Scott Lynda: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Scott Lynda: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:615;Page:10955] 
10.  
Dr LYNDA SCOTT (National—Kaikoura) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: Does she believe Maori New Zealanders should have separate rooms in hospital from non-Maori New Zealanders; if so why? 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Health) 
: 
 No. Separate rooms in public hospitals are allocated on the basis of clinical need and availability. I am advised no public hospital in New Zealand operates a policy of exclusive rooms based on ethnicity. However I am aware of the Kaupapa Ward at Tauranga Hospital which was opened in 1994 under the previous National Government and has had a steady stream of politicians visit it including Bill English and Jenny Shipley. It has been providing choice to all the people of Tauranga for the past 10 years. 
Dr Lynda Scott 
: Does she find it acceptable for it to have now gone so far that an ill older non-Maori New Zealander has been asked to move from her hospital bed into another room because Maori patients want to be only with Maori; and can she explain if that is not racial segregation what is? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: I do not know the case the member is talking about. However I am informed that there are patients who may want to be alone with family at particular times because maybe the person is dying or there is something particularly wrong with the person. This is not based on ethnicity but on the fact that the person has a particular need. I think there is perhaps only one party that would draw that long bow in terms of racial discrimination. 
Heather Roy 
: Does the Minister believe there should be two standards of care and accountability—one for Maori New Zealanders and one for all other New Zealanders—and if not what has she done to ensure that Maori health providers are held to the same level of accountability as other health providers? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Maori health providers are probably under greater audit than other providers. This is because audit tools have been put in place as we—and as the previous Government did—allowed non-governmental organisation Maori providers to provide services by Maori for Maori. I am pleased there are politicians now in Opposition who supported that in the past when in Government but I find deplorable that in Opposition they want to deny those same things they once supported just to get a few votes. 
Dr Lynda Scott 
: What does she intend to do to stop this racial separatism knowing that if it had been the other way round and a Maori patient had been asked to shift because a non-Maori wanted her bed it would have been seen as discrimination of the very worst sort? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: I have no evidence that this is a practice in New Zealand hospitals. I repeat if a patient has a particular need—whether or not that patient is Maori Pacific Islander European or Chinese—I am sure that need is brought to the attention of the clinicians involved with the patient’s care and arrangements are made. Only somebody who wanted to cause trouble would say that was based on racial disharmony. 
Heather Roy 
: What action has the Minister taken since learning that Ngati Whatua has had to employ a private investigator Mr Michael Crawford of Advanced Investigations to track down money believed to have been misappropriated from Tihi Ora Mapo and given Mr Crawford’s frustration at the lack of cooperation he has received can she explain why the police have not been called? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: It is way outside the original question but I will allow the Minister to comment. 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Yes it is and I can thank Rodney Hide for providing information about this particular issue. However I have to tell him that the Ministry of Health had already been advised that the trust itself is undertaking an inquiry. When the trust has finished its inquiry should there be a need for the police to be involved I am sure they will become involved. However it is probably true to say there are some bad eggs in all the baskets and I suppose ACT members have found that out to their own benefit. 
Dr Lynda Scott 
: I seek leave to table a press release from the  
Bay of Plenty Times 
 last night where Elva Cooper identified what happened to her and said there should not be race segregation in our hospitals. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that press release. Is there any objection? There is. There will be silence when members ask their questions and that is the only warning.