b3abd54bc4b\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: Is she aware that the Watercare maps show that the Jet Park is not on the Southern Interceptor? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000139\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022221685669bd44a619fc2eaeee3814fd0\u0022\u003EHon Dr MEGAN WOODS\u003C/span\u003E: In terms of the facilities that are connected to the South Western Interceptor, the Naumi Hotel, the Holiday Inn Auckland Airport, Jet Park Hotel Auckland Airport, Sudima Auckland Airport, and the Novotel Auckland Airport are all on the South Western Interceptor. I am more than happy to table a map that shows all of the managed isolation facilities and which of the interceptors they connect to, because this is, of course, what the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) needs in order to carry out their surveillance methodology development. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000140\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221381d737be3b4129abcd19b775ed97ba\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: Is it possible that some of the positive testing in July did not come from the Jet Park? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000141\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002271d63d1bef394840aed26a94983ae766\u0022\u003EHon Dr MEGAN WOODS\u003C/span\u003E: What we see is that there was testing that was being carried out at the Jet Park and the associated interceptor. One of the challenges we have in New Zealand\u2014and why this is scientific method development rather than public health surveillance\u2014is the fact that we had no COVID in the community before that. We were seeing it going through into the appropriate receptor. But if the member is looking for conspiracies, I suggest he look somewhere other than the sewer. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000142\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222dad7fe318744c67b7bf3c38a7edbf1c\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Question No. 9, the Hon Paul Goldsmith.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000143\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002290075393328546fdb29f6d2fc91b9647\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s a reasonable answer? Is that a reasonable answer?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000144\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002260082eb867e14082b22f667e3a00ce7b\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000145\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a5926c600ff849c79248a6e304e5e5a8\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019ve asked straight questions. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000146\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002259fc29e2d4ef4804aa7899de9b8fa737\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: It was a straight question, there were some interjections from his colleagues, the Minister might have added on some unnecessary stuff and been political, but I think compared to some of the things that have been going both ways, it didn\u2019t call for my intervention. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000147\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b18e424435d84158890cc350becd003e\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: Supplementary. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000148\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cab22a62b26347d0b772623b49f45c56\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: A further supp\u2014hadn\u2019t I called Mr Goldsmith?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000149\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002255914afe969f463ca4fd406d2a6d5dde\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: No.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000150\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022163eeba7d13b47bbaa0d65681612fcb2\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: All right.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000151\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022857265993f8a48889e46d5fabad1e078\u0022\u003EHon Members\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, you had. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000152\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229bbd6597472f458c9e8306e20d655849\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Had\u2014well, I just want to ask a very straight question: had I called you, Mr Goldsmith?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000153\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002257acb9d5d0b849928b1fa6a4a31dafc9\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: I can\u2019t remember, sorry. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000154\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226df6151de2d04cb1a7007590ee4acb81\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I had called Mr Goldsmith. I\u2019m willing to take the leave of the House to go back to allow Mr Brownlee to ask a question. Is there any objection to that? There appears to be none.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000155\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225ba060d2e2f34b27986c3bb6b29a2c81\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: I thank the House. Just a simple question: on what day can we organise to have the briefing with ECR and Watercare? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000156\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cd3a8a2ead134dc596680bf225451f6d\u0022\u003EHon Members\u003C/span\u003E: ESR. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000157\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f3c97dfd33fa48b58d08b7944ea720c8\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: ESR\u2014sorry. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000158\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002274ccfa26224f43efbcb6d12d1301d0a4\u0022\u003EHon Dr MEGAN WOODS\u003C/span\u003E: ESR is the Crown research institute that is carrying out this methodological development. We will do that at the earliest possible convenience. I would imagine we\u2019ll be able to do that pretty quickly, and then\u2014once the alert levels allow\u2014travel to the Southern Interceptor. I look forward to accompanying the member. [Interruption]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000159\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cd43dd8d5ab14154bab385d1a32e4ec8\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m lost for words, but I think we\u2019ll go to Mr Goldsmith.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000160\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022749fab8f44a941e18348704c9e578932\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 9\u2014Finance\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022 data-id=\u00221d0ad05c9eb3457d8831534b845dfa06\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000161\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E9. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221d0ad05c9eb3457d8831534b845dfa06\u0022\u003EHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Finance: Is he confident the Government is doing all it can to reduce the economic damage caused by the current lockdown restrictions?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022 data-id=\u0022377baa604efb4488a880962842fa3a21\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000162\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022377baa604efb4488a880962842fa3a21\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance):\u003C/span\u003E I am confident that the Government\u2019s overall strategy is the right one to support businesses and the economy through the current restrictions, as we have done throughout this global pandemic. The current alert level 3 restrictions in Auckland, and alert level 2 in the rest of the country, are in place to reduce the economic damage caused by COVID-19 being in our community. Getting on top of the virus quickly allows us to open up the economy more quickly, as has been indicated by the New Zealand Activity Index showing higher activity in June and July compared to last year. One part of what we\u2019re doing to reduce the economic impact of COVID-19 on the economy is the more than $13 billion of wage subsidy payments over 22 weeks. Our response has always struck a balance between providing the support that is needed in a timely fashion with our responsibilities to manage New Zealand through this one-in-100-year economic shock in a sustainable way.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000163\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226e00bffaa932458584ef2b7d6f2476f1\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: Why doesn\u2019t the Government extend the wage subsidy further to cover the extended level 3 lockdown in Auckland?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000164\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ca0b47edb55f414a9ff8d9c1c8f9fd8f\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: This matter was covered both in answers in the House yesterday and, indeed, by the Prime Minister today. There has been 22 weeks of payment for businesses that are affected in Auckland. During that period, only just over nine weeks of that has been spent under either level 3 or level 4. That is a significant investment in those businesses, and we continue to support them through other means, as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000165\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d74f8bb708a547e5bfe5af453550ffd1\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: Is a reason he\u2019s not further extending the wage subsidy for the extended level 3 lockdown because he\u2019s mindful of the debt we\u2019re taking\u2014\u201CWe are borrowing every single dollar we are paying out\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000166\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022211f0ea30771499d8ea7877cd6dcd14a\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: As I said in my answer, we take seriously the balance that needs to be struck in making sure that we support New Zealanders through this in a timely fashion with our overall responsibilities to now and future generations of New Zealanders. We have taken on a significant amount of debt to do this. I\u2019m unaware, at this point, of the member\u2019s position on how much debt he thinks we should be taking on.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000167\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002243e8567ede6946d0a108ae4c5c31732b\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree that Government debt eventually needs to be paid back?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000168\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002220bdc7e54ae44eefac4eb135d92a56e4\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: Well, Government debt does need to be paid down. It\u2019s very rare in New Zealand\u2019s history for us to have got to the point where we had almost no public debt. I believe Sir Michael Cullen got us, in terms of as a percentage of GDP, as close as we\u2019ve got in history. But we have to manage debt carefully\u2014for example, the record of this Government speaks to that: the fact that we inherited 21.7 percent net debt and we reduced that to under 20 percent.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000169\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022aa4065000d2d43beb5da4c126fb2294a\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: Will he rule out cancelling or writing off any of the Government debt that has been bought by the Reserve Bank, as long as he is the Minister of Finance?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000170\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e1462978bc144d5d92a6bb61fa81642e\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: That is definitely not my intention.