Dyson Ruth: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Dyson Ruth: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:656;Page:5665] 
3.  
Hon RUTH DYSON (Labour—Port Hills) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: Does he still stand by his policy to deliver better sooner and more convenient health care? 
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) 
: 
 Despite the fact that the previous Government quietly cut $150 million from Vote Health and left district health boards delivering $160 million of unfunded health services yes. 
Hon Ruth Dyson 
: On what date did the Minister first receive a draft copy of the Horn report and what changes did he require the “independent” ministerial group to make to that draft? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I did not receive a draft copy of the independent report nor did I instruct that any recommendations be changed. 
Hon Ruth Dyson 
: Will the Minister now release all material associated with the “independent” review of the health sector and allow a transparent and “sooner rather than later” submissions process? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: This is an independent report that is being carefully considered and I can assure the member that the Government will not agree to anything that increases bureaucracy or does not improve front-line services. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: With regard to better health care for young women what is the Minister’s response to reports from an American Government study released today which apparently raises questions about the safety of the cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: The safety of the Gardasil vaccine is being continuously monitored in New Zealand by Medsafe and the independent centre for adverse reactions monitoring. Up to 14 August 162000 doses of Gardasil were given in New Zealand and there were 166 reported adverse events. That is 0.1 percent. Of these adverse events only one is classified as serious. I am advised that it is considered unlikely this event was caused by the vaccine. Authorities are clear: based on our experience in New Zealand they consider that the benefits of Gardasil in the prevention of cervical cancer clearly outweigh the possible risks of side effects and they consider it safe for New Zealand girls and women. New Zealand authorities continue to monitor international evidence and our experience here at home. 
Kevin Hague 
: Does the Minister now agree that his Government made a tragic mistake in slashing funding for programmes for healthy eating designed to reduce long-term health needs without any evidence that they were not working? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: The Government has not slashed the budget for healthy eating projects. What the Government has done is sought more balance in the approach between physical activity and nutrition. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: What responses has he seen in relation to the public release of the ministerial group report? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: There have been a number of informed responses.  
New Zealand Doctor 
 says that primary care gives the “thumbs up” to the report. The  
New Zealand Herald 
 has said the Government “must move fast on health reform” and the  
Timaru Herald 
 says “the report looks like a good start.” The Health and Disability Commissioner Ron Paterson says that all the recommendations in this report need to be considered. He is backing the key recommendation on quality. He says “We need to do this. There is a strong case for it but we need to do it in a more effective way than we are doing currently under the quality improvement committee with different DHBs taking a lead.” 
Kevin Hague 
: Given that diet is the biggest single influence on lifetime health status what are the Minister’s programmes to reduce diet-related illness in the long run given the ministerial review group’s projections for future unaffordable health needs? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: The programmes that were in place under the previous Government continue in that area. This Government has also announced a number of initiatives with a particular initiative around sport for young New Zealanders which will contribute to physical activity. 
Hon Ruth Dyson 
: What discussions did the Minister or any of his staff have with the chair of the Health Committee who today voted against the select committee hearing submissions from the public about the Horn report? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I have very regular discussions with the chair of the Health Committee and I must say that in our last discussion we talked about the rather poor state of the questions asked by the member opposite in the House. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I thought the Minister asked a fairly clear question and did not deserve the last part of that answer. Had the Minister sat down a little earlier I might have been less concerned but I invite the member to repeat her question so all the House can hear it and the Minister can answer it again. 
Hon Ruth Dyson 
: What discussions did the Minister or any of his staff have with the chair of the Health Committee who today voted against the select committee hearing submissions from the public about the Horn report? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I have regular conversations with the chair of the Health Committee. Today’s decision I am sure was a decision of the committee.