Labour MP Kiri Allan says her cancer treatment has shifted her priorities.
Allan returned to work in July after undergoing treatment for cervical cancer. She was diagnosed in April .
On Friday, the MP said the experience made her realise "every single day matters" and how important it is to show loved ones how much you love them.
"Sometimes I've been accused of working a little bit too much so it shifted my priorities a little bit," she told Breakfast.
"I feel privileged every day that I chuck my boots on and come to work, and coming to work to do things meaningful, be a part of our team that I think is steering us through this Covid response at this time, also being able to introduce things like this Matariki bill and work alongside a kahui of experts, I guess, to create legacy, leaving matters in the whare whilst I'm there.
"Those types of things, I guess, I feel very privileged every single day that I get to be around on the Earth and it's brought that privilege home."
Allan was on the show after Parliament heard the first reading of Te Kāhui o Matariki Public Holiday Bill this week. It will now pass through select committee.
Of the 11 public holidays New Zealand currently has, this is the first kaupapa Māori aligned public holiday to be heard before the house.
Allan, who is the Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, said it was a "pretty exciting time for our little nation".
She said the reading this week was met with "overwhelming support".
"It was a beautiful day, I was sat in the House for all of the speeches and I was texting Professor Rangi Mātāmua as the bill was progressing.
"It was an exciting day for all of Aotearoa because Matariki is something that one - this is going to be unique to us as our special holiday, but two - it also links us in to all of our cousins from around te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa, the Pacific, who also all are celebrating this Māori new year or Pacific new year amongst them. So it's a little bit of a special day yesterday."
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