Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister for the Public Service): I reject the premise of the member's question. Let me restate what I said in my media statement last Wednesday: "We want to see those on lower wages be the focus of any increases in pay. This is about prioritising spending. The policy will also help protect jobs by taking financial pressure off the public wage bill. It will not impact the work we are doing within the Public Service to close gender and ethnic pay gaps. The public service is doing a good job implementing the Government's COVID-19 response, and we ask that they lead the way in supporting the Government as we ensure [that] our spending is targeted to where it is needed [the] most."