Burns Brendon: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Burns Brendon: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:668;Page:14933] 
9. 
BRENDON BURNS (Labour—Christchurch Central) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: Is he concerned at the report in yesterday’s  
Press 
 saying that one in five New Zealanders are drinking water that is unsafe or untested and that five of 12 hospitals and health services with their own drinking-water supplies have failed to meet the minimum standards? 
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) 
: 
 Yes I am concerned about the report in the  
Press 
 as it misrepresents the Ministry of Health’s  
Annual Review of Drinking-water Quality in New Zealand 2008/9 
 which was released in June 4 months ago. It is quite incorrect to say one in five New Zealanders is receiving unsafe or untested drinking-water. In fact over half of those people are outside the regime as they supply their own water—for example through rainwater tanks. The key finding of the Ministry of Health’s report is that the number of people who had bacteria detected in their water fell from 3 percent to 2 percent which some might describe as a reduction of 33 percent. 
Brendon Burns 
: Is the Minister agreeing with his ministry’s report identifying that hospitals 20 percent of schools and many other suppliers are not delivering safe water to what it says are 137000 more New Zealanders than in the previous year surveyed or is he siding with his bench mate who last week told the House that the drinking-water standards are “Rolls-Royce” and unaffordable? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I think it is very important to look behind what is being mentioned by the member opposite. If for example we look at his description of “five of 12 hospitals” not complying I think we should be clear that three of those are small clinics the size of a house on Great Barrier Island and Waiheke Island that are supplying water equivalent to local home supplies. Another is a facility owned by a trust with which the district health board is working to reduce the risks. The fifth is Princess Margaret Hospital in Christchurch which remained in this status while that member’s Government was in office. 
Brendon Burns 
: Why did the Minister blame the 4 September Christchurch earthquake for delays in the review of drinking-water funding introduced by the previous Labour Government when he said in announcing the review 14 months ago that he expected it to be completed “early next year.”? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: The report has taken longer to prepare than had been expected but announcements will be made in due course. 
Brendon Burns 
: Will the Minister give all New Zealanders on a reticulated supply an assurance that their water is or soon will be safe to drink or will he continue to wring his hands and wash his hands of the issue saying it is local government’s responsibility despite the Government’s having frozen the funding and having put a 3-year moratorium on meeting the minimum World Health Organization guidelines for safe drinking-water? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: It is the responsibility of water suppliers. We know that to be the case because that member’s Government passed the legislation to that effect while in office.