9. BRENDON BURNS (Labour—Christchurch Central) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
Is he concerned at the report in yesterday’s Press saying that one in five New Zealanders are drinking water that is unsafe or untested, and that five of 12 hospitals and health services with their own drinking-water supplies have failed to meet the minimum standards?
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) Link to this
Yes, I am concerned about the report in the Press, as it misrepresents the Ministry of Health’s Annual Review of Drinking-water Quality in New Zealand 2008/9, which was released in June, 4 months ago. It is quite incorrect to say one in five New Zealanders is receiving unsafe or untested drinking-water. In fact, over half of those people are outside the regime, as they supply their own water—for example, through rainwater tanks. The key finding of the Ministry of Health’s report is that the number of people who had bacteria detected in their water fell from 3 percent to 2 percent, which some might describe as a reduction of 33 percent.
Is the Minister agreeing with his ministry’s report identifying that hospitals, 20 percent of schools, and many other suppliers are not delivering safe water to what it says are 137,000 more New Zealanders than in the previous year surveyed, or is he siding with his bench mate who last week told the House that the drinking-water standards are “Rolls-Royce” and unaffordable?
I think it is very important to look behind what is being mentioned by the member opposite. If, for example, we look at his description of “five of 12 hospitals” not complying, I think we should be clear that three of those are small clinics the size of a house, on Great Barrier Island and Waiheke Island, that are supplying water equivalent to local home supplies. Another is a facility owned by a trust, with which the district health board is working to reduce the risks. The fifth is Princess Margaret Hospital in Christchurch, which remained in this status while that member’s Government was in office.
Why did the Minister blame the 4 September Christchurch earthquake for delays in the review of drinking-water funding introduced by the previous Labour Government, when he said in announcing the review 14 months ago that he expected it to be completed “early next year.”?
The report has taken longer to prepare than had been expected, but announcements will be made in due course.
Will the Minister give all New Zealanders on a reticulated supply an assurance that their water is, or soon will be, safe to drink, or will he continue to wring his hands and wash his hands of the issue, saying it is local government’s responsibility, despite the Government’s having frozen the funding and having put a 3-year moratorium on meeting the minimum World Health Organization guidelines for safe drinking-water?