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000171\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a48b9af83e3d47e58a75e35a4d12c2e1\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: Rather than his intention\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000172\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c06fd47639d844699fcb3e6fe1ca6ebc\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order! Order! I am going to ask the member to answer the question again because, I mean, there\u2019s no requirement for yes/no answers, but that answer could have been taken either as a positive or a negative response to the question.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000173\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225759ce06e12f4451948900762b2fa0d5\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: No.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000174\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022942fe07058104be9949dc9cca94f62fc\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s much clearer.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000175\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e3f11ab9ba6649449429215ea423a84c\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry, so he won\u2019t rule out cancelling or writing off any Government debt that has been bought by the Reserve Bank? Is that his answer?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000176\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002227182fd29bb046ccbf79d304df3e644a\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: It is not my intention to write off any of that debt.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000177\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225fa59b840af74dde9093e10cfc9d026d\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: Just clarifying: rather than his intentions, will he rule out cancelling or writing off any Government debt that has been bought by the Reserve Bank, as long as he is the Minister of Finance?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000178\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022974d39bce0fe4a82846369757ef077a8\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: I am ruling that out, yes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000179\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b72e9b11a9974444845c41a9e2e804a9\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Right, that concludes oral questions. [Interruption] Sorry? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000180\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b286945ee3a341e5ba788e6702acbe45\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000181\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022af9007733e594ffcb6388ebee1a296ad\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Oh no, I apologise. It concludes supplementaries from one side, not all of the questions, yes. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000182\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002218ac469aff8f43aba7d6e2ca236faf28\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: Oh sorry, it\u2019s not a question\u2014no, I\u2019ll wait till\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000183\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002225f369f1426c4b5bbd2e10008a9e77c1\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: No, we\u2019ve got a couple more questions. I\u2019ve been slightly obsessing on making sure that the Opposition get a fair number, and I forgot that we do have Government questions, as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000184\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00227d1b662808a7405eb7aa9f0eb9480775\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 10\u2014Health\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022 data-id=\u0022425da47cdc784477abf07dc3c6411aaf\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000185\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E10. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022425da47cdc784477abf07dc3c6411aaf\u0022\u003EKIERAN McANULTY (Labour)\u003C/span\u003E to the Associate Minister of Health: How is the Government supporting Pacific communities at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002290ea1538-43e8-4257-bd80-df3ccd1e5f27\u0022 data-id=\u0022b7c02b45d09847ccb2d44c2e54c45209\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000186\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002290ea1538-43e8-4257-bd80-df3ccd1e5f27\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b7c02b45d09847ccb2d44c2e54c45209\u0022\u003EHon KRIS FAAFOI (Minister of Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media)\u003C/span\u003E on behalf of the Associate Minister of Health: The recent cases of COVID-19 have disproportionately affected the Pacific communities. The response to this current outbreak has been designed and delivered in partnership with Pacific experts, providers, and communities. As part of this commitment, Cabinet agreed on Monday to an additional $19.5 million to help boost our COVID-19 health response to our Pacific communities. This funding will ensure we continue to have the front-line capacity for the cultural and language skills and the relationships required to provide the testing and case management needed to handle this most recent outbreak.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000187\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229b1b5e80d71f47fc948f1554a6998d0d\u0022\u003EKieran McAnulty\u003C/span\u003E: What support will the funding provide?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000188\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002290ea1538-43e8-4257-bd80-df3ccd1e5f27\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f96fcd7714414b8f8412cb0363fc5afb\u0022\u003EHon KRIS FAAFOI\u003C/span\u003E: We have seen the rapid mobilisation of our Pacific health workforce in response to COVID-19. This new funding allows Pacific health providers in Auckland to meet increased demand for testing and support services. It also enables Auckland metro DHBs to expand their mobile outreach services. It also allows for an enhanced Pacific priority outreach service as part of our National Close Contact Service. It funds additional support for intelligence gathering and analysis, and includes flexible funding to assist disability support services in their Pacific COVID-19 response.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000189\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e2536be6f4674a90b08744bdd57d611e\u0022\u003EKieran McAnulty\u003C/span\u003E: Why is a specific response for our Pacific communities so important?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000190\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002290ea1538-43e8-4257-bd80-df3ccd1e5f27\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cc8547a112bc4d14972fce2b40e49c06\u0022\u003EHon KRIS FAAFOI\u003C/span\u003E: The recent resurgence of COVID-19 has almost entirely been in the Auckland region, where more than two-thirds of our Pacific communities live. The proximity and connection of this outbreak within our Pacific population has required a targeted response, and we\u2019re achieving that through our health response and, just as importantly, through our information campaign. This has included translations of key official messages into nine Pacific languages, an extensive social media campaign, and regular digital fono between key community leaders. Only by working together with our Pacific communities can we get on top of this virus in our Pacific communities.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000191\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022eec32070b6574675ae144e7cd3864f99\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 11\u2014Social Development\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022 data-id=\u0022d2be692eee214df5a52c5a61ebe6181e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000192\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022\u003E11. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d2be692eee214df5a52c5a61ebe6181e\u0022\u003EPAUL EAGLE (Labour\u2014Rongotai)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister for Social Development: What support has the Government made available to assist communities in response to COVID-19?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022 data-id=\u0022185c7810caa147e28cf037c4e46c3049\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000193\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022185c7810caa147e28cf037c4e46c3049\u0022\u003EHon POTO WILLIAMS (Associate Minister for Social Development)\u003C/span\u003E on behalf of the Minister for Social Development: The Government has opened a $36 million Community Capability and Resilience Fund for community groups seeking funding for initiatives that support the rebuild and recovery from COVID-19 over the next two years, and $1.7 million has already been approved to support a broad range of local initiatives like building marae, IT capability, safe distribution of food packs amongst community groups, and initiatives that support young people to access mentoring, counselling, and online services. There are also a range of groups who have sought funding, including 19 M\u0101ori and 10 Pacific providers. The majority of funding has been distributed into the Auckland region, and the fund has pivoted to include a focus on providing immediate funding to support groups to respond to people in need in Auckland following the level 3 restrictions. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000194\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222f2aec1178c84b02a888aef0c09bfc41\u0022\u003EPaul Eagle\u003C/span\u003E: What other support has the Government provided to support communities to respond to COVID-19? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000195\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224add9a4d2dca45889d42c9cc76dd3913\u0022\u003EHon POTO WILLIAMS\u003C/span\u003E: Answering on behalf of the Minister, $27 million was also provided to non-governmental organisations and community groups during level 4 to support the provision of food and essential goods to those in need. Social services are key to promoting wellbeing in our communities, and our most recent investments build on the $267 million investment to address cost pressures within our community sector. On top of this, we also invested $79 million towards social services as part of COVID response, plus an extra $8.6 million for family violence services. This Government remains committed to both the longer-term sustainability of our social service providers as well as to supporting local solutions to address more immediate needs for our people, wh\u0101nau, and communities through different COVID alert levels. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000196\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227b185fe017ef413bb0d7de9ca7d6097c\u0022\u003EPaul Eagle\u003C/span\u003E: Why is it important to include community and social service support as a key part of our COVID-19 response? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000197\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b15bd24dd82e4efeb02b4f330db92d16\u0022\u003EHon POTO WILLIAMS\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister, our community organisations and social services are key to helping us support New Zealanders and improve wellbeing in our communities. This is true now, but will be particularly important in our rebuilding and recovery phase in response to COVID-19. It\u2019s important that our economic and health response is supported by a robust social response. As a Government, we are committed to keeping our communities safe, strong, connected, and getting through this together. