Yang Jian: Estimates Debate — In CommitteeText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeYang Jian: Estimates Debate — In Committee[Sitting date: 01 July 2014. Volume:700;Page:19091. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Dr JIAN YANG (National):Wo hen hao xie xie. It is a pleasure to take a call in this estimates debate. Again congratulations to the Minister of Finance the Hon Bill English and our Prime Minister John Key on delivering a great Budget 2014 and also on 6 years of strong and stable leadership.New Zealanders want a Government they can trust. Our Prime Minister John Key has led the country from recession to sustained growth. The National-led Government has delivered for New Zealand and our hard work is paying off for New Zealanders. Our books are now back to surplus—a $372 million surplus next year growing larger in the coming years—and there will be 2 percent to 4 percent economic growth in the next 4 years. In the past year alone 84000 new jobs were created and Budget 2014 forecasts an additional 170000 new jobs by mid-2018.The feedback from the Chinese community has been very positive. The Chinese community is confident that our National-led Government is delivering on issues that matter to them. Indeed in Budget 2014 we focus on the issues that matter to ordinary New Zealanders and that will make a difference to their lives. This Government has been looking after and supporting New Zealanders from day one. It is also about growing the economy to the benefit of New Zealanders and that is why in Budget 2014 we are investing $500 million in a package of practical support for young families and vulnerable children most in need. This includes free general practitioner visits and free prescriptions for all children under 13.I am particularly pleased to see increased spending in health. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our Minister of Health the Hon Tony Ryall and also the chair of the Health Committee Dr Paul Hutchison for their wonderful work. It has been a great privilege to work with them. Unfortunately they will be retiring from politics. I wish them all the best.National is spending more on health than any other Government in New Zealand’s history—$1.8 billion of extra investment over 4 years. That takes health spending next year to a record $15.6 billion. This includes $90 million for free general practitioner visits and free prescriptions for all children under 13 which I just mentioned; $112.1 million for disability support; $96 million for increased home-based support services; $40 million for additional support for the elderly; and $33 million for faster cancer treatment. There is also $20 million for the rheumatic fever prevention programme; $6.3 million for bilateral cochlear implants for children; and $40 million over 4 years for the new Healthy Families NZ anti-obesity initiative which is expected to reach around 900000 New Zealanders.Also the Government will spend $110 million of new money over the next 4 years to provide even more New Zealanders with elective surgery including hip and knee replacements. The National-led Government has provided record numbers of New Zealanders with the operations they need and has provided them faster than before. Over the past 5 years the number of patients receiving elective surgery has lifted from 118000 in 2008 to 158000 in 2013—40000 more patients are now receiving elective surgery each year. As I am on the Health Committee I have been particularly interested in people’s stories about the health system.Vote agreed to.