Parker David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Parker David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:614;Page:10711] 
6.  
DAVID PARKER (Labour—Otago) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: What recent announcements have been made regarding capital development in the health sector? 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Health) 
: 
 Yesterday we announced as promised redevelopment funding of nearly $35 million for Wairarapa and Dunstan hospitals. This honours a promise and a commitment made by this very good Labour-Progressive Government. 
David Parker 
: Has Dunstan Hospital received the funding requested; if so what services will be provided? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Yes the redevelopment will mean new hospital wings for inpatient outpatient and community services. This will secure a quality future for a hospital greatly in need of investment. The hospital will be rebuilt by the Otago District Health Board and will work closely with the local community. I thank the member for his hard work. [ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I want members particularly those on the front bench to address interjections other than in the second person. 
Dr Lynda Scott 
: Why has it taken 4 years leading to the threatened resignation of the whole Dunstan Hospital board before the Minister came to the decision to fund the hospital rebuild; and if the local member did such a splendid job why did the Minister indicate that she had had no contact with him when she was asked for details of all correspondence diarised meetings—formal and informal—on the issue of Dunstan Hospital? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Because unlike the National Party we talk to each other. Labour members do not have to write a letter to get through a Minister’s door. That member was—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: A certain amount of interjection is reasonable but that was overdoing it. 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: One does not have to write a letter to get through the door of a Minister’s office in this Government. It may have happened before but not in this Government. I tell members that that member was nothing but a pest. He was in and out of my office advocating for Dunstan Hospital for over a year. In conclusion to the first part of the member’s question this hospital asked for funding in 1998 and was turned down by a National Government. 
Georgina Beyer 
: What factors were taken into consideration in allocating this funding and can the Minister comment on whether as far as Wairarapa is concerned this is an improvement from previous years under a National-led Government? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The first part of the question is in order. 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: This Government takes advice from the National Capital Committee to ensure it does not make the same mistakes that were made in the past when ad hoc decisions were made and business cases were never properly worked out leaving the people of the districts with a legacy to try to pay for them. In the case of the Wairarapa constituents can look forward to a very good new hospital with 37 integrated beds for medical and surgical patients a new obstetrics and neonatal service and a new 6-bed integrated intensive care and coronary-care unit etc. Wairarapa hospital was under threat of closure under the Nats; now the people have a hospital for the future. 
Georgina Beyer 
: Will this package provide certainty for health service delivery in the Wairarapa in the future? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Absolutely. Let me remind this House that in the 1990s that hospital was under threat of closure. There is no way this Government would bulldoze down a $27 million facility even if the Opposition might. 
Dr Lynda Scott 
: I seek leave to table a letter to Katherine Rich from the Minister detailing any diarised meetings formal or informal conversations since January 2002. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: I seek leave to table the fact that the member Katherine Rich never made any representations at all. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: It is rather unusual to ask to table nothing. I don’t really see— 
Katherine Rich 
: Absolutely right. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I seek leave to table a list of the hospitals that Helen Clark closed when she was Minister of Health—all 29 of them. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that list. Is there any objection? There is objection.