Tamati Coffey Labour MP

Firstly, a shout out to our crews from the national Waka Ama champs. You were amazing!

Tauranga Moana has definitely started 2019 with a bang.

I loved attending A Summer's Day Disco and seeing The Village People and The Pointer Sisters live in the Waiariki.

Buoyed by this government's first year of ‘hits', such as the Winter Energy Payment and $12 million for developing more te reo teachers, everywhere I went people asked 'what's next?”.

It's simple. This government is getting on with the job of building a better, fairer Aotearoa, and doing what is right - raising the minimum wage to $17.70 from April 1 and tackling climate change, noticeably improving the quality of our lakes and rivers within five years.

We're acting on recommendations from the Mental Health and Addiction Inquiry to overhaul how New Zealand responds to depression, suicide and more.

We're also offering those enrolling in tertiary study one year ‘fees free' and $50 per week boosts to both student allowances and living costs, to help them reach their potential.

There's Aotearoa's first ‘Wellbeing Budget' - a budget that won't just measure our country's success on GDP but, through five fresh priorities focussed on making real improvements to your wellbeing, the health of our environment and the strength of our communities.

One of these priorities is lifting Maori and Pacific incomes, skills and opportunities.

As finance minister Grant Robertson says: 'It will show how we are building an economy that is more productive, more sustainable and more inclusive.”

Take care whanau.