DHBs to go

Written By: - Date published: 8:20 am, April 21st, 2021 - 101 comments
Categories: Andrew Little, health, labour, Social issues - Tags:

Television New Zealand has reported that Andrew Little is to announce that district health boards are to go.  The announcement is being made formally right now in Parliament by Andrew Little but media have had an embargoed opportunity to view the changes.

From TVNZ:

New Zealand’s health system is in for a significant shake up. Changes include an end to district health boards in favour for a national organisation, as well as creating a new Māori Health Authority and a new public health agency.

The announcement by Health Minister Andrew Little comes after a scathing report found New Zealand’s health system was under “serious stress”, lacked leadership and did not serve Māori or people with disabilities well.

Today’s changes go even further than the recommendations in the Health and Disability System Review – instead of reducing the number of DHBs – it scraps the model altogether.

“The reforms will mean that for the first time, we will have a truly national health system, and the kind of treatment people get will no longer be determined by where they live,” Little said.

The national organisation will be named Health New Zealand which will have four regional divisions.

It will run hospitals and commission primary and community health services.

“The reforms herald a change in focus for the health system, we will treat people before they get sick so they don’t need to go to hospital, thereby taking the pressure off hospitals.

There is also to be a new Māori Health Authority which will have powers to commission health services, monitor Māori health and develop policy.

There will be a huge amount of detail behind the announcement.  But the basic rationale, that we had 20 separate organisations delivering health services to our country and that service was expensive and fragmented, is hard to dispute.

101 comments on “DHBs to go ”

  1. tc 1

    A good start. Self serving layers of red tape sucking resources from frontline clinical care.

    Ryall and coleman used that to achieve their goals knowing a well stacked DHB plays the game.

    Game over ! About time.

    • greywarshark 1.1

      That seems unduly optimistic tc. A great mistake on your and Andrew Little's and Labour's part I feel. DHB's and efficiency – in the time of private interests being put ahead of government's responsibilities, we will be more efficient and effective if run like a business – this is part of the NZ Inc. mantra. This may be Labour's death knell. Bong, bong.

      Get ready for call centres, more babies born at the side of the road, less personal interest as I have enjoyed, being run on an insurance company basis, eg being discharged before you are well or stable because your time allocation has run out. The hospitals already do this after young mothers’ give birth. And business getting their sticky fingers in further. CEOs have already been shown to be running their own businesses and supplying to the hospital that they are ‘managing’ – getting your cake and eating it too. Sort of quantum management?

      • Sanctuary 1.1.1

        The CHE/DHB model is a bit like the bastardised Auckland Supercity – a structure put in place to cynically removed democtrratic oversight of a public service and offer a pre-baked option for privatisation for any right wing government with the courage to pull the trigger.

        This is a much more logical administrative system for five million people. The era of the "disinterested" expert technocrat is over, that was only ever class war by stealth anyway. Now let the politics of democracy commence – which is how public money spending decisions should be made.

      • ghostwhowalksnz 1.1.2

        "more babies born at the side of the road,"

        Throwing red meat falsehoods out there , are you?

        Babies can be born with little advance knowledge, I guess you have never had one.

        • Sacha 1.1.2.1

          Shorthand for living in sparsely populated southern regions yet expecting levels of service from elsewhere. An ongoing challenge no matter the system's structure.

      • tc 1.1.3

        Simple maths.

        A population of under 10 mill doesn't require the plethora of boards, committees etc serving each other.

        Never did

        • greywarshark 1.1.3.1

          Nothing connected with humans, and health services, is simple maths tc. The problem is complex and sweet simplicity has to go home, take a rest and have a cup of tea, even a calming pill and a lie down.

      • KJT 1.1.4

        A bit of cognitive dissonance there. It was the DHB, model that tried to run healthcare, "like a business" including decades of ,"privatisation by stealth" and avoidance of responsibility, it enabled. This is a return to a State run system. Finally an acknowledgement that the Neo-liberal private managerial model, doesn't work.

  2. greywarshark 2

    Watch here – Labour repeating 1984. If you try and fail, don’t give up – try, try, try again. Who would have thunk??

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/440903/watch-live-health-minister-andrew-little-details-biggest-health-system-restructure-in-decades

    • Marcus Morris 2.1

      Labour repeating 1984??? Were you round then. The policies of Douglas opened the (flood) gate for neo-liberal economics, and, inch by inch, this government is closing it again, to everyone's advantage. The business model has been a disaster for Health and Education. At last we are now seeing what was lauded as "transformational". The nay sayers have been quick "out of the blocks" as to be expected. It is unbelievable to think that have digested the full import of the policy in such a short time. To be expected from JC. She is paid to be negative.

