Horan Brendan: Supplementary Estimates — Imprest Supply DebateText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHoran Brendan: Supplementary Estimates — Imprest Supply Debate[Sitting date: 26 June 2013. Volume:691;Page:11311. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Supplementary EstimatesBRENDAN HORAN (Independent):In debating the Appropriation (2012/13 Supplementary Estimates) Bill I would like to start with Vote Health. The supplementary estimates increase ministerial servicing and policy advice by around $74000. I am concerned that the Minister of Health Tony Ryall is being badly serviced and badly advised about the needs of people with diabetes and also about the CareSens blood glucose meters. Today Minister Ryall said that he did agree that people with diabetes in New Zealand deserved reliable blood glucose - level meters and I am heartened by that.I am also pleased to report that Pharmac has been in touch with me and has asked me to pass on information from people with diabetes who have been having problems with these CareSens meters. I have sent Pharmac over 18000 words of communication. One of those communications was from a young mother who just contracted diabetes less than 3 months ago during her pregnancy. This young mother is having problems with her CareSens meter. This young mother is a health professional. She is a haematologist. Her mother and older sister have type 1 diabetes. Her father is a doctor. So it concerns me that someone with this degree of awareness about diabetes would write to me about problems with the CareSens meter. If this person writes to me then we know there is a problem.I would say that all MPs here can join me—there is room—to really push and help New Zealanders who have diabetes. They have diabetes through no fault of their own. They measure their day by the measure on their blood glucose meters. Their very next step is dependent on it and they deserve to be healthy and they deserve to be safe. It is a real concern that the Minister’s claims of $10 million in savings will be at the expense of these Kiwis with diabetes as many people have real problems with the new meters.My heart goes out to the young people and young parents especially and the elderly who have diabetes. They are having such terrible trouble with these CareSens meters.Looking at Vote Housing there would have to be real concerns regarding the multilayered bureaucracy here including the bumbling and inept Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board. The board has taken a highly inappropriate and heavy-handed approach to an industry of very good tradespeople. Had the Minister for Building and Construction put into the supplementary appropriations the tiny sum of $600000 to fund discipline and enforcement—and that $6000000 is less than what Ministers pay themselves for a Wellington housing allowance I might add—then much of the problem the Government has made for itself here would be resolved. But no Maurice Williamson ignores the Ombudsman’s report and backs a board that lacks integrity and also lacks the support of the bulk of plumbers gasfitters and drainlayers in New Zealand.Coming to Vote Social Development there are changes to over 50 line items but what I do not see is a change to focus on the real needs of children. We need to provide an environment where children can be safe and can grow to be great adults and where families can be safe.In the supplementary estimates for Vote Transport KiwiRail gets an equity injection of $322 million yet it is not able to maintain the track and run the business safely and properly. Less than 12 months ago KiwiRail solemnly promised that permanent workers would be the ones to do the core maintenance work. Those promises are shattered this month as the company is bringing in contractors to perform essential maintenance. It did not just happen somewhere out on an isolated track; it happened in the main depot at Tauranga just rubbing salt into the wounds of people who were employed by KiwiRail and took it in good faith.What are we also seeing? Just last week we saw the Wellington transport shambles as the trains are out of action after a small storm left the seawall breached ballast scoured by seawater and tracks hanging in mid-air. That is no way to run a train service. I would say that in Europe and in other parts of the world they get snow all the time. They get wind and rain but the thing is they look after their lines so they do not have the continual interruptions that we have not only to our transport system but also to power supply water supply and other essential services. It is just not good enough. You know we need to pull New Zealand into the 21st century. Thank you.