Pillay Lynne: New Zealand Public Health and Disability Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Pillay Lynne: New Zealand Public Health and Disability Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:663;Page:11030] 
LYNNE PILLAY (Labour) 
: 
 I am really pleased to take a call on the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Amendment Bill. As everyone in the House knows now Labour is supporting this bill’s referral to the Health Committee but we do so with some concern. I listened to the speech made by Nicky Wagner which was pretty much in line with the speech notes that were given out the other day. The same thing happens. The notes go to all members of caucus— 
Nicky Wagner 
: Actually you’re wrong. 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: Wow Nicky made them up herself; we really have underestimated her! But in terms— 
Hon Tariana Turia 
: It’s Labour that sends around the notes. 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: If I were the Maori Party I would not talk about notes. We have notes here. 
Labour supports the bill going to a select committee to enable the public to have their say which is the most important thing. Some pretty sweeping statements are being made and some pretty big promises are being made in terms of what will be delivered. I have a headline here stating: “Really big health savings estimated”. Whoops! Sorry that is a 1993 statement from the National Government. It was its statement then about how it was going to save money and put it into health etc. Then we have this statement: “Big savings envisaged in health reforms efficiency”. When was that statement made? It was in 1993. It was made not by Tony Ryall but by that champion of health reforms Bill Birch. 
I am saying to the House that we need to be very careful about this bill going forward. As I said we support this bill going to a select committee but with caution. It is really important that the Health Committee enables New Zealanders to have their say and that the committee ensures that all New Zealanders are given ample opportunity to do so. Unlike many things that have happened with this Government this bill should not be rushed through. The process should be very prolonged to enable Kiwis to have their say on what their expectations are in terms of health reforms. 
I heard the members of the Maori Party talking about Whanau Ora. We in Labour certainly do not disagree with the principles of Whanau Ora but we have not heard National agree with them in the past. Usually they refer to them as race-based funding but on this occasion National is on side with the Maori Party. That is what happens with a Government that works together with its coalition partners and that is fine. We have no problems if this programme delivers for Maori but we are saying that we need to make sure that the funding does not come from other well-meaning organisations that are delivering very very good health-care. I say to the Government and to the Maori Party that we are keeping a very watchful eye on that. 
Hon Tariana Turia 
: Oh we’re sure you are. 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: Pardon? I did not hear that. 
Hon Tariana Turia 
: We’re terrified about it! 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: They are terrified. I know that the Maori Party has such a cosy relationship with the Government. It is really good. I just hope that it delivers because some very big promises have been made at the cost of tremendous stuff. Where do I hear the Maori Party protesting and making noises about the health cuts for elderly people whether they are Maori Pakeha or Indian? Where do I hear the Maori Party talking about the health cuts we are seeing throughout the country? That Minister has a bit to say. 
I ask about this because I am talking in this debate with my disability hat on. I am saying quite clearly that the principles of this bill are about public health and disability. We have heard a lot about how district health boards are going to work much more efficiently how things will be much better and how we will have so many more savings. For example this statement says: “Big savings envisaged in health reforms efficiency.”—sorry that was from 1993. “Health cut savings estimated.”—sorry that was from 1993. I have a diagram from the 1990s that says it all. It shows people around the operating table looking for a scalpel and clamps but at the end of the day they find a calculator. 
On this side of the House we have real concerns about that. We support efficiencies in systems. When Labour was in Government we worked very hard to get efficiencies but not at the cost of care. I notice that the Maori Party does not have much to say on this but we clearly see some real areas of cuts under this Government. Where do we see the Minister for Disability Issues advocating in respect of the cuts to disability services in this country under the National Government? 
Hon Tariana Turia 
: Name them. 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: Name one? There are cuts in terms of support for children with disabilities in schools for people with disabilities who live at home and for older people with disabilities who live at home. The cuts are across the board. If the Minister for Disability Issues is sitting in the House and saying that she does not know what I am talking about then clearly she has to get off the Whanau Ora bandwagon and listen to the other things that are happening. Whanau Ora will not deliver everything for all New Zealanders. We need to look at a health system that delivers for all New Zealanders whether it is in the hospital system whether it is in primary health care whether it is for people with disabilities whether it is in maternity services or whether it is support for our young children. I tell members that that does not happen when money is pulled out of the health system. 
I come back now to the bill after that small interlude away. Members on this side of the House support the bill and we look forward to the select committee process. We know from members of Parliament visiting from other countries that our select committee process is second to none. It is second to none because it is another level of scrutiny that takes the legislation away from a Government that says that it is the one true way and that it is what we are going to do to get big savings in health reforms efficiencies. It takes it back to the grassroots. It means that people can come along to the Health Committee whether they are providers clients people with disabilities or young people. Those things are really really important and I know that the Health Committee will have a very big task on its hands. There are planning requirements and some real efficiencies to be made around district health boards working together which is what the Labour Government did while it was in power. Labour is completely behind anything that enhances procurement and the most efficient way of purchasing and service delivery. We will go with the people of New Zealand on that. 
I say clearly to this Government that it is accountable for what it does. In terms of the cuts that have happened we have seen them all too often. We have challenged the Minister of Health; I see that he is hanging his head in shame. We have challenged the Government because it is not accountable and is not fronting up to the public about the cuts that it has made in primary health care and in the delivery of services for elderly people. From the efficiencies proposed under this bill we want to see real money going into real services for real people in New Zealand. That is why members on this side of the House welcome the fact that the bill will go to the select committee so the people of New Zealand can front up and tell this Government the areas where things are lacking and why those efficiencies have to be made.