  3. Ovid 3

    This has the potential to be the big, transformational change we’ve been looking for from this government. More details at https://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/building-new-zealand-health-service-works-all-new-zealanders

  4. Ad 4

    Good work Andrew Little. That took courage.

    Particularly nice to see a structural shift far bolder than the review recommendations. That doesn't happen often.

    • Sanctuary 4.1

      I remember(!) the late MP for Napier Geoff Braybrooke lamenting to my mother something along the lines that the Napier hospital used to be run by the head nurse, the head registrar and someone else and Hawkes Bay was in line for one hospital with less than half the beds run by dozens of well paid health bureaucrats.

      In short, there may be a lot of members of the managerial class worried about their future today.

      • Ad 4.1.1

        All those Board members and interagency shufflers in particular.

        • Sanctuary 4.1.1.1

          Do you think this will have some of the paper shifflers at our Supercity CCO's shifting uneasily in their chairs?

          • Ad 4.1.1.1.1

            I'm thinking it's a big precedent for Mahuta in water governance reforms, and others.

            Its the first full reversal of a 1980s neoliberal structure we've yet had.

            • Sanctuary 4.1.1.1.1.1

              I agree, and it will be perceived as that.

              The neolibs won't go down without a fight I expect a full on counter-attack from the NZ Institute, journalists like Fran O'Sullivan, and all the rest of the apparatus of neoliberal policing in our elites.

              • Anne

                We're going to hear the words "Communism by stealth" – and slightly more obtuse counterpart offerings – reverberating across the land for the next two years.

                The fact we had fully centralised government entities for umpteen decades before the mid 1980s will escape the naysayers of course.

                I can't wait to watch David Seymour's apoplectic fits during his media stand ups. I often wonder if he's got scouts seeking out the whereabouts of the parliamentary media pack so he can 'inadvertently' bump into them on a daily basis.

                • Sanctuary

                  lol Prebble right on cue in the Herald, playing the race card and talking about the Soviet Union and lamenting the failure to implement the (30 year old) Gibbs report written for an entirely different generation that caused a revolt even then but still clung to by fading men of yesterday like the decaying flesh of a long dead sacred cow.

                  Playing the race card straight up is a signal the neoliberals plan fanatical resistance to this thin end of a reforming wedge that they worry will sweep many of them from their well paid sinecures.

                • Anthony

                  We're also going to hear a lot of racist dog whistling against the Maori Health Authority. National and their social media trolls are already hard at work on twitter, Facebook, etc.

      • AJ 4.1.2

        The bit about the Ministry of Health being "beefed up" is a bit of a worry then.

    • Patricia Bremner 4.2

      My immediate thought was "So this is 'The do nothing government"

      That mantra is looking a bit silly now.

      Yes Ad, agree. This goes further and is truly welcome.

  5. Rosemary McDonald 5

    Much too soon to evaluate…but…what I'm not seeing is the use of the word "entitled".

    The most significant difference between Ministry of Health and ACC pertaining to the management of a significant physical impairment is that an ACC client, once their claim is accepted, is entitled to treatment and supports. By law.

    There is no such entitlement under MOH…and no real recourse if harm occurs because treatment and supports are denied.

    No avenue of complaint for non-provision.

    I won't shed too many tears with the demise of the DHBs….but I will be interested to see how services currently funded by the DHBs (such as the NASCs and the supply of ostomy and continence gear) are going to be managed on a national level.

    Currently each DHB has to 'negotiate' individually with the Ministry to get the best deal for patients in the regions….and provision of supplies can vary widely, not only with brands and quality but also quantity.

    My dream would be for all contracts with private providers be abandoned and a return to a central purchasing system with regional points of contacts so patients/clients can access personal services.

    Tbh…the current system is shit. These 'transformational reforms' can't be any worse.

    Surely?

    • Pat 5.1

      "Tbh…the current system is shit. These 'transformational reforms' can't be any worse."

      One would hope….though I suspect bringing services back in house is unlikely, indeed contracting may be expanded. The devil will be in the detail, and 3 years to implement seems ambitious given their record.

      • Sabine 5.1.1

        well selftesting for cervical cancer was to be implemented this year, but alas it got scrapped. 🙂 Three years is a long time for this government, a lot of water down the river and if it goes bad, as chances are it will – see track record – hopefully no one will remember and Mr. Little will not be worse of anyways.

