Verrall AyeshaHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL (Minister of Health): It's a pleasure to take a call in this debate at the backdrop of Budget 2023 at a time of economic challenges. As the Minister of Finance said on Budget day it's hard to remember a time when there have been so many challenges in terms of our economic environmental and social systems but I am confident that this Government has a plan to address those challenges and to build an economic recovery.I want to start with the health portfolio and note that cost of living pressures are having an impact on how people can access the health system. That is why it is so important that we have addressed some of the costs of accessing care through Budget 2023 and we know that we've had tremendous evidence for the change we made to scrap the $5 prescription co-pay to make something as fundamental as medicine more accessible to people. I know this policy will make an amazing difference when it comes into force over this weekend to people who need that help. We're talking about seniors who might have multiple prescriptions to fill people who need routine prescriptions for contraception for their mental health care. We know that there is a tremendous benefit in terms of the cost saved in terms of people's health because so many medicines prevent ill health. We're thinking of pills like for blood pressure for high cholesterol that stop you from going to hospital later on saving both the person suffering and the health system money. It is a tremendous investment in people's wellbeing in people's back pockets at a time of pressure and also in the sustainability of our health system. This Government has a proud record in terms of improvements to access to medicines when you put this policy alongside our 47 percent increase in Pharmac funding that we have delivered over the five years that we have been in Government.In terms of the economy multiple Governments have turned to science and research as a way of driving economic growth. Not all go as far as the National Party do and step into the realm of magic the realm of magical thinking where they argue that genetic engineering will remove the need for us to do anything about climate change. The Government has a plan to increase its investment in science so we really can tackle the problems that face our economy including how we transition our economy to one that has high-wage low-emission jobs.A cornerstone of that work is the Te Ara Paerangi science reforms and Budget '23 outlined the process that we would use to get us started on the journey of making that change. It includes investment in some of our most talented people. I'm so pleased to see us support applied—or some countries call them industry—PhDs. This is to get our PhDs out of the ivory tower and actually connecting with industry or Crown research institutes where applied research is done. We will support the funding for those initiatives to grow and to be scaled up because it's that opportunity to bring cutting-edge science into practical problems that can lead to so many innovations that help make a practical benefit to our economy. I'm looking forward to working with universities and Crown research institutes to see that change through.In addition we have greater fellowship supports for some of our most talented young scientists and I'm so excited about this opportunity because young scientists do have precarious employment and the opportunity to see them really start on their career so they can make a difference to our future is thrilling.In the background to that—I think it's important—I'm proud that the Government has taken the step to address concerns raised by the university sector about the sustainability of their funding and that was announced by Minister Tinetti the other day. Degree-granting institutions like universities and other providers play an important role in our economy and our democracy. They generate cutting-edge research. They are the source of our workforce including our research workforce not to mention having a role in legislation as the critic and conscience of our society. I'm pleased to see that we can offer them a reprieve that helps them address some of the structural issues that they are facing. But we also need to address some longstanding issues in funding systems and indeed Minister Tinetti has announced a review there. I am pleased to see it includes the Performance-Based Research Fund which is also very important to our science sector. The Government has a plan to drive economic recovery in this country and I'm pleased to see that science and research are at the heart of it.