Simon Bridges National Party Leader simonbridges.co.nz

Last weekend I had planned to attend the Multicultural Festival at Tauranga Historic Village, to celebrate our community's diversity.

Like many events around the country, this was cancelled after the shocking situation in Christchurch.

On Saturday I visited Christchurch alongside the Prime Minister and other party leaders and met with the Islamic community, some of the affected families and emergency responders.

It was important that party leaders and all of parliament showed a united front.

There are no words that can describe what these families and the community are going through.

My deepest condolences, thoughts and prayers go to all of those directly affected. Like the rest of New Zealand, I am grieving too.

We have never seen anything like this on our soil, and it is heart-breaking.

I also want to thank our emergency responders, our police and our medical staff. You are heroes.

I met with some of them in Christchurch, and nothing could have prepared them for what they faced.

Our first priority is supporting the families, the victims and the Islamic community of New Zealand - they are Kiwis. No one in this country should live in fear no matter their race or religion, their politics or their beliefs.

Soon it will be time to ask questions about what happened, but right now is not the time for politics, it is a time for unity.

We will never forget this tragic event. It has changed us. We now need to work together to ensure it never happens again.