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000198\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002276a4c391f06c40cb8df95f14adc047b4\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 8 to Minister, 25 August\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u002233629f39ba674a9c9b6924a7db6e0ef1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000199\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002233629f39ba674a9c9b6924a7db6e0ef1\u0022\u003EHon GERRY BROWNLEE (Deputy Leader\u2014National):\u003C/span\u003E I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I raise this now because of the relatively short time that the Parliament has to run before we adjourn again, and because I think it possibly is a mistake that\u2019s just been inadvertently made. In question No. 8 yesterday, the Minister, the Hon Dr Megan Woods, speaking about the Institute of Environmental Science and Research testing, referred to the Southern Interceptor. In written question No. 15360, the Hon Chris Hipkins referred to the Southern Interceptor. But in questions today, the verge point appears to be with the South Western Interceptor, which is quite a different matter, and a different line of questioning could have been pursued. So I\u2019m really wondering: is that a mistake or is it a new piece of information?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022 data-id=\u002203f65c3308934e958602669ba9605f0c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000200\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002203f65c3308934e958602669ba9605f0c\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: It is an unusual approach\u2014not one that I\u2019d normally allow\u2014but because of the relatively short time and the importance which the members clearly place on this, I\u2019m asking between the Minister who answered the question yesterday and the Minister who answered the question today for a response to clarify that\u2014if the member\u2019s able to, otherwise it can be done next week. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022 data-id=\u0022e8bb6a3c4ec14103aa190d0230ca28ca\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000201\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e8bb6a3c4ec14103aa190d0230ca28ca\u0022\u003EHon Dr MEGAN WOODS (Minister of Research, Science and Innovation):\u003C/span\u003E I will send the member a written response to that this afternoon.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000202\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000203\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022cc3df7b76d144fb1b468be8d42243124\u0022\u003EGeneral Debate\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00220e3247437ccd43a7b27979b6499ba04c\u0022\u003EGeneral Debate\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022 data-id=\u0022b2d977486dd147259b160e1443c6d31c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000204\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b2d977486dd147259b160e1443c6d31c\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance):\u003C/span\u003E I move, That the House take note of miscellaneous business. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000206\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EI wanted to start today by acknowledging the people of Christchurch and, most importantly, the Muslim community in Christchurch. At this time, they are going through the most extraordinary reliving of grief, and they\u2019re doing so with levels of courage, fortitude, and dignity that I believe makes all New Zealanders proud. No one would wish upon this community what has happened to them, but their ability to stand up and stand in the court for the last three days and speak the way they have makes me extremely proud to have them as fellow New Zealanders. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000207\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EThe extraordinarily tough time that community has gone through does give us pause for thought when we look at what has happened with COVID-19. This has been a tough year for everybody, and going now back into a period of restrictions, in the Auckland area in particular, is psychologically tough. It is important we acknowledge that\u2014this has been a difficult year. But New Zealanders have worked together to get through it, and, as the Prime Minister said earlier this week, \u201CWe have done well as a country.\u201D Yes, there is a new outbreak, but we are getting it under control quicker than most, and every single day New Zealanders contribute to that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000208\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EIt is also important to remember that we have done well throughout this year\u2014103 days of no community transmission. That saw the country operating at a level that had not been forecast and was not seen virtually anywhere in the world. The New Zealand Activity Index actually showed that the months of June and July were better\u2014from an economic perspective\u2014in New Zealand than those comparable months in 2019. We saw expansion in our manufacturing and our services indexes through that same period. The New Zealand economy was recovering well, and that was a result of the fact that we had done well. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000209\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EBut, yes, the virus came back again\u2014as it has done almost everywhere else in the world. But, again, we acted swiftly and decisively, and New Zealanders have swung in behind. If we need to look to the example of what might happen if we hadn\u2019t acted in that way, we only need to look across to the state of Victoria, which on 26 July had 8,181 cases, and 71 deaths\u2014whereas, on 26 August, they had had 18,613 cases and 462 deaths. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000210\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EWe stand today as a country that has worked hard to make sure that we can get on top of an outbreak like this. Yes, it has come with sacrifice, but we\u2019ve done it once and we can do it again. In doing so, we have got better at what we do. We have tested over 170,000 people since that outbreak. Our contact tracing systems, which set a gold standard of 80 percent of people being contacted within 48 hours, are contacting over 90 percent of people in a 48-hour period. Our ability to use genome sequencing means we can understand more about the virus. We are getting better at this and we are getting on top of it\u2014all without going back into level 4, with only having one region of the country in level 3 and the rest of the country in level 2. This is the result of a consistent strategy to stamp out the virus, to go early and hard, to strengthen our public health system, and to cushion the blow economically. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000211\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EIt is that consistency of strategy that this Government stands behind. That stands in contrast to the other side of the House, where we have seen all sorts of strategies, all sorts of plans and proposals, all sorts of contradictions, and no clear vision for how that side of the House would handle an outbreak like this. They\u2019ve spoken against money being invested; they\u2019ve asked for more money to be invested. They wanted a shorter level 4; they wanted a shorter level 3. They invented a homeless man. They called for an open border; they wanted a closed border, and then another open border. They leaked patient details. They thought universities could run their own isolation facilities. They dismissed the need for action during the period that we were at level 1 and called it scaremongering, and they made up conspiracy theories. Those are not the actions of a responsible political party with a proper, coherent plan and strategy for how to deal with an outbreak like this. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000212\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EThere is no playbook for dealing with a pandemic. What this Government has done is relied upon expert advice, upon evidence, and upon making sure that our values of looking after people\u2014no matter who they are\u2014in New Zealand stand fast in this period of time. It is impossible, facing a pandemic, to get everything 100 percent right\u2014as Dr Reti has told the country\u2014but on this side of the House, I am proud of a consistent strategy that has looked after New Zealanders and has gone hard and early. New Zealand, as a whole, deserves credit for that\u2014this Government is proud to be leading New Zealanders in that strategy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022530ce0c4-c977-40cb-90fb-754f54931ff1\u0022 data-id=\u0022bc26baf9b2674b04aebb67d6d7d50b39\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000213\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022530ce0c4-c977-40cb-90fb-754f54931ff1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022bc26baf9b2674b04aebb67d6d7d50b39\u0022\u003EHon TRACEY MARTIN (Minister for Children):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. COVID-19 has, quite rightly, gathered our attention for the last number of months. But just because COVID-19 is here doesn\u2019t mean that some of our other very deep-seated challenges went away. I want to bring us back to why New Zealand First actually chose this configuration of Government. What it was that New Zealand First was making sure of was the pathway into the future for New Zealand. I want to do it in the context of one of the most challenging portfolios, that the Opposition won\u2019t challenge, and that is the portfolio of children, Oranga Tamariki. The last question I received from the Opposition around Oranga Tamariki and the care and protection of our children in this country was in August 2018.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000214\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225ed0fb8f3f5d408e88527fa952732203\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: Oh! The Minister\u2019s doing such a great job\u2014beyond question!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000215\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022530ce0c4-c977-40cb-90fb-754f54931ff1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002263aa9322bd8c4812b613df1260805444\u0022\u003EHon TRACEY MARTIN\u003C/span\u003E: That is not because the Opposition does not care about children; that is because the Opposition actually agrees and sets the platform upon which we built. So Mr Brownlee might like to calm down and just keep listening. There are over one million children here in New Zealand\u2014280,000 of them are of M\u0101ori descent. There are 5,900 children in this country who need intensive intervention to allow them to remain safely at home with their families. There are 5,900 children who are under the care of Oranga Tamariki; 90 percent of those children have experienced family violence. Whoever forms the next Government must ensure that the joint venture to address family violence and sexual violence continues and is strengthened. If we could do one thing to address one of the major issues in this country, which will have a domino effect for our families, regardless of their ethnic background, it would be to address family violence.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000216\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022530ce0c4-c977-40cb-90fb-754f54931ff1\u0022\u003EOne of the largest misunderstandings I\u2019ve come across during the last three years in this portfolio is that when a child is taken into care, many people think that they\u2019re all removed to orphanages or large institutions. Sixty-six percent of children in the care of the State are actually at home, either with mum and dad or direct family or extended wh\u0101nau. So of the 5,900 children in care, 3,894 are at home with family or wh\u0101nau. The vast majority of children in technical care are at home with family, supported by the State. Of the 5,900 children under the care of the State, 79 percent have had a parent with treatment for substance abuse or drug-related offences. In recent times, methamphetamine use by parents and other household members is the major factor. At least 50 percent of the most recent entries into care have a relationship to P. The major item number 2 for whoever forms the next Government: make sure there are addiction services on the ground in every community so that they have a chance to reform their family.