        So lets see if healthcare can get even worse in this country.

        Also the NHS in England is in shambles. Just saying. Some in England are even speculating that it is run down on purpose so as to be sold easier to big private industrial Healthcare.

        • ghostwhowalksnz 5.1.1.1

          It may be called 'self testing' but it still took place at the testing location.

          according to the Australians

          'The cervical self-test is not available to everyone.

          Patients who have declined a screening test by their health professional can be offered the self-collection method. You also need to be over 30 years of age and be overdue for your screening test.'

        • Brigid 5.1.1.2

          This is worth watching Sabine.

          The privatisation by stealth of the NHS

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw_wPimYdD8

    • Sabine 5.2

      does this address the shortage of GP's, nurses, Midwifes, etc? IF it does not then chances are you will have the same issues today (as a user of the system) in the future.

      One of the reasons regions do badly is the lack of the aforementioned, and that it seems is not addressed in Mr. Little Plans.

      • ghostwhowalksnz 5.2.1

        The answer is in the headlines , its administrative

        Its not a 'workforce' issue they are working in this proposal

        • Sabine 5.2.1.1

          then my comments stands.

          If this is purely administrative as you said, then the misery of trying to find a midwife unless you live in decently served areas are the same.

          Look the hovel got painted red, its the same as it was in blue. Just don't get sick.

          • ghostwhowalksnz 5.2.1.1.1

            Then its the neo liberal model of the self employed midwife thats the problem….and the 24/7 contract for before and after birth thats ignored.

            It seems to be some- but not all- run it like a clinic with set hours and bookings for ante and post natal care and afterhours you contact the any after hours service

      • Rosemary McDonald 5.2.2

        The shortage of doctors, nurses, midwives, physio and occupational therapists, radiologists and the like is worldwide.

        Back in the day these vital health professionals were not having to go into debt in order to be trained. The State funded their training, and the upside of this was that these newly minted professionals worked in the State health system and repaid this investment.

        Another reform would be to return to the days of fully funded training for health professionals.

        • Sabine 5.2.2.1

          The shortage is due to underpayment, student loans, lack of respect by their 'owners' (governments) etc.

          Hence why the idea of this being the Kiwi answer to the NHS is actually frightening, considering what the government in England has done to the NHS.

          As for fully funded training, or as it was done in the old days, training in hospitals with pay, will never come back. Best we can hope is that they bond the poor people that still get into the service via their student loans to a hospital for a few years (and then write of the rest as time served) but even then it might be easier to just go overseas to where the pay goes hand in hand with the workload and skill requirement.

        • Patricia Bremner 5.2.2.2

          agree Rosemary.

        • Pat 5.2.2.3

          Those are all issues but one of the greatest problems is the international mobility of trained workforces….and we are consistently outbid for those skills and that isnt going to change anytime soon, unless the worlds borders remain closed ad infinitum. The sad reality is we will struggle to retain trained staff as we dont have the wherewithal to pay them at comparable levels so the motivation to remain needs to be other than monetary, i.e. lifestyle, workload, autonomy and the feeling of being heeded and making a positive impact.

          • Sabine 5.2.2.3.1

            or unless we raise the wages.

            It is easy to blame others for what ails us, but the pay that we offer these people who are at the forefront of the pandemic world wide beggars believe.

            Here is the NHS with a miserly 1% offer and imagine that that is still better for some that leave to nurse in England.

            https://www.bbc.com/news/56294009

            How has NHS pay changed over time?

            In 2010-11, it was decided that pay would be frozen for all public-sector workers as part of government austerity measures.

            Strict pay freezes or pay caps were implemented until 2018-19, when the government removed these limits and a three-year pay agreement was implemented for NHS staff in England.

            But the impact of inflation means that over the whole period some salaries are worth less than they were a decade ago.

            For example, a newly qualified nurse starting in 2020-21 would be earning about 3% less than one who started in 2010-11, once we account for inflation and the impact of pay freezes and caps.

            Nurses are just one part of the NHS workforce and the pay agreement implemented in 2018-19 affected different staff members in different ways.

            For example, the agreement meant the wages of those in the very lowest pay band, such as housekeeping or security staff, increased by almost 30% over the past three years.

            Staff at the top of their pay bands would have had a smaller pay increase.

            And it's important to point out that the pay of many NHS staff increases as their experience grows and they move up within pay bands.

