3. KEVIN HAGUE (Green) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
Does he stand by his statement in the House last week that “The Government has not slashed the budget for healthy eating projects.”?
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) Link to this
The member’s quote is selective. What I said was “The Government has not slashed the budget for healthy eating projects. What the Government has done is sought more balance in the approach between physical activity and nutrition.”
Does he accept that ordinary Kiwis might think the $31.6 million cut to the Healthy Eating - Healthy Action fund was a slashing?
I am completely unaware of a $31.6 million reduction in the healthy eating fund, and I invite the member to table the information he has that suggests that there has been such a reduction.
Dr Paul Hutchison Link to this
What new initiatives has the Government recently announced to help address unhealthy weight or obesity?
The Prime Minister recently launched the KiwiSport initiative, which will provide $20 million a year to schools and regional sports trusts to have more opportunities for sports and other physical activity. This will certainly provide more balance to the message that New Zealanders need good nutrition and physical exercise.
Does he accept that ordinary Kiwis might think the $24 million cut from the “Get Checked” Diabetes Aotearoa programme was a slashing, the $1.2 million cut from the Diabetes New Zealand obesity programme was a slashing, and the $3 million cut from men’s health initiatives constituted a slashing, or does he think Kiwis might prefer to use a “chainsaw massacre” metaphor?
I think the member needs to realise that he should see this matter within the context of the fact that the Government is moving resources around the health sector. We inherited $160 million of unfunded services from the previous Government, and we are seeking to move resources within Vote Health to meet those demands.
What reports did he receive providing evidence that the programmes were not working, and will he table them in the House?
There were a number of situations where those various expenditures were reviewed. The Government must make it very clear that we have moved resources within the health sector in order to meet new areas of spending and requirement. This Government has put an extra $750 million into the health sector this year. Half of all new spending is in Vote Health, and New Zealanders are very pleased with that.
Is it not the case that his decision to take the axe to the programmes was driven purely by ideology, or was it driven by the fact that the benefits of the programmes, in terms of reducing health-care need, will not be felt until the future, when he is most unlikely still to be Minister?
The member may not realise that we are in the worst recession since the 1930s and resources need to be moved. But I am interested that that member’s party has not criticised the party opposite for cutting $24 million from public health programmes, cutting $17.5 million from primary health organisations, and cutting another $20 million from the programme to immunise against the human papilloma virus, and other immunisations. Let us see the member be fair in his criticism.
I seek leave to table a document entitled Budget 2009 and line by line review of Vote Health, the author of which is the Hon Tony Ryall, which sets out the adjustments in funding that I have referred to.
Mr SPEAKER