Robertson Grant: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Robertson Grant: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:672;Page:18640] 
5. 
GRANT ROBERTSON (Labour—Wellington Central) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: Does he stand by all his statements on after-hours medical treatment? 
Hon PETER DUNNE (Associate Minister of Health) 
 on behalf of the  
Minister of Health 
: Yes he does stand by his many statements on after-hours medical treatment including his concern about the cost of some after-hours services despite the fact that the Government has put an extra $144 million into primary care over 4 years. There has always been a wide variation in after-hours fee charges—for example the Ministry of Health reported several years ago that many adults around the country were paying over $86 for an after-hours visit. Indeed there were instances of some people in the Queenstown area paying up to $200. 
Grant Robertson 
: Does he still stand by his statement made in February that “in Auckland within the next 6 months we will have a network of 10 after-hours clinics providing lower-cost access to health services …”? 
Hon PETER DUNNE 
: Work is under way to develop those clinics. It is proving to be a complicated task because it is a very involved task. But I can assure the member that it will be in place later this year. 
Grant Robertson 
: Will the 10 clinics be operating from 1 July 2011? 
Hon PETER DUNNE 
: I cannot give the member an absolutely precise operating date but it will occur this year. 
Grant Robertson 
: What guarantee can he give Aucklanders that there will be more affordable and accessible after-hours care when the Waitemata District Health Board has expressed concern that the “total funding available will not cover a comprehensive range of services …”? 
Hon PETER DUNNE 
: There are three things I could say in response to that. Firstly there is $144 million more in primary care $14 million of which will be going to after-hours care over the next 4 years. Secondly the 10 clinics that the member referred to in his question will be in place later this year. Thirdly the report from the Auditor-General’s investigation noted that all contractual responsibilities of district health boards were being met in this area. 
Grant Robertson 
: Have any contracts been signed for after-hours clinics in Auckland from 1 July this year? 
Hon PETER DUNNE 
: I answered earlier to the member that work on the development of these clinics is proceeding. The timetable has shifted a little bit but they will still be operational this year. 
Grant Robertson 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I have taken your advice about asking extremely direct questions and that was one. It was very simple—it asked whether any contracts have been signed for services from 1 July this year—and the Minister did not address that. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I think that was a very straight question. The Minister may not have the information but I would invite him to answer it. It was a very direct question. 
Hon PETER DUNNE 
: I think it was obvious from my earlier answer when I said that the facilities— 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Come on “Mr Perfect”—live up to your own standards. 
Hon PETER DUNNE 
: Perhaps the member would let me answer the question. [ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Minister is trying to assist the House. 
Hon PETER DUNNE 
: What I said in response to earlier questions was that the clinics would be operational later this year. By definition that means it will not be 1 July. 
Grant Robertson 
: I seek leave to table the minutes of the Waitemata District Health Board community and public health advisory committee meeting on 9 March this year where it expressed its concern that the total funding available will not cover a comprehensive range of services. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.