Hon Jo Goodhew

Associate Minister of Health

6 August 2014 Media Statement
You name it, Labour is promising it

Labour’s strategy is to promise everything to everybody when it comes to health, says Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew.

“Today’s announcement adds to their ever growing list of election enticements on health – you name it, Labour is promising it,” says Mrs Goodhew.

“This is exactly how the previous Labour government took district health boards into financial crisis with deficits of over $150 million and climbing.

“The hundreds of millions Labour has already promised in health, and with more to come, are the sign of desperate electioneering.

“Despite the global financial crisis which has seen many developed countries freezing or reducing their health budgets, this National-led Government has increased Vote Health by an average of $500 million a year, which includes a $150 million increase for primary care.

“National’s prudent financial management has enabled district health boards to reduce the deficits they built up under Labour and allowed us to increase health services, such as extending free doctors visits and prescriptions to children under the age of 13 from July next year,” says Mrs Goodhew.

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