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000217\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022530ce0c4-c977-40cb-90fb-754f54931ff1\u0022\u003EWhen I came into this job on 26 October 2017, while there had been an expert advisory committee, and the organisation had been formed on 1 April 2017, there was no operating model and there was no budget. There was no money. On 1 July 2019, just 18 months after the 2017 election, we had a Cabinet-approved operating model that included a focus on prevention, early intervention, and intensive intervention, and the largest investment in child protection in our nation\u2019s history. But have we made a difference? We have. There has been a 44 percent decrease in children coming into care since 2017. Over 850 tamariki M\u0101ori less\u2014fewer; I\u2019m not sure which one, Mr Speaker\u2014entered care between 2017 and June this year. We can do better, absolutely, but we\u2019re on the right track.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000218\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022530ce0c4-c977-40cb-90fb-754f54931ff1\u0022\u003EWhat about babies being taken into care\u2014p\u0113pi M\u0101ori. We have made a positive movement in supporting our mums and babies to stay at home and be together. There\u2019s been an over 50 percent reduction in babies coming into care between 2017 and 2020. Their entries into care via the section 78 orders\u2014as a result of the Hastings practice review, there is an expectation that all section 78 interim custody orders will be made on notice. There has been a 62 percent decrease in section 78 orders since 2017. These children are safe, though, because we have partnered with iwi, hap\u016B, and communities. Relationships are the key to what will solve this issue for our children. I urge anybody who makes up the next Government: stay on this track, trust M\u0101ori, trust our communities, and devolve and resource. Kia ora.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022 data-id=\u0022a367065fa38041f2b6fcdff9f9f94b53\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000219\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a367065fa38041f2b6fcdff9f9f94b53\u0022\u003EHon JAMES SHAW (Minister for Climate Change):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. I want to start by commending the very strong speech that the Hon Tracey Martin has just given about where things stand in this country, both in terms of the situation and the challenge that we find ourselves at with domestic and sexual violence and the effects that that has on children, and also on the Government\u2019s response to that. I thought that was very strong. I also commend her for, whilst we\u2019re dealing with the current crisis, lifting our heads up beyond the immediate horizon and focusing on some of the long-term challenges that are facing this country, and that\u2019s actually where I\u2019d like to pick up.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000220\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003EAs the Prime Minister said this week, this has been a very difficult year\u2014and, I think, in her own words, \u201Cfrankly, terrible\u201D\u2014and she\u2019s not wrong. None of us expected things to unfold the way that they have this year. COVID-19 has changed everything\u2014everything. That which we used to take for granted, we no longer can guarantee, and we have all\u2014including political parties\u2014had to adjust to a new way of doing things and to rethink our future. Now, I want to be clear. The Green Party absolutely supports the health response to COVID-19. We know that we need to act decisively if we are to get on top of this virus again, and we would like to thank the people of New Zealand for following the rules that keep us all safe, because if it were not for all of our actions\u2014actions by all of us\u2014we would be in a much, much worse situation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000221\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003EThe thing is, as difficult as 2020 has been and as unpredictable as it will no doubt continue to be, it has also taught us some incredibly valuable lessons. The pandemic has shown us the importance of community, of looking out for one another, that we are only as strong individually as we are collectively, that COVID-19 has not created the cracks in our system but it has revealed them in the stark, harsh light of day. Right now, we\u2019re obviously dealing with the ongoing fallout of the pandemic, a second wave that we were warned about but which many had not expected, after weeks and weeks of living at level 1. My message to New Zealand, then, is that we will get through this, just as we have before, if we follow the medical advice backed by science, if we continue to push back on attempts to stir distrust in information, and if we look out for one another.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000222\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003EBut, while we deal with a second wave, we must also look beyond that, because, of course, we are a couple of months out from an election, and at this point in every election cycle, we say that this is the most important election ever\u2014\u201CThis election is critical.\u201D Now, this time we mean it, because this decision will come down to one thing: what is our vision for the future of Aotearoa. Do we try and claw our way back to the way things were before COVID-19, or do we think ahead and position ourselves for the long term to create a truly sustainable economy which creates prosperity without creating a climate crisis, which protects the natural environment so that it can support and be enjoyed by our children and our children\u2019s children?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000223\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003EReturning to business as usual is not an option. Even if it were possible to simply click our fingers and turn back the clock, a return to business as usual means a future of climate breakdown, ecological catastrophe, economic inequality, and social instability. If we spend the next few years resuscitating last century\u2019s economy, with all of its flaws and its consequences, then the window of opportunity to avert these future crises will have closed. We now have a once-in-a-century opportunity\u2014a responsibility even\u2014to change. A year ago, few could have fathomed the situation that we find ourselves in today, but 30 or 50 or 100 years from now, when future generations look back at our response to this unprecedented series of events, we need to be able to tell them that we were thinking ahead, for them and for all of those to come.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000224\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s been tough; we can agree on that. We should be proud of our efforts, and we must also think ahead and make smart choices now, so we and all of those to come\u2014and our planet\u2014can thrive. Thank you, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022 data-id=\u002208b13a142951490089cede46f7e7974f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000225\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002208b13a142951490089cede46f7e7974f\u0022\u003EHon JUDITH COLLINS (Leader of the Opposition):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. On behalf of the National Party, I\u2019d first like to acknowledge all the victims and families of victims of the massacre at Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch. I think many New Zealanders, most New Zealanders, would have been very much impressed by the incredible level of humanity displayed by the families of victims and those people who have themselves been victims of what happened in Christchurch at those mosques. We give respect and we acknowledge that here in this debating chamber, we work in what is a war memorial, where the deeds of our former military are being acknowledged here in this place. I think it\u2019s appropriate that as a Parliament we acknowledge what has gone on and the effect on people who have been so wrongly treated.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000226\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003EToday is a day when we\u2019ve heard the Prime Minister say that there\u2019s no idea where this COVID came back from. It seems to be a miracle. It seems to have come in the air, maybe on a cloud somewhere, talking about the cool storage place, which apparently has almost no relationship whatsoever\u2014no idea where this COVID came back from. It is 102 days; it appeared back in New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000227\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022902f6d8c73c84bd183fc6fe46fc328f9\u0022\u003EHon Member\u003C/span\u003E: 104 days.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000228\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f291471538f94470a9189c1008bdedff\u0022\u003EHon JUDITH COLLINS\u003C/span\u003E: A hundred and four days, I should say, because on 100 days the Prime Minister was busy dancing a jig and posted it online. Something that people tend to learn in Government is to never start dancing the jig and claiming victory until it actually is a victory.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000229\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003EIt certainly hasn\u2019t been a victory for those New Zealanders who have found their businesses put at risk and their jobs at risk. We have heard today from the Government that they\u2019re not interested in extending out the wage subsidy for a mere four more days; it\u2019s just all too difficult. They\u2019ve had enough. All these businesses, these employees, is what they\u2019re saying\u2014the workers have had enough, is what they\u2019re saying. They say, \u201COh, well! You know, they\u2019ve had a lot any way.\u201D They seem to have no understanding of business. They have no understanding that if you take a small business, you close it for six or seven weeks, and then suddenly it\u2019s allowed to open again\u2014through no fault of their own, by the way, they were closed; no fault of their own. And they start to get back into business, they start getting some income coming in, the bills haven\u2019t stopped from where they were before, and wages\u2014well, actually, the wage subsidy was going through to the workers, as it should do.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000230\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s not as though this is a welfare programme for small businesses. It\u2019s actually a programme to help workers keep their jobs. I understand that it\u2019s all too difficult for somebody from the Government to understand that four days including a weekend is actually four working days, not two working days, as the Prime Minister disclosed the other day to the media\u2014not two working days. The biggest working days for the hospitality industry are actually a Saturday and Sunday. It\u2019s called a weekend, where, actually, they\u2019re open, and, by the way, so is retail. These are not highly paid workers and they\u2019re not high-earning businesses. These are small businesses, in the main, and they\u2019re being told \u201CYou\u2019ve had enough. We don\u2019t want to give you any more. You should be grateful.