6. Health Services—Funding and Subsidised MedicinesHon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) to the Minister of HealthHealth Services—Funding and Subsidised Medicines6. Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by his statement if health starts to slide governments are in trouble" and is this the reason he called for health to be "properly funded" when seeking leadership of the National Party?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN (Minister of Health): First of all merry Christmas to the member. I would like to thank her for her questions this year; they are like a little Christmas present to the Government every single sitting day. In response to the second part: no. As she knows as usual she is out of context and that is total distortion. In relation to the statement "if health starts to slide governments are in trouble": absolutely yes. That is what happened to the Labour Government in the mid-2000s when health under her watch fell apart leading to her departure from the portfolio and the eventual decline and fall of her Government.Hon Annette King: Talking of distortions why has he been claiming all year that health has all the funding it needs only to declare when he got a sniff at the leadership: "mortgage-belt New Zealand—they're not saying to me I need a tax cut they're saying actually we want to make sure we're getting access to the best and latest drugs."?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: Because it is true—but of course as usual she is part of the past and we are talking about the future.Hon Annette King: If he is ensuring New Zealanders are getting access to the best and latest drugs as Minister of Health why did he ask for funding for cancer drugs that have been given high priority by Pharmac since 2013 for patients with head and neck cancer?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: As the member knows Pharmac funding has gone up by $200 million under this Government—from $650 million to $850 million. If she can still remember yesterday's question I announced that new tranche of medicines many of them to deal with a range of cancers and for various new applications of medicines. New Zealanders are getting very good access to the medicines they need and we have got a world-class system in Pharmac. Actually I know that the member agrees with that but she cannot say that in here.Hon Annette King: Why have approximately 160 women who have already been diagnosed with breast cancer and are taking Herceptin been denied the new breast cancer drug Perjeta and are required to pay for it if they want it?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: The member asked this question yesterday and what I told her was that there is actually a new drug that has just been approved Pertuzumab which is for metastatic breast cancer and it is actually the very best treatment available. Pharmac is funding it and the Government totally backs it in doing that.Hon Annette King: Does he agree with Craig Foss now former Minister of Statistics who tweeted today that New Zealanders—Hon Members: He still is.Hon Annette King: Well he has announced that he is going like you are going to be Nick soon.Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is no need for interjections from my right but there is equally probably no need for the part in there about Mr Foss. To give the essence of the question please ask the question.Hon Annette King: Does he agree with Craig Foss Minister of Statistics—Hon Member: Yeah get it right.Hon Annette King: —yeah I am getting it right—who tweeted today that New Zealanders are now spending almost $40 a week out of their household budget on health costs and what impact will that have on people on modest incomes?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: I mentioned in my opening answer about distortions and taking things out of context and I am sure this is yet another example.Hon Annette King: If he retains the health portfolio will he stop being a Grinch and a grouch of Parliament will he lighten up instead of lighting up and will he spread a little bit of joy around for those who have been waiting all year for some services from the health system?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: The problem for the Labour Party is they have absolutely no one else who could do the health portfolio and that is why Mrs King is still stuck there 30 years after first assuming it."