King Annette: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeKing Annette: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 16 February 2016. Volume:711;Page:8978. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]6.Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by his statement last week on Canterbury District Health Board that “I was down there in November announcing the extra $13 million and that is more than ample to cover the $4 million that Canterbury said was necessary to cover mental health demands”?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN (Minister of Health): Yes and I quote the Canterbury District Health Board chief executive officer. He said in his written update to staff yesterday: “You may recall we received additional funding late last year. This has enabled the DHB to sustain its level of investment in mental health services while at the same time delivering on a financial break-even position.”Hon Annette King: Was the chairman of the Canterbury District Health Board incorrect when he said at the select committee last week that Canterbury District Health Board had “a deficit in our budget of $17 million and the Government gave us another $16 million to balance our books so actually it was already spoken for; it was actually so we would come in with a zero budget rather than a deficit budget.”?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: Well you know I cannot really see what the member’s point is quite frankly. Canterbury District Health Board said to us it had a $16 million deficit. We said yes we will fund that upfront and then it will be able to use that money at its discretion to fund whatever services the chief executive officer thinks is appropriate. He said that some of that money should be used for mental health services and that is what he is using it for.Hon Annette King: Did Canterbury District Health Board receive $222 per head of population for mental health funding for 2015-16 while the national average was $243; if so why did he say in Parliament last week that he absolutely disputed the district health board’s claim?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: No what it received was $147 million of ring-fenced funding—that is a $23 million increase on 7 years ago—and it will receive more in this Budget because the Canterbury District Health Board budget has gone up by $254 million over the last 7 years and it is now at $1.36 billion. That is a huge budget and the chief executive officer gets to decide how he spends it.Hon Annette King: I would like to table the Canterbury District Health Board chief executive officer’s update newsletter quoted by the Minister. It is dated 15 February in which they say—Mr SPEAKER: Order!Hon Annette King: —they got $222 per head—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume her seat. I will put the leave; there is no need to further describe it. Leave is sought to table that particular newsletter. Is there any objection? There is none. It can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Hon Annette King: Has the Canterbury District Health Board been told that for the 2016-17 financial year it can expect another decrease of $10 per head for mental health even less than the 2015-16 funding; and is he still insisting it can live within its budget?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: No they have not been told that—the member is making it up. Basically they are getting $147 million this year ring-fenced for mental health. It will go up next year.Hon Annette King: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I take exception to the Minister saying I am making it up. I have offered to table the information that he quoted where it says they get $10 less—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Order! [Interruption] No. Order! We are now—Order! The Minister’s answer was not helpful but it is hardly disorderly to stand up and say that he disagrees with the figures and the member is making them up.Hon Annette King: What will it take for him to listen to the pleas from staff and the people of Canterbury to take their mental health issues seriously particularly in light of the latest earthquake and the challenges that they face like the 20-week wait list for child and family mental health services and a 55 percent increase in suicide-related callouts since 2011?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: Look I am in touch with the district health board all the time. I have been in touch with the chair today. The fact is that we have put in an extra $86 million above the population-based funding formula to support the Canterbury District Health Board through the earthquake period. We have put in a $950 million hospital rebuild programme $13.5 million in Budget 2014 over 4 years for the psychosocial recovery plan—there is a lot going in there. I will be down there regularly; the Prime Minister is down there regularly. Canterbury is an absolute top health priority for this Government. Sorry but it is true.