11. Question No. 11—HealthDr SHANE RETI (National—Whangarei) to the Associate Minister of HealthQuestion No. 11—Health11. Dr SHANE RETI (National—Whangarei) to the Associate Minister of Health: Does she stand by all her statements policies and actions regarding vaccination and the measles outbreak?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER (Associate Minister of Health): Tēnā koe Mr Speaker. Yes in the context they were givenDr Shane Reti: Did her officials make formal public notification of measles outbreaks in Northland Lakes and Hutt Valley when written questions in her name show these have been part of nine measles outbreaks in New Zealand this year?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: Sorry Mr Speaker I'm not sure I understand the question. The answer has been given in—SPEAKER: I'll ask the member to ask it again and I will say I'm also looking very carefully at how it relates to the primary.Dr Shane Reti: Did her officials make formal public notification of measles outbreaks in Northland Lakes and Hutt Valley when written questions in her name show these have been part of nine measles outbreaks in New Zealand this year?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: Again Mr Speaker I'm sorry; I'm not sure what the member means by formal notification". Obviously the answers have been given so the officials have acknowledged it. I don't know what he means in addition to that.SPEAKER: Well I think that was an answer even if it sounded like a point of order.Dr Shane Reti: When she has stated there is no shortage of measles vaccine supply why then have officials deprioritised 30- to 50-year-olds from the measles vaccine?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: I've been assured by the Director-General of Health that there is no problem with supply of vaccines and the member will be aware that in addition to the 52000 additional vaccines that arrived this week the Ministry of Health has announced that 100000 more have been secured and will be arriving in the coming weeks. What is essential right now in the midst of this very serious outbreak in Auckland is that we ensure that children are the first priority for vaccination because they are the most vulnerable to the illness and they are the most likely to be hospitalised.Dr Shane Reti: When she continues to assert that there is no shortage of vaccines are people today attending their GP for a measles vaccine being turned away due to vaccine shortage? Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: As we've covered at length in this House when this stocktake was undertaken it did find that there was some shortfall in the distribution of vaccines and so the Ministry of Health district health boards and public health organisations are working to ensure that vaccine is available where it is needed when it is needed. That is not a shortfall nationally; it's a need to ensure that each GP practice has enough. Dr Shane Reti: When she says there is an additional 100000 measles vaccines can she reassure New Zealanders that these vaccines match the measles strains identified in New Zealand? Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: I can assure the member that the best quality assurance has already been undertaken by Medsafe and by Pharmac and the Ministry of Health and Pharmac have been working to secure vaccine that will provide immunity for those in New Zealand. But I have to say that the Opposition is not doing much to reassure the New Zealand public with their constant scaremongering about a shortfall of vaccine which is irresponsible but typical of National. [Interruption] SPEAKER: Order! I'm just waiting for people to settle before I call Mr Goldsmith."