Chadwick Steve: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Chadwick Steve: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:624;Page:18964] 
6.  
STEVE CHADWICK (Labour—Rotorua) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: What initiatives in the area of cancer control has she announced recently? 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Health) 
: 
 Yesterday I had great pleasure in launching the New Zealand Cancer Control Strategy Action Plan 2005-2010 and in announcing the Government’s response for the first year of implementation. The action plan is based on the Cancer Control Strategy I launched in 2003 and covers the continuum of cancer services from prevention through to treatment palliative care support rehabilitation and research. The Government will spend an extra $40 million in 2005-06. 
Steve Chadwick 
: How were decisions made on what should be included in the first and second phases of the action plan? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: After I launched the Cancer Control Strategy in August 2003 the Ministry of Health appointed a Cancer Control Taskforce to develop the action plan. The task force has included some of New Zealand’s most committed professionals working alongside the Cancer Society of New Zealand and the New Zealand Cancer Control Trust. It was chaired by oncologist Chris Atkinson and the Government’s funding announcements yesterday were based on what experts advised us to do. I am delighted by the warm responses we have received from groups such as Hospice New Zealand and from the medical director of the Cancer Society Dr Peter Dady who says that he is very heartened by the approach being taken. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: That answer was too long. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: Does she accept that the $5.3 million allotted to cancer treatment services will not ensure “optimal treatment” for those on radiation waiting lists or for cancer chemotherapy patients such as Raylene Hewitt whose recent 13-week wait was described as callous and inhumane? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: The Government certainly puts in a lot more than the $5 million that the member mentioned; that is a small amount in terms of cancer drugs. But I am pleased to tell the member that cancer waiting times for radiation therapy have improved significantly this year to the extent that we do not send patients to Australia. And I am pleased to tell the member that chemotherapy has come back under control unlike the years we have had to tolerate when it went out of control through the lack of a trained workforce brought about by the previous National Government. 
Barbara Stewart 
: Is the extra $4 million now available to boost access to cancer drugs and allow Pharmac to buy new drugs a response to the public dismay that was expressed over Pharmac’s proposal to assume control of drug spending for cancer treatments—a move that was described as “potential dynamite” by the chair of the clinical oncology group? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: No. 
Heather Roy 
: Why is only a paltry $5.3 million of the $40 million package actually for the delivery of cancer treatment services and how much will this election-year announcement reduce the growing number of patients who die on her waiting lists—now up to 22 each week? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: The member has been shown to be incorrect in her deaths on waiting list numbers and is a laughing stock up and down New Zealand for the way she interpreted those numbers. I tell members of this House that over $139 million is spent on treatment services. This money is for drugs that are added to that. Also this policy looks at the whole continuum of cancer—from prevention right through to palliative care—and $40 million in the first year has been applauded by the many sectors throughout New Zealand. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: How are we to interpret her emotions when she knows that in the last measurable year 1200 people on waiting lists in this country died and how are we to feel after seeing her and the Prime Minister dishing out apples in what is a public relations exercise put on by TVNZ? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: I suggest that the member asks TVNZ whether it was part of some exercise in publicity. I was delighted that TVNZ turned up to the launch but maybe that is because it recognises that cancer is a serious issue and not to be trifled with as that member just has. 
Steve Chadwick 
: Why was it necessary for the Government to develop a cancer control strategy in the first place? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: The World Health Organization recommends that countries have cancer control strategies; it recommended that in the 1990s. Unfortunately no such strategy was developed despite repeated warnings to the previous National Government. This Government has taken hold of this issue. We have replaced linear accelerators. We have trained more radiation therapists and we are prepared to work with the sector to invest in an approach that is being applauded. Unfortunately the members opposite do not like that. 
Heather Roy 
: I seek leave of the House to table the Minister’s own figures from the Ministry of Health the Health Information Service figures showing that 1166 patients on waiting lists have died in the past year. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought. Is there any objection? Yes there is an objection.