Hon Jo Goodhew

Associate Minister of Health

14 November 2012

Funding boost for hospices continued

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew today announced that the current Boost Hospice Care funding will be rolled over for a further two years.

“The $15 million per year funding will now continue to 2015 to help hospices cover a shortfall brought about by a challenging fundraising environment, increasing demand for services and rising costs,” said Mrs Goodhew.

Introduced in 2009, the Boost Hospice Care funding gave hospices a badly needed additional $60 million over the four years to June 2013 to help them expand care and services and meet financial challenges.

Hospices are partly funded through District Health Boards, with additional funding sourced from community fundraising. The Boost Hospice Care funding increased the proportion of average hospice funding provided by the Government from 50 percent to 70 percent.

“That investment, which formed part of the Government’s election promises in 2008, has secured this vital service for our communities,” Mrs Goodhew said.

“Hospices provide terminally ill people and their families with the services and support they need. In many communities, hospices provide palliative care in the home, as well as at in-patient facilities.

“Rolling this extra funding over for a further two years will enable hospices to continue delivering high quality services to those who need them. We are in fiscally constrained times, but it is critical we provide hospices with financial certainty.”
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"Unlawful, Unjustified And Unreasonable": Report Into Urewera Raids Finds Police Acted Unlawfully

Independent Police Conduct Authority Chair Judge Sir David Carruthers said today that the decision by the then Commissioner of Police to undertake the operation in Ruatoki Valley and elsewhere on 15 October 2007 was reasonable and justified.

“However, the road blocks established by Police at Ruatoki and Taneatua were unlawful, unjustified and unreasonable... Police had no legal basis for stopping and searching vehicles or photographing drivers or passengers,” he said...

The report also showed that the detention of the occupants at five properties examined by the Authority was unlawful and unreasonable. More>>