4. Question No. 4—HealthDr SHANE RETI (National) to the Minister of HealthQuestion No. 4—Health4. Dr SHANE RETI (National) to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by all his statements and actions? Hon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Health): Yes. In particular I stand by the actions that this Labour Government is taking to rebuild our public health system and to address serious health inequities such as the fact that Māori on average die seven years earlier than Pākehā and Pacific people rural people and disabled people are routinely excluded from basic healthcare. If we don't make these changes it will mean tolerating more inequity more ill health and more premature deaths. Dr Shane Reti: When he wrote that $14 million had been spent over just eight months on the health reform transition unit how many cataracts would $14 million fund to prevent people going blind? Hon ANDREW LITTLE: The purpose of the health reforms is so that we get better health coverage improved health coverage right throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. We need to see a shift from the expensive end of healthcare which is the hospitals into better primary care into communities—especially rural communities—who suffer from poor access to healthcare. Dr Shane Reti: When he wrote recently that $1 million had been spent over the past eight months on health reform PR does he think the 36000 people waiting to see a specialist will see this as $1 million of wasteful spending on PR spin while they wait in pain? Hon ANDREW LITTLE: No. I think what New Zealanders expected to see is a health service and actually a Government focused on a health service that delivers for all New Zealanders. It is failing at the moment because of years of under-investment by the previous Government running down buildings and underpaying nurses and this is a Government determined to fix it. Dr Shane Reti: When he wrote recently that half a million dollars had been spent on health reform directors' fees over just six months would New Zealanders rather have had their hip joints repaired? Hon ANDREW LITTLE: I think what New Zealanders wanted to see is a health system that is no longer sort of vulcanised through 20 different health decision-makers and actually have a coordinated coherent health system run cohesively so that it benefits all New Zealanders and delivers services where currently New Zealanders are struggling to get them. Dr Shane Reti: Did Treasury's recent D assessment for his leadership of the ministry take into account the spending of millions of PR spin—Hon Grant Robertson: Point of order Mr Speaker. I know that we have to respect members here but the assessment that the member is referring to is not an assessment of the Minister and he does know that. SPEAKER: I want an absolute assurance from the member that what he said was accurate. Dr Shane Reti: In replying Mr Speaker I said for his leadership of the ministry".SPEAKER: I want the member to confirm that that is what has been assessed in those words because it's—we've now had two cracks. The member has an obligation now because he's been reminded—it's in the same area as personal explanations. If he's wrong it is a very serious matter. Dr Shane Reti: Mr Speaker I'll reframe the question another time. Thank you. SPEAKER: A further supplementary—no? Right."