Tamati Coffey Labour List MP

Our Government has a very clear vision for New Zealand's future. It's one where our economy provides security and opportunities for everyone; we all have a healthy, affordable place to call home; we all have access to world-class healthcare; and we look after our environment for future generations.

We have worked hard to put the foundations for this in place, and marking five years in government, I want to update you on progress.

Despite Covid-19 causing the biggest economic downturn in New Zealand since the 1930s, our economy is in good shape. Our strong economic management means that debt is low, exports are up, and our economy is larger now than before the pandemic.

We have more people in work with higher wages, which makes Rotorua families and our economy stronger. Child poverty has continued to slowly improve, and assistance like our Families Package, minimum wage and benefit increases, and free lunches in schools have helped lift families' wellbeing.

The housing problem has been decades in the making and there's no easy solution. We've taken actions that are making a real difference. Housing supply is increasing, renting is fairer, and we've made changes to help first-home buyers. We're speeding up the scale and pace of house-building through our Infrastructure Acceleration Fund, and we've built more houses than any government in decades.

It can be easy to forget just how far we've come since 2017, particularly as we've faced a global pandemic and an economic shock. While there's more work to do, I'm really proud of our government's record.