8. Hon TONY RYALL (National—Bay of Plenty) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
Is it Government policy that all contracted health providers should meet minimum requirements for Māori health based on the Treaty of Waitangi; if so, what are those minimum requirements?
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR (Acting Minister of Health) Link to this
No. The Labour-led Government is committed to the provision of health services on the basis of need. This will continue to mean a focus on the needs of Māori, who still trail behind New Zealand averages on most health indicators.
Why did the Minister and his colleague Mr Mallard, after the review of race-based policies, decide to keep the numerous Treaty clauses in health contracts with dentists?
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR Link to this
The needs of Māori in dental health care are pressing. The facts are that Māori 5-year-olds are twice as likely to have decayed, missing, or filled teeth than the New Zealand average. That ongoing disparity must be addressed.
Why did the Minister and his colleague Mr Mallard, after the review of race-based policies, decide to keep the numerous Treaty clauses in health contracts with optometrists?
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR Link to this
There are many contracts in place that were negotiated by the previous National Government. Those contracts, when they come up for renegotiation, will have the clauses addressed. There are still huge disparities between the health needs of Māori and non-Māori in this country, and we will go on to address those.
What does the Government expect optometrists to do differently for Māori on the basis of the Treaty clauses that the Labour Government inserted?
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR Link to this
I hope they will provide them with more vision than the current National Party has.
Dr Jonathan Coleman Link to this
Why do radiologists and lab technicians require Treaty clauses in their employment contracts; how does reading an X-ray or analysing a blood sample vary by the race of the patient?
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR Link to this
As I have said, there are a number of contracts in place where those clauses will be addressed when they come up for renegotiation. I remind the House that there are huge disparities between the health needs of Māori and non-Māori. We will focus in this area, but those contracts will have those clauses addressed when we renegotiate.
Is this not all another example of the Treaty politically correct mumbo-jumbo that has infested this Labour Government’s health system; would it not be better to stop all this waste and provide care for New Zealand children on the basis of need, not race?
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR Link to this
This Government is providing health care on the basis of need, not on the basis of wealth as the National Party would have it. I have a quotation that states that the Government would recognise the Treaty by ensuring that “public health and disability support services are responsive to Māori and by continuing to enable greater Māori participation in the purchase and delivery of health and social services”. That was said by a National health Minister in the late 1990s.
I seek leave to table three documents. The first is a recently renewed dental contract that requires a dentist to have separate approaches for Māori over all others.
The second is a recently renewed contract with optometrists that requires them to have special policies and procedures for Māori.
The third is the Government’s own document, which says most of the disparity is socio-economic - related, not ethnic.
Madam SPEAKER