Street Maryan: General Debate 
Street Maryan: General Debate 
[Volume:640;Page:10041] 
MARYAN STREET (Labour) 
: 
 1 July will be a very significant date for the people of New Zealand. It will be a very significant date for this Government as we deliver on promises that we have made and policies that we have developed over time and 1 July will go down as a red-letter day for many many New Zealanders who will for the first time be able to take up a number of opportunities. 
In the short time I have I want to highlight a couple of those. I will deal first with our health policy and the primary health organisations. First of all the cost to families of visits to the doctor will be cut in half. From 1 July all New Zealanders will be able to access affordable doctors’ visits and prescription drugs. This is a historic achievement that only a Labour-led Government could deliver. We have invested $2.2 billion to make primary health care affordable for all families. This investment has reduced doctors’ fees by around $25 and has lowered standard prescription charges from $15 to $3. Three million New Zealanders are already benefiting from lower fees and they will be joined by people in the 25 to 44-year age group. 
Nearly 4 million New Zealanders are now enrolled in primary health organisations. I do not want to shy away from the figures because they are significant and I want to return to them at the end of my 5-minute call. Since last October primary health organisation practices that have agreed to maintain very low fees received additional funding. From 1 July this year that top-up will increase from 15 percent to 17.5 percent. This very low-cost access initiative currently involves 23 percent of primary health organisation practices and it benefits over 900000 people. That is a lot of people and many of those have high needs. 
From 1 July a major milestone will be reached when the final stage of our $2.2 billion funding roll-out will take effect and apply to 25 to 44-year-olds. Standard consultation fees charged by very low-cost access practices will remain very low at $15.50 for adults—that is 18 years and over—and $10.50 for children aged 6 to 17 years. Fees will remain zero for children under the age of 6. Further funding announcements in primary health care can be anticipated later in this calendar year. 
We have listened to more volume than content from the National Party contributions to this general debate this afternoon. It is legitimate for us as a Government to ask where those members’ alternative policies are because all we get is a ringing silence every time we ask. What are the Opposition’s priorities in the health sector? Currently as I understand it National members are going around the country trying to pick up some ideas so that they can develop a health policy and policies in other areas because they have none of their own. Basically they weigh positions of interest groups for vote weight and if they think something weighs in well then they will probably adopt it. Never mind if it is not the right thing the fair thing the compassionate thing or the durable thing to do they will just weigh the votes and then write it into their policy. 
Will National members raise the cost of going to the doctor? Will that be one of their promises? Will they raise the cost of prescription drugs? Will that be one of their promises? In early childhood education which is another policy area entirely and has been the subject of debate in the last few minutes will they take away 20 free hours?