VANUSHI WALTERS (Labour—Upper Harbour): Kia ora koutou. It's a pleasure to rise and speak in the general debate today. I want to start by acknowledging the impact of COVID-19 on other countries around the world, with more than 2.5 million deaths worldwide and countries including the US, Brazil, India, Russia, and the UK and France suffering hugely in terms of loss of life. I also want to reflect on some words that Nobel Prize - winning economist Joseph Stiglitz wrote back late last year when referring to New Zealand's response. He said "It's a country in which competent Government relied on science and expertise to make decisions, a country where there is a high level of social solidarity. Citizens recognise that their behaviour affects others." He goes on to say "New Zealand has managed to bring the disease under control and is working to re-deploy some underused resources to build the kind of economy that should make the post-pandemic world one that is greener and more knowledge-based, with even greater equality, trust, and solidarity."