Inside my beehive office are an assortment of photos.

They are not just there to cover the walls – they are a constant reminder of where I come from, of the many people that helped along the way, of the values we all believe in, of what we as a Government have achieved so far and all the work we have yet to do.

It is my absolute honour to speak to you today, not just once again as Labour's Finance Spokesperson, but this time as the Minister of Finance.

Our Week That Was series gives you a round-up of all the achievements, announcements, and other political goings-on around Parliament and across the country over the past week. We're proud of all we're doing to make New Zealand a great place to live - and we want to share it with you!

When we entered Government, we also inherited a housing crisis - a product of nine long years of neglect. New Zealanders were struggling to buy their own home, and those who were renting were too often living in cold and unhealthy conditions.

Our Week That Was series gives you a round-up of all the achievements, announcements, and other political goings-on around Parliament and across the country over the past week. We're proud of all we're doing to make New Zealand a great place to live - and we want to share it with you!

Our Week That Was series gives you a round-up of all the achievements, announcements, and other political goings-on around Parliament and across the country over the past week. We're proud of all we're doing to make New Zealand a great place to live - and we want to share it with you!

Earlier this month, we set up a new "one-stop shop" service for Canterbury's earthquake claimants.

In its first week, more than 100 people signed up to the Greater Christchurch Claims Resolution Service (GCCRS).

Our Week That Was series gives you a round-up of all the achievements, announcements, and other political goings-on around Parliament and across the country over the past week. We're proud of all we're doing to make New Zealand a great place to live - and we want to share it with you!

New Zealand has one of the most beautiful natural environments in the world.

We want to protect our environment for future generations. 

Our Week That Was series gives you a round-up of all the achievements, announcements, and other political goings-on around Parliament and across the country over the past week. We're proud of all we're doing to make New Zealand a great place to live - and we want to share it with you!