I was very proud to be able to make the first pre-Budget announcement with Minister Andrew Little and Peeni Henare on Sunday at Kōkiri Marae. Budget 2021 will deliver a better cervical-screening test and a major upgrade to breast cancer screening systems that will save lives. Every year, about 160 women develop cervical cancer, and about 50 die from it. The tragedy is that almost all cases are preventable if found at an early stage. Our cervical cancer screening programme, as it is, prevents about 70 percent of cervical cancers, but these benefits have not been equitable. We know there are persistent inequalities around cervical cancer and that wāhine Māori are particularly more likely to die from cervical cancer. 