Lotu-Iiga SamHon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA (Acting Minister of Health): It is a sad time to stand up here in the House but it is important to show concern and not play politics like that member opposite Annette King who time and time again comes into this House to play politics with the lives of New Zealanders. We know that there are 12000 people in Havelock North who are going through some serious health concerns. We know that 2000 of them have been affected directly by this contamination in the water system. We know that the Hastings District Council is doing its best to address this matter and that the district health board as well as the Ministry of Health and other Government agencies is doing its best to support what is going on in Havelock North today. But now is not the time for recriminations. Now is not the time to point the finger. Now is the time to say What can we do to assist those who need help who need healthcare services who need assistance with their ailments?" and that is what is being done in Hawke's Bay today. We know that this time last week routine water-monitoring occurred in Havelock North and that on Thursday of last week samples were taken by the Hastings District Council from Havelock North and the Flaxmere area and the results of those showed some contamination in the reticulation. We also know that by Friday the council had confirmed the contamination and made the public health unit in the district health board aware and that on that day it chlorinated the water and issued notices around boiling water. We know that since then 2000 local residents have sadly been afflicted and it is our imperative—this Government—to work alongside the district health board and to work alongside the health authorities in the area to get those people right. I find it interesting that the member opposite Annette King comes in here and plays politics with this. If she really thought that it was important why did she not ask a question during question time today? Why not? Why did members opposite not raise a question in question time today that outlined their concerns about this matter? Why have they not issued a press statement around this? Why have they not asked a question? It is about providing support and I have been in several conversations with the Mayor of Hastings informing me and informing the Government of progress in the area. I have also had conversations with the local member—that is the Hon Craig Foss—who is working hard in the area listening to constituents and doing the best that he can locally in terms of providing the services that they need. Over the weekend public information was released by the Hastings District Council and as the member opposite has said there is doorknocking going on in order to find those members of the community who need health services. Only today have the latest tests been released in terms of the contamination and the district health board is overseeing the resources in the area. I understand that district health nurses have been brought in from other areas. Schools have been closed as a precaution and kids are at home. We know that there is much to be done in the days ahead in terms of what the local district council and the district health board need to do in terms of the chlorination as well as the treatment of the local water plant. Mention has been made of an inquiry. Certainly the Hasting District Council has indicated that an independent inquiry will be done and that potentially a retired High Court judge may be seconded in to oversee that inquiry. Firstly the Ministry of Health has assured me that it will work alongside the district council in order to ask the right questions—to probe into what went wrong how it went wrong when it went wrong and what can be done to fix the issue that is at hand. Secondly I think it is important to give trust and confidence in the water system in the area and that we analyse what can be done in the future in order for this thing to not happen again. I understand that the district health board has activated an incident-based management team and that happened on Friday. The Ministry of Health has sent expertise up to Hastings—it has sent communications people and an engineer as well as other staff who may provide assistance and support where and when it is required. We know the figures—that 22 people have been hospitalised. We know that 2000 people have been affected and we want to lend our support our thoughts and our prayers to those people who have been affected. We hope that the health authorities are able to deal with these matters in due course. We know that aged-care residential facilities—the rest homes—have been inspected. We have health officials in there—medical practitioners—to ensure that the elderly can be looked after in the appropriate way. We have been informed by the district health board that it is managing with good bed availability across all of the respective services in Hawke's Bay and we also know that it has engaged with a neighbouring district health board in order to identify ways in which staffing support can be put in place in order for the proper services and the appropriate services to meet the needs of our local people. Other organisations—like for example St John Ambulance—have responded to calls and we also know that they are supporting in a way with rostered additional staff who are on duty in the area in order to cater for the growing demands of local residents. Healthline has taken extra calls regarding these gastro issues and we know that these calls are being fielded and that health advice and health information is being communicated across the telephone lines. But we know that much more needs to be done and that is why our Government is assisting in whatever way it can with the district council—which by the way has taken full responsibility for this. It has made a public apology and it is working alongside the district health board to ensure the health needs of local people are being met. No one likes to see this situation occur—particularly in our country where our fellow citizens are experiencing these very terrible health ailments—but we know that once it has happened we need to do something about it. That is why the district health board is working on and is committed to dealing with these health needs as they arise. Our Government stands alongside those people in Hawke's Bay. We know that there is much to do. We know that an inquiry will follow but right now the most important thing that needs to be done is to deal with the health issues of those who present to GP clinics and of those who present to hospitals and in terms of the online help that is being given. We know that we will continue to work alongside the district council and the health board to meet those needs."