Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister for COVID-19 Response): Preserving the safety of every New Zealander has been the Government's key priority and at the core of every decision that we have made throughout the pandemic. Recognising the disproportionate effect of the virus and that it can have on certain communities, including Māori, Pacific, immunocompromised, and disabled whānau, our response has and will continue to focus on ensuring that these groups are appropriately protected. The changes announced last week, informed by the latest evidence from here and overseas, have been specifically designed to make life simpler and closer to normal, but whilst also retaining the things that have proven to be effective in reducing the spread of the virus, like the use of face masks, capacity limits, testing, and isolation.