          • Rosemary McDonald 5.2.2.3.2

            ….we will struggle to retain trained staff as we dont have the wherewithal to pay them at comparable levels so the motivation to remain needs to be other than monetary, i.e. lifestyle, workload, autonomy and the feeling of being heeded and making a positive impact.

            No student loan, tolerant and tolerable working conditions (including basic accommodation and meals) might just put enough butter on the paws of the newly qualified. Also, Te Virus might have lessened the influence of higher pay overseas.

            He tangata, he tangata, he tangata. This may be an opportunity to make that adage real.

  6. greywarshark 6

    It's going to be a revolution – I wonder who will fall through the cracks which always open up? And is it going to be run from Wellington or Auckland? Auckland has the expertise on bringing together disparate outliers and combining them. Perhaps the hospital system will set up free standing agencies as Auckland has that have become little fiefdoms?

    • woodart 6.1

      a revolution is needed to get rid of the senseless competition between dhb for $$$. go look in any operating room, millions of dollars of equipment, which is often duplicated 50 k away. one of the treasury recommendations was to get different hosps to specialise, auck, children, chch, spinal are already done to a degree but many millions can be saved by carrying this further. much cheaper to have one hosp do something very well and have air ambulances move patients around country. the terminally unhappy will cluck about having to travel to visit sick rellies in hosp, but if better patient care is the outcome, its a no-brainer. there will be managers and middle managers who pop up on herald for a whinge, but they can go pick fruit.

      • ghostwhowalksnz 6.1.1

        They dont compete in the way you suggest …its a population formula with loadings that comes out of Wellington.

        The competition came within the DHB for its funding tranche…for primary care, for hospital care , for mental health, public health , for new construction , for maintenance and the elephant in the room- the depreciation funding of assets and the Treasury capital charge sent back to Wellington.

        • woodart 6.1.1.1

          splitting hairs. they do compete for a part of a limited health budget. dressing it up with flash phrases like population formula with loadings, doesnt hide the fact that my dhb doesnt offer particular services that other dhb do. they ALL spend too much on duplicated management, not what you need, when you go to A+E. or when you ask your G.P. to refer you to a specialist, and are told your dhb doenst have one of those on staff , so you then ask to be referred to out of town dhb, but that starts a paper war.

          • greywarshark 6.1.1.1.1

            Some major concerns about the health funding and model mentioned by various commenters which need to be addressed by a new system:

            ghostwhowalksnz – 'the depreciation funding of assets and the Treasury capital charge sent back to Wellington.'

            woodart – 'millions of dollars of equipment, which is often duplicated 50 k away. '

            Pat – 'one of the greatest problems is the international mobility of trained workforces…' (Train nurses in hospitals again with techs providing; block courses. Have bonded trainee nurses and doctors who go where they are directed to various areas where they are needed as they work out their bonds.) See Rosemary McDonald also.

            Forget now – Local input, involvement, submissions, hearings where?

            woodart – Failed IT projects (big biccies there).

            RedBaronCV – Loss of privacy through shared records. (We know that there have been some egregious examples of information release.)

            • Pat 6.1.1.1.1.1

              What you propose dosnt solve the problem GWS, at best it may delay departure, depending on the conditions of bond it may also deter entry into the sector.

              This isnt to say that in house training and bonding cannot be utilised but it dosnt prevent in demand health staff being recruited offshore….as with any industry/organisation a level of staff turnover needs to be allowed for and we need to train at a rate with that in mind WHILE endeavouring to make our employment conditions/satisfaction as appealing as possible to retain those trained here

        • Incognito 6.1.1.2

          You’ll love this one:

          Six weeks after the February 2011 earthquake the Ministry (NHB business unit) met and advised CDHB that it would be facing a $140 million funding reduction due to a claimed population decrease resulting from the earthquakes.

          When CDHB asked how the Ministry had arrived at the $140 million it was told that its Canterbury’s population had dropped by over 70,000. What was the Ministry’s evidence for such a bold claim? Demonstrating a preference for sloppiness’ rather than analytical rigour the answer given was the front page of the Press where Mayor Bob Parker had said that over 70,000 people had left Christchurch.

          https://democracyproject.nz/2021/04/15/ian-powell-a-very-bureaucratic-coup-part-one

  7. Forget now 7

    Budget is in a month's time (20/5). So I imagine there will be a few big announcements in the next few weeks. Unless there is more money in that for more healers, I can't see that this will change much.

