Hon CARMEL SEPULONI (Minister for Social Development and Employment): Thank you, Mr Speaker. Happy New Zealand Sign Language Week, Youth Week, Rotuman Language Week, and New Zealand Music Month. Yesterday, Minister Hipkins and I announced the extension to Apprenticeship Boost, Mana in Mahi, and the Māori Trades and Training Fund. Apprenticeship Boost has supported around 45,000 new apprentices and begun building the workforce we need to futureproof our economy. Yesterday the Government announced $230 million in Budget 2022 for additional investment to support another 24,000 apprentices and to continue to support 14,000 more beyond August of this year. There are already 17,000 employers involved in the programme and this investment will provide certainty to them and ensure new employers can sign up. This investment goes a long way to bridging the skills gap and providing work-ready employees for New Zealand businesses.