It's the week of Matariki, the Māori New Year. It's a time for reflection, having fun, looking forward to the year ahead, and spending time with whanāu.

For us, like always, it's a time of getting things done.

We've been busy this week getting on with the tackling the big, long-term issues facing New Zealand - making our banks safer, making our public transport better, and making our justice system fairer and more accessible.

For too long, the mental health of New Zealanders has not been a priority. We're changing that - with the biggest investment in mental health, in any Budget, ever.

This week there was a lot to celebrate - from the hard work of New Zealand's volunteers to extra protection for our dolphins! We also increased mental health and addition support for offenders to help them get their lives back on track, and saw two Provincial Growth Fund investments in Northland take flight. It's all part of our work to improve the wellbeing of New Zealanders.

It was Fieldays this week and we were firmly focused on our regions and rural communities. We progressed work on the Sustainable Land Use package, invested in the Hawke's Bay through the Provincial Growth Fund, and celebrated substantial growth in our primary sector. It's clear - we're doing the work now to support our rural communities for generations to come.

New Zealand relies on rural communities. They support our primary sector - which is the engine room of our economy. We need to make sure our rural communities get the support they need to grow and thrive - not just for now, but for future generations. 

One of the most common things we get asked is what we're doing to help ease the cost of living. It's no secret - plenty of us find it hard to make ends meet. We know this won't be fixed overnight - but we've already taken a number of steps to help. Take a look below...

This week our MPs were busy around the country spreading the word about our Wellbeing Budget, and how our investments in mental health, child poverty, homelessness, and more, are going to build on the work we've already done to make New Zealand a better place.

Following the events of March 15^th in Christchurch we are responding to unexpected new demands for national security, crime prevention and community safety. The Wellbeing Budget contains more than $260 million in new initiatives for Police. 

Labour – alongside our partners in Government, New Zealand First and the Green Party – are proud to deliver New Zealand's first ever Wellbeing Budget. It has received glowing reviews from experts and the media...