Watts SimonSIMON WATTS (National—North Shore): Thank you very much Mr Chair. Stiff competition over on this side. I do appreciate the opportunity for a short call. Thank you Minister for the contributions to some of the questions. I want to come back to Supplementary Order Paper 157 in the name of Dr Shane Reti in regards to the insertion in clauses 4 10 29 and new clause 40B around the older people's health strategy. Dr Reti referenced it in his point and it's something that I'm reasonably familiar with around the long-term fiscal plan that Treasury has completed which they do every four years in regards to looking forward 40 years for New Zealand. As Dr Reti articulated the two key components that were highlighted significantly in that report was one in regards to climate change but the other was in regards to our ageing population. The statistic that Treasury quotes is that in New Zealand like many other countries we're seeing a major shift in terms of the age of our population and by 2070 I think they reference 25 percent or one in four Kiwis will be over the age of 65. So the absence of a specific focus around older people's health is going to be a significant area of growth and importance as the years progress. And no doubt the intent of this legislation is to be sustainable in terms of the future but one of the key aspects it looks like it is missing—and I'm keen for the Minister's perspective on that—is how much thinking was put into play between the Ministry of Health and Treasury in regards to this? Because I must say on looking it looks like it's potentially—some would say it could have been done in silos in terms of the context around that. Because on one side the Government is saying this is a major area; on the other side it's not a priority. So I'd like a little bit of context in terms of the work that's gone on between those two agencies in particular around that specific point that relates to Dr Shane Reti's Supplementary Order Paper.The other aspect as the Minister will know—and the questions I've asked him in the House in oral questions in the past last year particularly in mid last year around the health workforce related to the aged-care sector which this Supplementary Order Paper refers to—is the significant workforce crisis that we have in that space. I guess the question really there was: if this new health entity structure is genuinely going to work to try and address some of those workforce gaps why have we not seen any change really in terms of that dynamic? Probably some in fairness would say actually a worsening of that situation and also in the recent Budget that was out 12 days ago very little funding in regards to staff retention. As the Minister will be aware our health workforce is like a leaking sieve and that will only be exacerbated by our borders reopening and people going overseas because of the higher salaries and—actually not just salaries—the working conditions as well which is an issue for those who are based here and do a great job within our health system in New Zealand. So a little bit of context around why retention of existing staff hasn't been prioritised as and where it relates to particularly the aged-care sector. The third question is in the context of the significant scale of change that is currently under way within the health care system. And I think no one would argue; there's a quote never a right time to blow up the health system". You probably wouldn't choose to do it at the same time as a pandemic but that's necessarily where we are here. What aspect in terms of the aged-care sector in particular because it's a mixture of private and public funding—what confidence can Kiwis have out there particularly those elderly that are within care homes that are currently dealing with the impact of lower quality of care because of lack of staffing and probably leading to adverse events in terms of clinical outcomes and the health outcomes? What confidence can they have that they're actually going to see any change in terms of their position in the next two to three years—I'll be generous—as a result of this structural change that is being proposed and the fact that as number 157 states there isn't a specific health strategy for older people? Thank you Minister."