\u201D That\u2019s what we\u2019ve heard today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000231\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve heard today from the Prime Minister that it\u2019s no one\u2019s fault that this COVID came back. This B.1.1.1. genome, we heard today from Dr Megan Woods\u2014she forgot to say it came from Australia; not sure how it got here, but suddenly it did, clearly through a border. Whether it\u2019s an air border or whether it\u2019s a shipping port, through that border, it\u2019s still a border. When we compare ourselves, as she does, with other countries, we\u2019re one of the most isolated countries in the world. We\u2019re surrounded by this enormous moat. We don\u2019t have a land border that people can come across in. And, by the way, tell me this again. Why is the South Island in lockdown at the moment, with level 2 lockdown? Just answer me that. How is it going to jump across, this COVID, on the cloud, across through?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000232\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a85f09222f8d4baeb9f0039f28eb3071\u0022\u003EHon Andrew Little\u003C/span\u003E: What a clown.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000233\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f312cdc029ae41588926b2a33b8bd94a\u0022\u003EHon JUDITH COLLINS\u003C/span\u003E: And we\u2019re hearing now from Andrew Little. We know what he thinks about businesses, don\u2019t we? How has that happened? The answer is it\u2019s so much easier to make everyone feel dependent on the Government. So why not give people a bit of a chance? Where\u2019s the advocate for the workers over there, Mr Little? Where is the advocate? A long way away. Also the advocate who said Pike River was a really good mine and it should all continue. So, no, think about the workers.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022 data-id=\u0022fc11f1a96f0348fb81b86e59bf0ec37f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000234\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022fc11f1a96f0348fb81b86e59bf0ec37f\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER (Attorney-General):\u003C/span\u003E Today I want to cover two topics: fresh water and COVID. Before doing so, can I also pay my condolences to the survivors and families of those killed in the Christchurch attacks, as other members have done.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000235\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003EIn respect of these two topics\u2014fresh water and COVID\u2014the choice for voters is clear. I\u2019m sure some of the members here have already read the magnificently written words of Marina Hyde in the latest column in The Guardian. She injects some levity into some of these issues, undoubtedly one of the world\u2019s best political writers, and today\u2019s contribution is truly sublime. She has a serious message described acerbically and she unpicks some leading Republicans not as halfwits but as quarterwits, and it really is worth a read; I\u2019d say google it. This is the same week that the New Zealand Herald, of course, published this photo of the Hon Gerry Brownlee and his doppelganger Ronnie Barker. Of course, Ronnie Barker\u2019s the fullwit; the other one is Gerry, the purveyor of conspiracy theories. Marina Hyde, of course, says\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000236\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002263d15eefbd6c45f7b9aa2a3f41991fda\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. It\u2019s somewhat unusual, but I must reflect on the imagery that Mr Parker has used in the House today. Firstly, it\u2019s interesting that it\u2019s allowed. All I can say is that, come the election, I suspect it\u2019ll be goodnight from him.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000237\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fd4c9b65952c4c1aab56e73578975e19\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Mr Brownlee. We\u2019ve had a history of interchange in this House that I\u2019ve always enjoyed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000238\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003EBut Marina Hyde says that quarterwits are worse. They would seek to undermine public confidence in current managed isolation and quarantine that safely managed 40,000 through the border. They would say there\u2019d be no mistakes under them, and they\u2019d deny any prison breaks when there have been dozens. They\u2019d put out a press release in their own name saying that they\u2019ve backed every bit of COVID legislation when they didn\u2019t just vote against the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act; they voted against its renewal. They\u2019d roll a leader on 35 percent, saying that was intolerable and take them to 25 percent because they\u2019re accident-prone. Today, they\u2019ve blamed Labour for the USA not being in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership when the USA pulled out under National. They\u2019ve said that the freshwater reforms will be gone by lunchtime. Well, that worked really well for Don Brash, didn\u2019t it? He was on the wrong side of history, and so is the person who said that today. She thinks she would know better than the prior leaders who\u2019ve studiously stayed away from this because they know that the population is with us and that we need much better water quality policy in New Zealand. What will be gone by lunchtime if the other party were to be elected would be rivers that are clean enough to swim in. They prefer a licence to pollute.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000239\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003ESo we\u2019ve got an accident-prone leader on the other side who\u2019s plunging in the polls, and she\u2019s judged it wrong again. Instead of appealing to her voter base, it\u2019s evaporating, and her vote\u2019s shrinking instead. Marina Hyde\u2019s got a lot better puns than these, but I think New Zealanders essentially get the point. The equivalent of the Republican Party on the same part of the spectrum in New Zealand is, actually, National, and Judith Collins displays many of the temperaments that are criticised over there, and I don\u2019t think New Zealanders will want a bar of it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000240\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003EI want to end on the serious topic of COVID. Since COVID erupted in the world in March, we\u2019ve stood up amongst the best systems in the world, and our outcomes, which have been more personal protective equipment, hundreds of thousands of COVID tests, managed isolation and quarantine, track and tracing, border testing, vastly improved processes, more ventilators, bespoke legislation, and more training for staff\u2014all of these things have meant that we\u2019ve had a better outcome than the whole of Europe, better than the whole of North America, South America, Asia, Africa, even Australia. This is something that New Zealanders can be proud of, and they know that it\u2019s still a difficult journey.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000241\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003ENow, New Zealanders know this is hard, notwithstanding the fact that we\u2019ve all rallied together as a country and that we\u2019ve had supports for businesses\u2014the small business loan guarantee, the wage supports, the loan scheme. Notwithstanding that, we know it\u2019s a difficult and perilous journey. I reckon it\u2019ll be about June next year by the time there\u2019s a vaccine being rolled out around the world. From March to June next year is about 16 months. We\u2019re already a third through it. By the time of the election, we will be halfway through it. But it is still a difficult half to go. I think we might have seen the worst of it. I hope we never get back to level 4, but the country can rely, in a Labour Government, on an issue well-managed, as evidenced by the fact that we have\u2014albeit not perfectly\u2014done better than just about anywhere else in the world. That is my serious message for today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000242\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003EI was on Duncan Garner\u2019s show the other day, and Mark Richardson was there, and I made the point in his presence that if you\u2019re in the middle of a difficult test series, you don\u2019t change the captain halfway through. If you\u2019re winning, you keep going. That is the choice for voters at the election. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022 data-id=\u0022a509ae0d74584a3f99a75d97fdf8acf4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000243\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a509ae0d74584a3f99a75d97fdf8acf4\u0022\u003EDr SHANE RETI (National\u2014Whangarei):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. I want to speak today about another hole in our border with day three testing, and I want to address it in several ways. First of all, it\u2019s sort of a surprise. We\u2019ve had the big surprises\u2014the staff who weren\u2019t being tested like we were told they were. This is a little unusual in that it\u2019s only a small surprise to the Government, but, unusually, they will not fix it. I want to talk about it in four areas. First of all, I want to walk through the risks of not testing at day three. I then want to cover why day three testing is important. My third point will be the process for counting those who have not had tests at day three, and, hopefully, my fourth and final point will be New Zealanders\u2019 expectations and solutions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000244\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003ESo let\u2019s start first of all with the irrefutable facts that we heard the Minister of Health affirm today. They are: day three testing is not compulsory and the Government does not know how many have not been tested at day three. Those are just statements of fact, so let\u2019s set that as the anchor and progress from there. I want to talk through the implications of not testing at day three and I want to create an imaginary unknown positive\u2014not quite a carrier, but I\u2019ll call it an unknown positive\u2014who turns up at Auckland Airport, or any border actually, is positive but doesn\u2019t know it; more specifically, they then do not have the day three test. What are the implications for this unknown positive of not having a day three test?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000245\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003EWell, first of all, let\u2019s talk about all those who are close contacts. Their family members: clearly, they are all at risk from this unknown positive. We know there is cohort mixing, unfortunately, in isolation facilities. All those other cohorts are put at risk by this unknown positive. If we look at a study that I\u2019m hoping to come to shortly, a Nicholas Steyn and Shaun Hendy study, they say one of our biggest risks in our whole border policy configuration is the number of people that are interacted with\u2014they say about five\u2014in managed isolation. Imagine if one of them was the unknown positive.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000246\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003EThe third thing I want to talk on is the Minister focusing on \u201COh, don\u2019t worry. It\u2019s all about day 12. It\u2019s all about also having that two-week period.\u201D Well and good maybe, but what about staff\u2014if we just don\u2019t focus on returnees for a while. Staff will be exposed to the unknown positive. Surely that can\u2019t be a good thing. These are some of the risks.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000247\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003EI then want to talk to why day three testing is important. Without mandatory day three testing, the first time a returnee is tested in New Zealand is day 12\u201412 days after they\u2019ve arrived in New Zealand. That\u2019s a long period of time from our border. If we look at what happens when you do test positive at day three, it\u2019s so important you\u2019re immediately escalated to quarantine. That\u2019s how important it is to have the day three test.