Robertson Grant: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Robertson Grant: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:673;Page:19145] 
5. 
GRANT ROBERTSON (Labour—Wellington Central) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: How much did Vote Health need to increase in Budget 2011-12 over Budget 2010-11 to meet the best estimate he received for growth in costs being faced by district health boards? 
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) 
: 
 I am advised by the ministry that its estimate for the demographic and population growth calculation— 
Grant Robertson 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I am sorry; I could not hear the Minister. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I fully understand. Are members finding the volume on the sound system low today? I think the reaction from members is that it was too loud yesterday and it is too low today. I could not hear the Minister’s answer either. Until we get the sound adjusted correctly I urge Ministers just speak into the microphone a little. 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I am advised by the ministry that its estimate for the demographic and population growth calculation for district health boards for 2011-12 was $459 million. For the total Vote Health it was estimated to be $576 million and $585 million was made available in the Budget. 
Grant Robertson 
: Can he confirm that of that $585 million $165 million in fact comes from cuts in other parts of the health budget? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I refer the member to the press statement that the Government put out at the time which stated that $165 million has come from reprioritisation and the use of unallocated and unspent money. 
Grant Robertson 
: What reasons then can he have to disagree with New Zealand Council of Trade Unions economist Bill Rosenberg that funding for the health sector fell $127 million short of what is needed to keep up with growth in health costs in the Budget overall and $108 million short for district health boards? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Before I call the Minister I must say that despite the member sitting only 6 feet from me or a bit more I struggled to hear the question. Did the Minister hear the question? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I got the gist. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Minister believes he heard the question. 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: My response to Dr Rosenberg would be that he said the health service needed something like $570 million to match demographic and population growth and the Budget makes $585 million available. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: How much new additional resource has the Government added to Vote Health over the course of its three Budgets from 2009 to 2011? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I can inform the House that despite the world’s most serious economic recession in 80 years and the additional costs of the Christchurch earthquake this Government has been determined to protect and grow the public health service. In these times when many other countries have been forced to reduce health staff and budgets this Government has invested a huge extra $1.5 billion of new money into health over those years. This has helped pay for front-line services such as the extra 500 doctors and 1000 nurses now working in our district health boards. 
Grant Robertson 
: Further to his answer to my earlier supplementary question can he confirm that his media release on the day of the Budget indicated that there was $420 million worth of new spending rather than the $576 million his own ministry advised was needed to keep up with cost growth? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I confirmed quite clearly that the Government has made available $585 million for the health budget. This has been an extraordinary part of the $1.5 billion extra of new money that has gone into health over 3 years. It is simply unmatched. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Was the Minister counting the $165 million of recycled money as new money? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: No. 
Grant Robertson 
: Can the Minister confirm that his press release on the day of the Budget indicated that $165 million of the $585 million he is claiming was recycled money from other savings in the health sector? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: The health budget press release made it absolutely clear that a contribution to the funding of this year’s available budget was coming from reprioritisation and the use of underspends and unallocated money. That is the reason why we have been able to put $1.5 billion of new money into health over 3 years plus reprioritise low-value spending. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: In light of his latest answer does he want to correct his original answer which indicated that there was $580 million - odd of extra money? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: The member needs to check the question he asked. The sum of $585 million is made available for Vote Health in this year’s Budget. 
Grant Robertson 
: I seek the leave of the House to table the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions’ working paper on health which shows that the Budget was an estimated $127 million short of allowing a standstill in health expenditure. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is objection.