This bill contains measures which the Government considers are needed to be put in place urgently to mitigate the economic effects of COVID-19. As we restore, recover, and rebuild the economy from the effects of COVID-19, it's imperative that we protect New Zealand's long-term interests. The bill's purpose is to ensure that the risks posed by foreign investment can be managed effectively while reducing the regulatory burden of the screening process, and so to support the role of productive foreign investment in our recovery. In particular, we need to minimise the possibility that some cornerstone businesses in our productive economy are sold in a way contrary to our national interest while the pandemic is causing the value of many enterprises to fall. 