Brown Peter: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Brown Peter: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:613;Page:10224] 
2.  
PETER BROWN (Deputy Leader—NZ First) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: Has she received any reports that would justify the current breast-screening age criteria to be widened outside ages 50-64? 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Health) 
: 
 Yes I have received reports recommending widening the age range up to 70 years of age. The first time this recommendation was made was to the National Government in 1998 but it was refused on the grounds that New Zealand did not have the capability or the capacity to implement it. This Government is considering all information regarding the appropriate age. It will make a decision based on evidence. 
Peter Brown 
: Noting that answer is the Minister telling this House that she is aware of the dreadful statistics with regard to breast cancer and does she not accept that it is urgent that the Government screen women from 40 upwards as they do in Australia which has a 28 percent better survival rate than New Zealand; if she does accept that when is she going to do something about it rather than keep talking about it? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Yes the Government does intend to change the age for which woman can access breast screening. This programme was put in place in 1998. It was put in place and needed to develop and expand around New Zealand. We now have the capability and the capacity to extend it and that is what this Government intends to do. 
Nanaia Mahuta 
: What response has she received on the announcement that the Government is considering the age of eligibility? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Yesterday Grey Power put out a media statement welcoming a decision to extend the age of eligibility to cover the 50 to 70 age bracket and went on to say that the Minister is to be congratulated on her success in instituting the training of additional radiation therapists. These people are now emerging fully trained to assist in the fight against this dreadful disease. I really welcome Grey Power’s support of what this Government is doing. 
Dr Lynda Scott 
: Now there is ample evidence to show that the age of free breast-screening should be widened to 40 to 70 years will she immediately review the access rural woman have to the six mobile breast-screening units to allow for those who wish to pay for a mammogram to use the service while she is considering whether younger women should actually get some access; if not why will she not do this immediately? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Decisions on widening the access to breast screening as I said will be made in the near future. In the meantime that service is targeted at women between the ages of 50 and 64. Unfortunately we do not yet have the number of women who are in that age group participating in the programme. Our first priority in the meantime is to them. 
Dr Lynda Scott 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Minister did not answer the question about those who can pay. We have 20 women on the West Coast who have had to trek to Christchurch to get a mammogram when the bus is lying idle— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Minister can address that point. 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: The member did not hear me. I did address it. I said the priority is to the women who are between the ages of 50 and 64. We do not have the number of women who are already eligible in the programme and we need to ensure our priority is to them first. If we were going to allow women to pay for screening I suggest that that decision could have been made a long time ago. It was not because of capability and capacity. 
Peter Brown 
: Is the Minister aware that for a fraction of the cost of the feel-good bureaucratic Families Commission—the sop to United Future—the Government could by widening the breast-screening window to 40 to 70 years do something positive and genuine for women and their families in this country? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: I tell that member that this Government will do something positive for the women and families of New Zealand. It has been left to this Government to do that and I will be making an announcement about that in the very near future.