Street Maryan: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Street Maryan: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:631;Page:2824] 
7.  
MARYAN STREET (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: What progress has been made on constructing new public hospitals around New Zealand? 
Hon PETE HODGSON (Minister of Health) 
: 
 A lot of progress has been made. On Thursday the Prime Minister opened the new Wairarapa Hospital in Masterton. This is just the latest opening in what has been the most ambitious hospital building programme in living memory with new hospitals being built from Kaitaia to Invercargill under this Labour-led Government. 
Maryan Street 
: How does the Government’s record of building public hospitals compare with that of previous Governments? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: The Labour-led Government’s historic investment in upgrading hospitals and opening new facilities stands in stark contrast to the previous National Government’s programme of closures and under-investment in New Zealand’s hospitals. Between 1991 and 1999 the National Government closed 38 public hospitals. The Labour-led Government has built or approved for construction or extension 22 hospitals. 
Jo Goodhew 
: What is the point of showing off about those new hospital buildings when the Government has district health boards culling patients who are in pain to stop them from getting inside those brand-new doors? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: One of the reasons for building or extending 22 hospitals in the course of the last 6½ years was to further increase surgery—for example a 24 percent increase in hip replacements a 52 percent increase in knee replacements and a 75 percent increase in angioplasties which is not the sort of thing one can do if one is closing hospitals right left and centre. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Would the Minister be prepared to correct the answer he gave in respect of hospital closures under National when he said that 38 were closed between 1991 and 1999 when for 2 years there were no hospital closures in 1997 and 1998 and when in fact we opened two hospitals—a mental health unit and a heart unit in Canterbury—and would he be prepared to make those facts public so that no one is under a misapprehension as to which party was responsible in that coalition and which one was not? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: I do not know in which part of the 1990s most of the hospital closures occurred but I take the member at his word and I do so without any sense of surprise. 
Hone Harawira 
: Why is the Government boasting about spending millions and millions of dollars building new hospitals around New Zealand while at the same time it is engaged in a programme of shutting down perfectly good well-run and well-respected hospitals particularly in rural areas like Kaitaia and turning them into day clinics against the wishes of the local population and the local medical fraternity? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: I am sorry the member is so sadly mistaken about an area that he purports to represent. There is a new hospital in Kaitaia. It is worth $9.3 million and the maternity part of it was opened last week. 
Hon Tony Ryall 
: I seek leave to table the very long list of public hospitals closed by Helen Clark as Minister of Health. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is objection. 
Hone Harawira 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I point out to the Minister that a new hospital has not been opened in Kaitaia— 
Madam SPEAKER 
: That is not a point of order; it is a point of information. If you wish to ask another supplementary question you may. 
Hone Harawira 
: How do I correct the fact that he said something that was incorrect? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: The member was raising a debating point. There is a general debate tomorrow. The member will have an opportunity then or he could seek clarification with another supplementary question.