Peters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Peters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:627;Page:22037] 
5.  
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: What commitment does she have to providing free health services for under-6-year-olds given that parents identified this in a recent Plunket study as the policy measure most likely to be of assistance to families and parents? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR (Acting Minister of Health) 
: 
 This Government’s approach has been to work with private practitioners to reduce the costs of primary health care for all New Zealanders. In particular we have ensured that the subsidies for children under 6 and in more recent times the primary health organisation capitation rate have been reviewed and increased regularly. The Consumers Institute surveyed general practices in February this year with a 75 percent response rate and found that 79 percent of respondents provided services free to children under 6. The average charge throughout the country was $1.60. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Is it not a fact that New Zealand First’s policy initiative of free doctors’ visits for children under 6 was designed to keep pace with rising costs and inflation and when will she take leadership on this issue and ensure that doctors receive an adequate subsidy to enable them to provide free health care for children under 6 which is in many cases much more than $1.25? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: In 1997 when that member was in Government and introduced that policy doctors were paid $32.50 for each visit. In July 2002 we increased that to $35 and we are now paying $37.40 for each visit to the doctor for any child under 6. We maintain we have kept pace with inflation. We have increased the fees to doctors and we would expect them to charge nothing for those under 6. 
Lesley Soper 
: Could the Minister advise whether she has seen any other recommendations in the Plunket study? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I just note that that microphone is not working either so I ask that to be attended to. 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: The Plunket survey which I understand has been delivered to all MPs today and from which the member asked his original question recommended a number of things: extending paid parental leave from 13 weeks per year introducing a universal tax credit system for families accessing affordable quality day care and using methods of guiding children to behave well. We are undertaking a number of initiatives in those areas. I also understand that today’s report to Plunket showed that 71 percent of parents said that smacking when children do things wrong was the least effective way to guide them to behave well. I would therefore encourage New Zealand First and that member to support Sue Bradford’s member’s bill being referred to a select committee. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. What on earth was the last part of that answer about? He was asked about the full subsidisation of doctors’ visits for children under 6 which should be free and now he is talking about anti-smacking laws. I do not know whether he is a soothsayer or whatever else he may be but we have not had the vote on that bill yet. So perhaps he could be brought back to the point. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I thank the member. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: Why has the Minister failed to deliver on the Government’s pledge which stated: “Labour will maintain access to free doctors’ visits for children under 6 years of age.” when today I telephoned four medical centres around the country and found that prices for such visits varied from $3 in south Auckland to $15 in Auckland and $10 in Christchurch and when in a primary health organisation practice in Miramar the Minister’s own electorate I was quoted the cost of a visit for a child under 6 as being $18—but if cash is paid on the day it is only $15? Why has the Minister failed and broken her pledge? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: As I stated we are dealing with general practitioners who are private operators in the health system. We have increased by hundreds of millions of dollars the money for primary health care in this country. Dr Hutchison would do well to speak to some of his colleagues who are receiving quite an additional amount of money for each visit to the general practitioner for each child under 6. We hope that general practitioners will see well to charge nothing for those children under 6. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Will the Minister accept that when we brought in free doctors’ visits for children under 6 in 1987 it was agreed with the medical fraternity that it would be a fair cost and therefore it would be free; and will she and her colleague namely Mr O’Connor himself spend their last few weeks as Ministers in keeping at least one promise that they so boldly made? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: We seem to be in some discussion with practitioners as to what is a fair cost and a fair charge. We continue to work on that and trust that they will accept our policy and our general direction of providing access for all children under 6 to have free-of-charge general practitioner visits. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: I seek leave to table a fees chart dated 1 July 2005 which states that for children under 6 the fees are $15—and they are $18 in Miramar. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.