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000248\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003EI think even more damning\u2014and we knew it, and the Minister confirmed it here today\u2014is that the majority of positive tests in managed isolation are the day three tests. We estimate between 30 to 40\u2014something like that. Imagine if we didn\u2019t pick them up. Imagine if we hadn\u2019t picked up those 30 to 40 positive tests at day three and who they might have infected.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000249\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve mentioned briefly the policy settings. The Director-General of Health referred to this paper [Holds up a document] on\u2014I think it was\u2014Friday, when he said, \u201CLook, we know our policy settings are good, because it\u2019s been tested by Nicholas Steyn and Shaun Hendy, and they\u2019ve said, \u2018Yep, it\u2019s pretty good.\u2019\u00A0\u201D A small problem there. If you have a really close look at that, one of the input parameters to the modelling is that day three testing is compulsory. That is part of our issue. If the whole policy setting has been grounded on day three being compulsory, and they\u2019re quoting from this paper, we\u2019ve been working on a flawed basis. That needs to be relooked at. What are the implications for making this modelling not compulsory?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000250\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003EThe third point is the process for counting. How can we not count people who\u2019ve not been tested? Let me go back through the mathematics. We know how many people have been in managed isolation. We know how many have been tested. Why is this not a simple subtraction? Indeed, some of the media did exactly this last night and came up with a figure of 6,000 to 7,000 people. How can we not count those who have not been tested? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000251\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003EFourthly, if we ask New Zealanders today what they think is happening at the border, they think people are being tested twice. Some will know day three and day 12, but they think returnees are being tested twice, when in fact the reality is it is not compulsory to have the day three test. They think that we are having the day three test, because the director-general said so on 9 June, because the Minister of Health said so on 22 June, and the Prime Minister said in this House on 23 June, \u201CTesting of people entering New Zealand will commence in the week 8 June. These people will be tested at day three and day eight.\u201D \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000252\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003EThere is a solution. There\u2019s no surprise\u2014no surprise at all\u2014and the solution is not that hard: test at day three. We test at day 12; people understand that. I do not understand why we wouldn\u2019t test at day three. I believe New Zealanders want a test at day three, and I commend that solution to the Minister.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022 data-id=\u002288a0eede309547a5bdad9d75716ec840\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000253\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002288a0eede309547a5bdad9d75716ec840\u0022\u003EHon POTO WILLIAMS (Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. Like colleagues before me, we are experiencing, in Christchurch, a few days of immense sadness as victims read their statements to the court. I\u2019m just a little overwhelmed, overcome, by it, actually, because some of the things that are coming out in statements make me feel that our Muslim community have held on to an enormous amount of grief that they didn\u2019t share with us at the time. The victim impact statements have come to represent a whole body of knowledge that they have held apart from us. I want to just send to them my absolute aroha at the distress that they must be feeling but also at the huge amount of forgiveness that is being expressed in the courtroom as we sit here in this Chamber.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000254\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003EExtraordinary times have been experienced not only in our city but in our nation and across the world. In my contribution today, I want to talk about the quality of leadership. It occurs to me that when we are in our most difficult times, we look to those around us for comfort, for support, but mostly we look to our leaders in the community for how we can find ways to get through. Nothing was surer than what happened in Christchurch on March 15, more than a year ago\u2014that what happened immediately after that was that the community stood together behind our Muslim community but that, at the very top of our leadership chain, our Prime Minister stood and made some extraordinary statements to the world: that everybody in our community deserves our care, our love, and our support, and that we as a nation should stand with them\u2014and we did. People from across our motu, from across Aotearoa, stood with the Muslim community in Christchurch at that time. But not only that, the world looked to us, as well, and looked to our leader and saw what an extraordinary amount of empathy, support, and compassion was being poured out from her, and our other leaders, into Christchurch.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000255\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003EHere we are again, at one of the most difficult times that our nation will face. We don\u2019t do this alone; we are part of the global response to COVID-19. There is something about the quality of leadership that I think, again, speaks to how we get through this as well as we can. As a student of leadership, I know that there are three key elements to good leadership. The first is respect. How do you gain respect? Well, that\u2019s through deeds and actions, by being consistent in your responses to people, and also by being reliable so that people know when times are tough, you will always act in a consistent way\u2014you are reliable in that regard\u2014and by doing that you build trust. Trust is really important because there are some times when, as a leader, you have to take tough decisions that your community may not necessarily agree with but that you know are acting in the best interests of your community. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000256\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003EBut, most of all, good leadership is about love\u2014about love for the community; about loving the community enough to take the right decisions when you need to; about how, even when people are feeling a little concerned, they trust, they respect, and they know that you are acting in their best interests, and they know that, above all, you have their best interests at heart.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000257\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003EI think, right now, we need to look to our leadership and ask our leaders and those who want to become our leaders whether they have those three elements as a core of their being. Do we respect them? Do we trust them? And do they have love and compassion for us and the community? I have to say that I want to acknowledge our Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern. She\u2019s an absolute\u2014absolute\u2014example of what extraordinary leadership is and what it can achieve in our most difficult times.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000258\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003EAs I sign off, I do want to say to our Muslim communities, especially to those at the Linwood Islamic Centre: I hope to see you all soon, and you remain in my heart. Thank you, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022 data-id=\u0022e974f4fa441348628339cd694dff7e17\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000259\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e974f4fa441348628339cd694dff7e17\u0022\u003ECHRIS BISHOP (National\u2014Hutt South):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I don\u2019t agree with everything that the Hon Poto Williams, the former speaker, just said, but I do generally echo and agree with her sentiments, particularly around sending aroha to our Cantabrian wh\u0101nau, and salaam alaikum to our Muslim brothers in New Zealand at this very tough time. I too have been quite moved by the grace and the compassion and the raw emotion that has been on display in Christchurch in the last couple of days.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000260\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003EBut I want to talk, in my remarks, about infrastructure, and I want to talk about transport in particular, because there was quite a revealing moment in question time today when the Hon Judith Collins was questioning the Prime Minister about various matters. She made a passing reference, towards the end of one of her supplementary questions, about how the National Government\u2014well, National Party; Government, hopefully, one day soon\u2014wanted to use money from the COVID fund just on roads\u2014just on roads. I thought it was a revealing insight, and I want to unpick it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000261\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003EFirstly, it\u2019s contradictory.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000262\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ccd4f7a639274795bf713a390d1d0866\u0022\u003EHon Member\u003C/span\u003E: Tunnels\u2014tunnels.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000263\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c3374f995384410a8a4c4bf73da90a83\u0022\u003ECHRIS BISHOP\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah, tunnels. That\u2019s right. We are going to build some tunnels. That\u2019s exactly right, and I\u2019ll come to the tunnels in a moment. But, firstly, it\u2019s contradictory, because it was only in January and February that the Government rocked up, through the New Zealand Upgrade Programme, and went on what they described as a road-building bonanza. There was an orgy of roads, and after having spent two years with Phil Twyford creating, in the Prime Minister\u2019s own advisory council\u2019s words, an infrastructure crisis, stopping all the four-lane roads the National Government wanted to build, the Government turned up and realised they\u2019d lost the political battle when it comes to expressways and roads and decided to bring back all the projects that they\u2019d cancelled in the first place, like \u014Ctaki to north Levin, for example; like the Tauranga Northern Link, for example; like the four-lane road from further up the line up to \u014Cmokoroa, for example; like the four-laning of Whang\u0101rei to Marsden.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000264\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003EAll projects that Phil Twyford spent two years saying were uneconomic and bad ideas, the Government is now funding again, and they\u2019ve added a couple of cycle lanes next to them to appease the Greens, to keep them happy. We\u2019ve got the extraordinary situation of the Associate Minister of Transport, who put on her Green Party hat to write an op-ed for The Spinoff about how dumb the Government\u2019s package was. So the first point is it\u2019s a bit contradictory for the Prime Minister to just say all we want to do is spend money on roads, when the Government itself has, essentially, given up the fight when it comes to four-lane expressways.