Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Simeon Brown needs to come clean to the people of Dunedin about why he hid plans to downgrade their new hospital’s Intensive Care Unit.

The Otago Daily Times today revealed then-Health Minister Dr Shane Reti was told on January 23 this year that the number of ICU beds would be reduced on opening from 30 to 20.

“Simeon Brown then took over as Health Minister and swooped into Dunedin a week later trying to act the hero on the hospital. But he failed to share this important information about downgrading the number of ICU beds,” Labour acting health spokesperson Peeni Henare said.

“While attempting to patch up the mess National had made of Dunedin Hospital he hid the fact a third of its planned intensive care beds had been cut.

“That is hugely disingenuous. I can see why locals, including the former head of the emergency department, are angry,” Peeni Henare said.

This follows reporting by Stuff at the weekend that New Zealand is nationally 500 hospital beds short.

“Simeon Brown continues to claim everything is going to be okay despite announcing a health infrastructure plan without a cent of actual funding attached, and stopping hospitals from hiring the workforce they need under the guise of saving money,” Peeni Henare said.

“National’s track record is to scale back and delay hospital builds as it has done with Nelson and Dunedin hospitals, which will cost New Zealanders more in the long run. Simeon Brown is content kicking the can down the road while people’s health suffers,” Peeni Henare said.

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Families already stretched by rising costs will struggle with the news food prices are going up again.

“The weekly shop is a challenge for many families right now, and the rising price of staples like butter and mince won’t help,” Labour finance and economy spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said.

The latest figures from Stats NZ show food prices rose 3.5 percent over the past year, with butter up a staggering 64 percent, milk up 16 percent and meat up more than five percent.

“The Government’s only answer to rising costs has been tax cuts. They cost billions and have disappeared into rising weekly bills for New Zealanders,” Barbara Edmonds said.

“They chose not to lift the minimum wage in line with inflation, taking those on the lowest wages in our country backwards. Rates and insurance have both increased for those who own their home.

“Nicola Willis also won’t commit to not cutting the Best Start or Winter Energy Payments. These are vital safety nets which help new parents pay the bills and our most vulnerable heat their homes in winter.

“Groceries are one of the biggest weekly costs for households, and right now, Kiwis are not getting the support they need to keep up,” Barbara Edmonds said.

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More people could be harmed if Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey does not guarantee to protect patients and workers as the Police withdraw from supporting mental health call outs. 

“Two reported incidents show that by withdrawing the Police’s support from mental health call outs, people suffering severe distress will fall through the cracks, and will miss out on the support and care they deserve,” Labour mental health spokesperson Ingrid Leary said.

“The Government has failed to provide a plan to support mental health workers, patients and other staff when people detained under the Mental Health Act are brought into emergency departments. 

“The Government said it had a plan for Police to reduce the amount of time they stay with a person detained under the Mental Health Act in an emergency department, but it’s being pushed through too fast.

“Staff in our hospitals are already reporting high levels of violence in their workplace. Withdrawing Police without trained safe staff to step in puts everyone at risk.

“Matt Doocey is compromising worker and patient safety and is failing to deliver the mental health support he promised New Zealanders. He should be held accountable if more incidences of harm are reported,” Ingrid Leary said.

“While in Government, we were developing a plan to phase in mental health co-response teams nationally to respond to 111 calls for people experiencing mental distress,” Labour Police spokesperson Ginny Andersen said.

“However, rushing through the withdrawal of Police support is irresponsible when there is no additional mental health workforce in place.”

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The Government’s proposal to change driver licensing rules is a mixed bag of sensible and careless.

“Zero tolerance for alcohol on restricted and learners licence holders regardless of age is necessary for safety. This is a move that will save lives and encourage better behaviour when it comes to alcohol and driving,” Labour acting transport spokesperson Damien O’Connor said.

“Halving the demerit threshold shows little mercy for those who take to the roads and break the law, also something Labour supports.

“Unfortunately, that’s where the sensible suggestions end. Batting down a second practical driving test as ‘time consuming and inefficient’ is a flippant way to describe minimum driving standards.

“Transport Minister Chris Bishop suggesting drivers should be able to jump to their full licence without any other requirements puts passengers and other road users at risk. If the test is going to be scrapped there needs to be a minimum requirement for moving on to a full licence.

“It’s well documented by the Ministry of Transport that restricted and learner licence holders are more likely to be involved in speed-involved fatal crashes than those with full licences, and are usually young people who are more likely statistically to have risky driving behaviour.

“According to the AA, 70 people under 25 die on the roads each year. Chris Bishop can’t put this evidence to one side, he needs to put safety first.

“Labour looks forward to seeing submissions to the Ministry of Transport on this proposal, and making sure scrappy legislation isn’t raced on to our roads,” Damien O’Connor said.

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More children are going hungry and statistics showing children in material hardship continue to get worse.

“I’m worried about children in this country, who seem to be becoming more and more of an afterthought by the day,” Labour child poverty reduction spokesperson Jan Tinetti said.

“The Government has reversed the measure Labour put in place to ensure benefits rise with the average wage – which the Children’s Commissioner said at the time was the single best thing a government could do to lift children out of poverty.

“They are running the school lunch programme into the ground, meaning more children aren’t getting the hot, healthy meal that was sometimes their only one in the day.
“They’ve squeezed lower-paid Kiwis, by refusing to lift the minimum wage in line with inflation – while at the same time they are failing to tackle cost of living issues like they promised.

“They cut public services for measly tax cuts, which have been more than offset by their decisions to cut free prescriptions, cut free and half-price public transport, and introduced a rebate scheme for childcare that isn’t delivering what was promised.

“Just this week, Nicola Willis wouldn’t commit to not cutting the best start payment, which helps out new parents and the winter energy payment which helps families heat their homes in winter.

“The Government must prioritise investment in children and stop making cuts that make families’ lives harder,” Jan Tinetti said.

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New Zealanders have waited longer to get an appointment with a specialist and to get elective surgery under the National Government.

Health data released today shows the Government is failing to ensure New Zealanders can get hospital treatment when they need it.

“National’s chaotic job cuts and underfunding have taken waitlists backwards and New Zealanders’ health will suffer for it,” Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said.

In Q1 2023/2024, 67 percent of patients saw a specialist for a first appointment in less than four months. This latest data from October through to the end of December last year showed only 60 percent got an appointment within four months – a drop of 7 percent.

“You’ll also be waiting longer for elective surgeries – so if you need a hip replaced, or a gynaecological procedure, be prepared.”

In mid 2023, 62.1% of patients got their surgery within four months. At the end of 2024, that number was down to 59.2%.

Reducing elective surgery waitlists and waiting times for first specialist appointments are targets the Government set itself.

“Hospitals will continue to struggle to meet demand unless we get the basics right; like being able to see a doctor in the community,” Ayesha Verrall said. 

“But even that statistic is going backwards – the number of people enrolled with a GP is down 2 per cent for the same period in the previous year to 94.7%.

“The family doctor or GP is often the first port of call when you are sick or need other kinds of health care. But 5 per cent of New Zealanders aren’t registered with one, and even if they are, it’s hard to get an appointment.

“That puts pressure on our emergency departments and after hours services, and ultimately our entire hospital system.

“By underfunding GPs the National Government is just kicking the can down the road for many New Zealanders who will get sicker or need more urgent care without being able to see a doctor in the community,” Ayesha Verrall said.

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