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Mr Speaker, I move that the Appropriation (2020/21 Estimates) Bill be now read a second time.

Kia ora koutou katoa, Thank you to John Milford and the Wellington Chamber of Commerce team for hosting this event today.

Thank you to Kirk and Business NZ for hosting me again today, and indeed for all your help and input into the Government’s response to the COVID pandemic thus far. The relationship has been extremely beneficial and I look forward to continuing to work together as we move through the lockdown and out the other side.

Today, we face a challenge that requires us to harness every bit of that spirit and give our total commitment to protecting the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders.

Thank you to the Wellington Chamber for hosting us here this morning.

The topic of this speech is the Budget 2020 priorities. But, given the considerable interest that I imagine is in the room about COVID-19 coronavirus, I do want to make some comments about that first.

Kia ora. Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa. Nau mai haere mai ki te Whare Pāremata.