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000265\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003EThe second point I want to make is it is factually inaccurate. If you look at the transport package announced by the National Government, we\u2019re incredibly proud of it because it is multimodal. It\u2019s not just roads; it is four-lane roads, of course, because as I always say to my friend Julie Anne Genter, they\u2019re the safest roads in the country. Just one person has died on a four-lane expressway, at a national road of significance. But we also want to expand rail to Auckland Airport. We want to expand the Auckland rail line down to Tuakau in the Waikato, which I know has strong support from that part of the country. We want to expand rail up to Onehunga from Auckland Airport. We want to expand our bus network in both Auckland and Wellington. We want to spend more money on trains in Wellington for the Wellington metro rail network and expand the connections to Palmerston North and Wairarapa as well. So it is just factually inaccurate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000266\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003EThe third point I want to make is the really important point, which is about what is the right policy response to COVID. Our view in the National Party is that we are going to borrow money. There\u2019s no doubt about that. COVID has knocked the socks off the New Zealand economy, and we are going to borrow money for some time to come. The question is what you do with that money, and our view is that if you\u2019re going to have intergenerational debt as we are going to have, you should invest in projects that will have an intergenerational benefit, particularly with interest rates so low. The time is now to invest in projects that will really move the dial\u2014not borrowing for operational spending, although we\u2019re going to have to do a bit of that too.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000267\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003ELet\u2019s borrow for the major transformational projects that will really change the nature of New Zealand. Let\u2019s do the second Mount Vic tunnel. We\u2019re going to do it. Let\u2019s do P\u0113tone to Grenada. Let\u2019s do the Cross Valley Link. Let\u2019s do the four-lane road from Whang\u0101rei to Auckland. Let\u2019s do the third and the fourth main rail lines in Auckland. Let\u2019s do the four-laning from Christchurch to Ashburton. Let\u2019s do these projects, because if we\u2019re going to borrow intergenerationally, we may as well get projects that have an intergenerational benefit.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022 data-id=\u0022c5b43b958496472c8a72efc2fbe6510b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000268\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c5b43b958496472c8a72efc2fbe6510b\u0022\u003EPAUL EAGLE (Labour\u2014Rongotai):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. What a privilege it is to have the opportunity this afternoon to talk in the House. I too want to mirror the sentiments of colleagues and acknowledge the victims, the families, and those suffering across the world for the events of 15 March, which will forever be etched into the memories of many, if not everyone.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000269\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022\u003EI heard the Minister of Finance, the good member of Parliament for Wellington Central, speak, and it made me think of 15 March, the Friday. We were having our catch up, and he said, \u201CI think I\u2019d better come a bit earlier\u2014what\u2019s happened in Christchurch.\u201D I said, \u201CCome up to Newtown.\u201D\u2014where the electorate office is. We thought, look, let\u2019s walk across the hill, because in Kilbirnie is the city\u2019s mosque, and we were able to go there, listen\u2014we didn\u2019t talk; it was a rather tense, sombre mood. We were there for quite some time, because, during that walk over the hill, we got the true extent of what happened. I won\u2019t say the rest is history, but the rest certainly formed our history, and I want to acknowledge our Muslim brothers and sisters, wh\u0101nau in Aotearoa New Zealand this afternoon.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000270\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022\u003ELook, folks, I heard the previous speaker, Chris Bishop. I lost him on the word \u201Croad\u201D, regained consciousness on \u201Cmultimodal\u201D, and then fell asleep again. But, look, can I just say I always get rather hazy and blurry when they talk about roads\u2014that just seems to be their sole policy\u2014but today I wanted to talk about people, because people are what make me tick. It\u2019s been great to be able to spend much more time in the electorate office and talk to people. We\u2019ve got good, strict conditions in the electorate office, but, whilst the door is locked and it looks closed, we\u2019re very much open for business.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000271\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022\u003EI want to acknowledge one set of people, and that\u2019s our public servants\u2014often those who get forgotten about. But let me tell you, considering I represent a whole lot of them, they certainly are not shy to tell me what they think, despite couching it with \u201CAlthough I have to be neutral\u201D, and there they tell me the rest of their story about what should happen, what could happen. But what they do tell me is that the best economic response is a strong health response, and that\u2019s come through loud and clear. I am proud of this Government\u2019s strong health response and to have that mirrored and reflected in feedback from Wellingtonians, at least, to say, \u201CWe agree with you. What you\u2019re doing is right, but life is tough.\u201D I know for many of them they are working from home, as Government departments reorganise themselves. What that does do is it means that local businesses in our suburban communities are benefiting from their contributions. I know in Island Bay, certainly the cafes there responded well to servicing public servants for their coffee and scone at morning tea time, allowing them to write the very reports for this Government and get business moving as their normal day took place but in a quite different format.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000272\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022\u003EThe other group of people I want to acknowledge is staff\u2014our staff\u2014and I acknowledge those in all the electorate offices, in fact, because they are the ones who get the correspondence, log it, process it through, and ensure that those responses\u2014and they are many. One of things I often look through is just the personal stories\u2014and I\u2019m not going to share those\u2014that they share because they are in sheer need of help. Be it an immigration issue, a health issue, or a job issue, what they do say is that \u201CWe\u2019re happy, and we like your response in terms of what you\u2019re doing.\u201D So that reassurance is absolutely brilliant.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000273\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022\u003EI want to finish there and say, look, this is a Government that I\u2019m proud to be part of. We\u2019ve got a five-point plan in place, and I\u2019m going to be back to talk about that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022 data-id=\u0022d50aa1455c0d41d19d7d3fccfa36ba81\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000274\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d50aa1455c0d41d19d7d3fccfa36ba81\u0022\u003ENICOLA WILLIS (National):\u003C/span\u003E This is a speech for the parents and families in Auckland who have just completed another day of home schooling; for the students in Auckland who are now looking down the barrel of 40 days in the classroom lost\u201420 percent of their normal school year\u2014for the mums and dads who are frustrated, who are stressed out, who are worried about their kids falling behind or being depressed and anxious; and for the teachers, who are juggling to keep it all going.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000275\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003EThey have given so much, and they have done so willingly. They have gone into lockdown because it is the right thing to do because they want to keep COVID out of our community. But what do they ask in return? They ask for a Government that will keep our border safe. They ask for a Government that will keep COVID out of our communities. And what have they been given? They have been given a Government that has stacked up slip-up after slip-up after slip-up, that has stacked up failure after failure after failure\u2014words where action has been required. Where they said they\u2019d provide personal protective equipment, they didn\u2019t. They said that everyone leaving managed isolation on compassionate grounds would be tested, but, instead, 51 of the 55 were not. They said everyone would be tested on day three in an isolation facility, but we now find out it\u2019s not required and thousands haven\u2019t had it. They said that the staff in managed isolation facilities would be tested, but it turns out six out of 10 were not, and it turns out some of them were going to work sick. That is a failure of the system. It is a monumental failure. New Zealanders have been let down by a Government who talks tough\u2014oh yes, they talk tough\u2014but who have failed to deliver on the border.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000276\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003EAnd then today, we have the ridiculous spectacle of the Prime Minister refusing to accept responsibility. The words were: \u201CIt doesn\u2019t mean anyone has failed. It doesn\u2019t necessarily mean there\u2019s a failure at the border.\u201D Well, this is farcical. New Zealanders are being asked to maintain the fiction that somehow COVID is in the community through an immaculate infection, through an infection that has come from nowhere, seemingly, that has come in without any human host\u2014that has simply appeared in South Auckland from nowhere. Well, we are being asked to focus on the science, and we\u2019re being asked to be evidence-based. Well, the science says that if you go a hundred days without COVID in the community and then it appears, it came from a human being who had COVID and who was able to infect another human being. It came from a failure that allowed that to happen. And we have seen sloppiness at the border; we have seen detachment from what is actually happening on the ground. Ministers who provide strategies on high, who wave around pieces of paper saying that things will happen, who say that they\u2019ve asked for testing to happen\u2014but, in fact, they don\u2019t follow up. And all New Zealanders ask is check, audit\u2014if you say you\u2019re going to test, do the testing. If you say you\u2019re going to do something, not only do it but check that it\u2019s been done, audit that it\u2019s been done, because they are giving so much. The sacrifice from New Zealand families is real, it is palpable, they are losing income, they are losing jobs, they\u2019re at home with their kids trying to home school, and all they ask of their Government is do the job. Do what you say you will, follow up, and don\u2019t deny responsibility; there\u2019s no such thing as an immaculate infection.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000277\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003ESo here on this side of the House, we have been clear: we propose a national border protection agency. We propose one entity that takes accountability, that takes responsibility, that follows Dr Shane\u2019s advice on the testing, that puts in place the strategies that will keep our border secure, and that ensures that we don\u2019t have these incursions into the community again. Here on this side of the House, we\u2019re not going to be sloppy as to keep on mucking it up, then appoint Heather Simpson and Brian Roche to fly in and sort it all out. No, no\u2014we will be confident. New Zealand families have sacrificed for this Government\u2019s strategy, and all they ask in return is for competence: don\u2019t just talk about it; deliver.