Hon MICHAEL WOOD: This announcement was welcomed by the Council of Trade Unions' president Richard Wagstaff, who said, "There's never been a better time to increase the minimum wage. Despite suggestions to the contrary, international and New Zealand evidence suggests that increasing the minimum wage does not increase unemployment." I'm also very pleased to see support from the Opposition, with Nicola Willis confirming that National supports the Government's minimum wage increase, saying "It is wrong to characterise National as opposing the minimum wage increase." It's good to see strong bipartisan support for increasing the wages for working people, who have been absolutely essential to our COVID-19 response.