5. Health Services—Middlemore Hospital BuildingsHon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National) to the Minister of HealthHealth Services—Middlemore Hospital Buildings5. Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National) to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by all his statements and actions?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK (Minister of Health): Yes in the context in which they were made and undertaken.Hon Michael Woodhouse: On what date was the Minister first informed of the nature and extent of the building issues at Middlemore Hospital that are the subject of recent media attention and what action did he take?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I was informed about the Scott Building when I visited about one month ago roughly. In the days that followed I signed off funding to repair that. I've had many subsequent conversations with the district health board (DHB) in which they've assured me that patient safety is not at risk and have alerted me to further issues with their buildings that are a result of nine years of neglect by the previous Government.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Is the funding mentioned by the Minister in addition to the $17 million already approved by the previous Government for the reclad of the Scott Building—the one issue that was raised with and quickly addressed by the previous Government?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: If the previous Government raised and addressed one issue effectively that's one more than I've been aware of up till now. But I'd also make the point that if the member is still fixated on deficits I wonder where he's been for the past couple of weeks because he's obviously missed the fact that the public are aware now of rot sewage and mould in the walls which has required additional funding to fix and the public really want to know that the—SPEAKER: Order! That's enough. Thank you.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Is the Minister aware that the issue of the state of the buildings at Counties Manukau District Health Board was not even raised with the Health Committee during the review of the Auckland District Health Board on 21 February the very forum within such issues should be raised?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: If the member is trying to repeat the message that the acting chief executive has delivered about the district health board being afraid to raise issues about the buildings because they were expected to run surpluses I'm not sure how that is in his political advantage.Hon Members: Answer the question.Hon Dr Nick Smith: No attempt to answer the question.SPEAKER: Order! I am reflecting on that. I am going to ask the Minister to address the supplementary asked. Does he want it repeated?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: Repeat.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Is the Minister aware that the issue of the state of the buildings at Counties Manukau District Health Board was not even raised with the Health Committee during the review of the Auckland District Health Board on 21 February?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: That has been brought to my attention.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Is he aware that the Counties Manukau District Health Board were fully briefed on the building problems at Middlemore at their meeting 25 October 2017 and is he concerned that they were not brought to the attention of the select committee at all or to his attention earlier?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: Sorry. Mr Speaker could the member please repeat the question.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Is he aware that the Counties Manukau District Health Board were fully briefed on the building problems at Middlemore at their meeting 25 October 2017 and is he concerned that they were not brought to the attention of the select committee at all or to his attention earlier?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I think the member is referring to a select committee that happened prior to that briefing—if I'm not mistaken. [Interruption] Hon Michael Woodhouse: No; 25 October last year 21 February this year.Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: This year? OK. Am I concerned about that? I am concerned that these issues have taken some while to come to light but I think that that speaks to a culture where people were afraid to raise the issues. And I think that this Government is going to do something about it. We have been unashamed—[Interruption] SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! The member will resume his seat. No I couldn't hear that and I have trouble ruling things in or out if I can't hear it. I'll ask the member to wind back a little way and to repeat it and I'm going to require silence from my left while that happens.Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: So as a consequence this Government is going to address the issue. We have determined that we will actually ask for a full report a comprehensive understanding of the assets across this country so that we can address the neglect of our infrastructure and social settings because we believe New Zealanders deserve decent healthcare and we intend to make sure that over time we address that historic neglect.Hon Gerry Brownlee: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I'd ask you just to reflect on the little exchange that's just happened. The answer that Dr David Clark just gave is perfectly reasonable. It's what Governments do. It's what everyone would expect and there's no trouble maintaining a high degree of respect while he's answering. It was the comments he made in the answer that you asked to be repeated that caused the problem and I'd ask that you have a look at that on the tapes tonight to just better understand why there was such an adverse reaction on this side of the House.SPEAKER: I'll do that.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Is the Minister aware that the costs serious though the issues are at Middlemore Hospital of remedies comprise about 0.006 of 1 percent and if he reacts in this way to one issue how is he going to perform over a $17 billion Health vote?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: To be honest I'm not sure why the member wants to keep raising the failures of the previous Government. The previous health Minister hasn't even given his valedictory. We on this side have signalled clearly that we intend to address the historic neglect of our health system.