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022 data-id=\u002222d30bcc58f94041a010485b3f62708d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000278\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002222d30bcc58f94041a010485b3f62708d\u0022\u003EKIERAN McANULTY (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. We only need to look at other countries to know what things could have been like in New Zealand. We only need to look at other countries to see what it could have been like if we didn\u2019t act fast, we didn\u2019t go hard, and we didn\u2019t go early. This Government supported businesses and saved jobs. Those aren\u2019t my words. Those are the words that have been said to me from almost every business owner I have visited throughout the Wairarapa electorate. The actions of this Government over lockdown and support for them saved jobs and kept those businesses open. What could have been if a different approach was taken? That is the question that I have been reflecting on. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000279\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EIt is because of this approach that this Government has made that saw New Zealand come out of lockdown the first time quicker than any other country that we compare ourselves to. It is because of that approach that saw the economy perform better in June and July compared to June and July last year, and it was because of that approach that we are now acting quickly and effectively in this second wave. We acted hard and we deployed more resources, we ramped up processing, and we have ramped up testing. It\u2019s got to the point now where over 90 percent of tracing is meeting the gold standard. We only need to look at Victoria to see what could have happened if we did not take that approach, and it\u2019s fair to say that we only need to look at the comments and the approach from the National Party to see what New Zealand would have been like if they were in charge. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000280\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EDuring the Epidemic Response Committee, the National Party repeatedly called for New Zealand to follow Australia\u2019s lead. They repeatedly called for New Zealand to release our restrictions at the border. In June, they called for restrictions to be eased. They said that the border restrictions were untenable. They said in July that the border should be open to workers, they said that they should be open to investors, and they said that it should be open to international borders. Each and every one of those suggestions flouted the expert advice. The science-based advice that this Government was following, that party disregarded. They wanted to take cheap political points, and it failed. At no point has their approach seen a rise in the polls, because New Zealanders know that this Government and its approach to an effective health response to COVID19 is the best economic response that can happen. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000281\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EYet, today, we heard even worse. We heard the leader, the Hon Judith Collins, say that the South Island should be in a different alert level than the rest of New Zealand\u2014completely disregarding every single piece of expert advice that the Government has followed to get us here, to this point. Because she knows that if different parts of the country, like the South Island, were in a different alert level, that would mean the end of regional travel.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000282\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022471dee54-f59e-4497-b3d3-c39044ce7169\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b4305db4c3e74a28ad430e78b0c1f7e9\u0022\u003EHon Damien O\u2019Connor\u003C/span\u003E: Hasn\u2019t she heard of planes?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000283\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222ad33631e15d452783b102873bfa7a7f\u0022\u003EKIERAN McANULTY\u003C/span\u003E: \u201CHas she not heard of planes?\u201D is the question that my friend and colleague the Hon Damien O\u2019Connor has asked. I bet she has, but she doesn\u2019t care, because she\u2019s desperate. She\u2019s reaching out for some relevancy, and she\u2019s coming out with this tripe\u2014the same sort of stuff that we\u2019ve heard throughout lockdown.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000284\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EIt is a fact that the reason we are where we are in the country at the moment is because of the hard work of New Zealanders and because of the approach of this Government. It is, I think, disrespectful of the Hon Judith Collins to suggest that the only reason we are here today is because \u201Cwe are surrounded by a moat\u201D\u2014completely disregarding all the hard work in this country. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000285\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EWell, I will put it to her and this House\u2014let\u2019s compare ourselves to Ireland, a country where my family and many other members in this House are from. It has a similar population, another country that is an island. They have 28,000 cases and 1,700 deaths. If we followed the National Party\u2019s approach, that could well have been us. So I say to the people of New Zealand, disregard the politicking of the National Party and listen to what Robert Patman has to say: \u201COpposition for opposition\u2019s sake is not the answer in a major health crisis.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022 data-id=\u0022b621c45bc52748afac5ff71c9694036d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000286\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b621c45bc52748afac5ff71c9694036d\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON (National\u2014Taup\u014D):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. I want to follow up on some comments from some of the earlier speakers in this general debate, which really\u2014although COVID is a significant part of what the country is facing at the moment, we do have some long-term challenges that we must also continue to focus on. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000287\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003ESo I commend New Zealand First and the Greens raising the issue of sexual violence, and particularly sexual violence on children, but what I do ask is that the Minister for Children, the Hon Tracey Martin, corrects her statements in the House this afternoon about written questions from the Opposition, because she has clearly been inaccurate. I look forward to her correcting her statement about the last question being received from the Opposition in August 2018. I\u2019ve got a whole stack of them here that are clearly well after that date. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000288\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003EBut the point of this\u2014it\u2019s again, an example where there\u2019s been talk of the importance of protecting, in particular, children from sexual violence. It absolutely staggered me and staggered the Opposition this weekend to find that the Government\u2014Labour, New Zealand First, and the Greens\u2014had stripped New Zealand\u2019s most significant national advocate for the survivors of sexual violence, Louise Nicholas, of any funding. It absolutely staggers the Opposition and staggered New Zealand from one end to the other, because any time you think about sexual violence in New Zealand, the one name that comes up time and time again is Louise Nicholas, a woman who has tirelessly worked with the most vulnerable victims of New Zealand, whether they are children, whether they are men, women, and single or multiple sexual violence assaults. So it\u2019s staggering that in this House, two of those three political parties have talked today about the fact that we need to address this long-term challenge, and the one person that is trusted more than anyone else in New Zealand, this Government has stripped of funding so she can\u2019t work with the most vulnerable New Zealanders.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000289\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d5b981c4ba0a4117b5522bddeba66526\u0022\u003EHon Andrew Little\u003C/span\u003E: The member\u2019s wrong.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000290\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c02c239a5c55428b8d6cbd20bb09c77e\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: So I\u2019ve got some questions that I want the Government to answer. Andrew Little says I\u2019m wrong\u2014great. Here are some questions for Andrew Little. What involvement have you had\u2014Andrew Little, Carmel Sepuloni, Poto Williams\u2014in the decision to cease funding for the one national advocate for sexual violence survivors?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000291\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221432072bd04146ec94a58dfd753647c2\u0022\u003EHon Andrew Little\u003C/span\u003E: Put down a question.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000292\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223a5a7582e50c4e06989302f00b2eeb80\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: Actually, what\u2019s happening is unfortunately we\u2019re still seeing a growing number of sexual violence assaults\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000293\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022be924c855b314705914e99ec9b8356f9\u0022\u003EHon Andrew Little\u003C/span\u003E: Why is the member avoiding the issue?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000294\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002212b93732a2934fb58bb22b1e16375de8\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014a growing number. And Minister Andrew Little doesn\u2019t want us to talk about it\u2014doesn\u2019t want us to talk about it. This is the second to last week of the Parliament sitting, so absolutely this is the perfect opportunity to ask the Government: why are you not supporting a national advocacy service by Louise Nicholas? Because I suspect\u2014here\u2019s what I suspect: I suspect she\u2019s asked the Government a few too many hard questions, or has it got anything to do with the fact that she publicly criticised the Labour Party in their own response about sexual assault within their own party? Maybe. What is absolutely critical in New Zealand is that the public have a voice they trust, and that side has just silenced them\u2014has just silenced an advocate for sexual violence survivors. So it was pretty disturbing for Opposition members to read that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000295\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003EThe interesting thing is\u2014the part that\u2019s even worse than that, and I come back to the Minister for Children because there will be no advocacy for children under the age of 18 for sexual violence assault\u2014zero. A Government department can\u2019t do it themselves, and the critical part of a national advocacy service is the independence. But I don\u2019t think the Government likes it. I don\u2019t think the Government likes independence because they\u2019re challenged, questions are asked, and they don\u2019t like the questions, which is why National will fully support Louise Nicholas\u2019 advocacy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000296\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003EThe debate having concluded, the motion lapsed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022 data-id=\u002289c757b0ae2648b797542c06f38cb074\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000297\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002289c757b0ae2648b797542c06f38cb074\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: In accordance with a determination of the Business Committee, the House stands adjourned until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, 1 September 2020.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000298\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003EThe House adjourned at 3.58 p.m.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20200826eeb5d1e10b5b44a2a365c0bdf92bb1b7000299\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n  \u003C/body\u003E\n\u003C/html\u003E"