Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
License needed for work use Register
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

Can regions trust Nat’s not to cut jobs?

16 October 2008

Can regions trust Nat’s not to cut jobs and services?

The Labour government has delivered more health services, more frontline health staff and more hospitals but these would be under threat in a National Government Minister of Health David Cunliffe said.

“The National Party insert name of town here press release issued by Tony Ryall fails to address a single health issue and points more toward their agenda of privatisation and job losses.”

Mr Cunliffe said under Labour more people were getting greater access to prescription medicines, affordable GP appointments, diabetes lets get checked. There were seven new hospitals and eight refurbished hospitals.

“While we have delivered more services, more hospitals and a longer life expectancy, the National Party have delivered a policy that is little more than a stock take of the current health system and plans for increased privatisation.”

Mr Cunliffe said the entire health sector had grown including doctors and nurses and the proportion of non-clinical staff had remained relatively static.

“We have employed around 1000 additional doctors and 3000 additional nurses since coming to power.”

“In these uncertain economic times it worries me that the National Party could be so careless with people’s futures both in health and job security.”

“It’s time Mr Ryall stopped levelling politically motivated attacks at DHBs and the Ministry of Health and concentrated on developing some innovative ideas of his own.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

“New Zealanders don’t want to see politicians attacking the health sector, they want people who are committed to growing it.”

Mr Cunliffe said while the National Party had focussed on bureaucrat numbers Labour has focussed on improving people’s health.

“At the end of the day there are more health services and there are more people delivering them.”

“Is National going to stop fruit in schools, lift the cost of prescription drugs, let GP fees sky rocket? Do they want doctors and nurses answering phones and staffing reception desks?”

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines

Gordon Campbell: On The New Government’s Policies Of Yesteryear

Winston Peters is routinely described as the kingmaker who decides whether the centre right or the centre-left has a turn at running this country. He also plays a less heralded, but equally important role as the scapegoat who can be blamed for killing taxes that his senior partners never much wanted in the first place. Neither Ardern nor Robertson for example, really wanted a capital gains tax, for fear of Labour copping the “tax and spend“ label they ended up being saddled with anyway. Usefully though, they could tell the party faithful it was wicked old Winston who killed the CGT. More


 
 
Public Housing Futures: Christmas Comes Early For Landlords

New CTU analysis of the National & ACT coalition agreement has shown the cost of returning interest deductibility to landlords is an extra $900M on top of National’s original proposal. This is because it is going to be implemented earlier and faster, including retrospective rebates from April 2023. More


Green Party: Petition To Save Oil & Gas Ban

“The new Government’s plan to expand oil and gas exploration is as dangerous as it is unscientific. Whatever you think about the new government, there is simply no mandate to trash the climate. We need to come together to stop them,” says James Shaw. More

PSA: MFAT Must Reverse Decision To Remove Te Reo

MFAT's decision to remove te reo from correspondence before new Ministers are sworn in risks undermining the important progress the public sector has made in honouring te Tiriti. "We are very disappointed in what is a backward decision - it simply seems to be a Ministry bowing to the racist rhetoric we heard on the election campaign trail," says Marcia Puru. More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.