Wyatt Creech

National Health Spokesperson

Wednesday 4 October 2000

Warning for rural New Zealand over District Health Boards

"National supports the warnings issued today by Federation Farmers over the Government's health restructuring," National Health spokesperson Wyatt Creech said today.

"Federated Farmers has told MPs on Parliament's Health select committee that they are concerned about the impact of the restructuring.

"The organisation representing about 16,000 farming businesses say the reforms could lead to fragmented health services, more administration, more costs and disruption.

"Federated Farmers have sought answers to questions on the scale and cost of the reforms and whether they will address the needs of rural people.

"The 21 District Health Boards were described in the Federated Farmers submission as "unwieldy and administration hungry...with considerable scope for duplication and overlap."

"Federated Farmers have told the Government they have "grave concerns" about the impact of the Treaty of Waitangi in health legislation.

"We agree with the farming body that the inclusion of the Treaty in the health reform legislation sets "New Zealand down a path of different rights of citizenship based on race, with far-reaching implications for our future development as a nation".

"National shares the concerns about the impact of the health restructuring on health services.

"Unfortunately the Government doesn't seem to want to listen," Mr Creech said.

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