Street Maryan: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Street Maryan: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:632;Page:4113] 
5.  
MARYAN STREET (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: What reports has he received on the success of the 1 July roll-out of affordable primary health care to 45 to 64-year-olds? 
Hon PETE HODGSON (Minister of Health) 
: 
 The 1 July roll-out of cheaper doctors’ fees and lower-cost prescription drugs was the most successful stage of the Primary Health Care Strategy to date with nearly 100 percent of practices on board. Nearly 700000 New Zealanders saw the cost of doctors’ visits drop by around $27 and are now paying no more than $3 for most prescription medicines. This is what can be achieved when Governments invest in the health of families instead of having reckless tax cuts for the wealthy. 
Maryan Street 
: What reports has he seen on support for the 1 July roll-out? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: I have seen reports that the lowering of fees has been welcomed from groups right across the New Zealand health sector. I have however seen proposals to raise doctors’ fees for New Zealanders in the 45 to 64-year-old age group and stop all future extensions of the strategy to free up $500 million to pay for tax cuts. That proposal is from the National Party and it is another reminder of why its members will be warming the Opposition benches for a lot longer than 9 years. 
Dr Jonathan Coleman 
: Can the Minister confirm that of the roll-out money for cheaper doctors’ visits for middle-aged people only $3 million will be spent on community service cardholders—the New Zealanders with the worst health and the greatest financial needs—while $60 million will go to people who do not have community service cards; and is this really the best way of targeting those people with the greatest health needs? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: The National Party just does not like universality does it? It does not like it. It does not like the idea that one can have a right as a citizen of this country and that that right is available to one irrespective of one’s condition. The reason community service cardholders have a lower decrease in their fees is that they already had a larger decrease in their fees earlier. I have one other question for the member however: who is the Opposition spokesperson on health? Dr Jonathan Coleman is listed in last night’s Australian High Commissioner’s residence do as the Opposition spokesperson on health. Is that what has happened because I thought it was that guy there? 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Point of order Madam Speaker— 
Madam SPEAKER 
: That was not an answer to the question. The member is quite correct. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. If the Minister would like to ask questions I would be happy for him to sit on this side of the House and I am sure we will be happy to take up the seats on the Government side. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I thank the member for his contribution. 
Barbara Stewart 
: Is the Minister aware of reports that some general practitioners are charging up to $18 to see an under-6-year-old child and what action is his Government taking to make health care for under-sixes free as it once was? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: The member raises a good question as she usually does. I am hopeful we will be able to reduce somewhat the incidence of charging under-6-year-olds but I do remind the member that the median fee for under-6-year-olds is zero—that is to say most practices charge under-6-year-olds nothing at all. 
Maryan Street 
: How can the Minister have confidence that he has ensured low fees for middle-aged New Zealanders when Hawke’s Bay and Otago practices have raised their fees since 1 July? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: The member again raises a good question. One hopes that these are glitches in the roll-out in those two practices that I am aware of. If however they are not then they will be managed contractually.