    Also, this will get rid of locally elected health board representatives won't it? Which may have been mostly window dressing, but down south we only just got them back; after years of central government appointed commissioners in the SDHB, so it would've have nice to let that continue for a bit.

    How will a member of the public be able to make submissions to their Regional Health boards? Or will they have to have the time and means to travel to Wellington for that? Will this new Health administration system even allow members of the public to attend their meetings?

    • Treetop 7.1

      I call it health politics, public voice into clinical care and redress.

      Are you aware of the Serious Sentinel Events (SSE) which occur with unexpected hospital procedures?

      The DHB is required to notify the SSE. Often the SSE is not notified and the SSE cannot look into an individual case. Basically useless and this is an example of the power imbalance between the health consumer and the clinical care given.

      • tc 7.1.1

        Totally.

        ACC make matters worse by classifying issues the DHB's create or miss as 'pre-existing'.

        Xrays where broken bones get missed end up 'pre-existing' for the poor patient.

        Farcical

        • ghostwhowalksnz 7.1.1.1

          I dont think you are understanding 'pre -existing' . A broken bone is clearly an accident ( even if frail) and covered . What isnt covered is the frailty means you dont recover quickly and become mobile/back to work and ACC ( which funded the medical care for the breakage including the ambulance and hospital treatment and maybe physio) wont fund the extended off work weekly payments.

          Unfortunately there is a fuzzy area where ACC has its experts go looking through case files on those on extended wage payments for signs of pre-existing conditions.

          However even Southern Cross has people checkout those who want to claim on their insurance for an operation at the time of their choosing, and instead SX bumps them on the public hospital waiting list as the operation might not be 'elective' , and thus insured.

          • tc 7.1.1.1.1

            This is a healthy adult under 40 who carried around a broken bone the DHB said was 'badly bruised'.

            Finally once diagnosed correctly ACC went nope 'pre-existing' not our problem.

            • ghostwhowalksnz 7.1.1.1.1.1

              ACC is a funder not a fixer of broken bones. if you had a GP medical certificate saying you are off work for X weeks because of accident then ACC steps in when a claim is made – usually by a GP office

              I had a stress fracture on lower leg bone , was bruised and I hobbled a bit . but often some thing that will heal largely on its own, for younger people which it did. if you arent working then its nothing to fund

              Did you want more than a week off work ( ACC doesnt fund the first week)

  8. Treetop 8

    Covid has shown how important it is to have a single purchaser and how important a nationalised data/register is. Were it left up to a single DHB some would have done better than others.

    Disbanding DHBs is a massive change. When it comes to dealing with a DHB who has not given ACC accurate information on a treatment injury and a person cannot get the deceased person's file from ACC the new system needs to address this as a dead person has no rights unless they have an executor which ACC will give the file to. I do not think the High Court will give a certificate to the ex wife so ACC can give her the file. Sickening as I have the information which differs to what the DHB gave to ACC. So a legal section which a person can go to is what is required at no cost.

  9. AB 9

    Ambitious and necessary – let's hope the implementation is resistant to future National governments' inclination to privatise potentially profitable parts of it, that it doesn't get mired in failed IT projects, and has the courage to tackle the role that private health insurance with the connivance of the medical profession has in perpetuating the current two-tier system.

    I still think it's only half the story though – or less than that. While the economic system still produces such huge inequality, it will continue to throw a massive burden of illness at any health system, no matter how good. They might therefore successfully implement this structural reform – and still not improve outcomes much at all.

    • woodart 9.1

      two things to take to the bank.(1) every dollar saved on offices can be better used on actual health care(2)there will never be enough money in health budget.,,,with the new, very expensive technology in health today, combined with an aging population, and ever increasing pharma costs, no amount of $$$ will pay for everything. good call on failed I.T. projects. more money has been wasted on shonky I.T. systems in the last 25 yrs(by every gov dep, and private enterprise), than is commonly known.

    • RedBaronCV 9.2

      Good points. I too would like to see the health system hardened against creeping privatisation or letting it be run down by a future right wing government. The Maori Health Authority would be a prime candidate for being disbanded under the right wing.

      Plus I can see a huge loss of health privacy for individuals – it's bad enough now – stuff getting hacked etc – and who needs that data collected being made accessible by future RW governments to employers, health insurers, religious fundies so anyone who has had an abortion is punished long after the event, that dreadful social investment data base that the Nacts set up and which still appears to be running.

    • greywarshark 9.3

      The health system seems fairly good, and gummint may have been able to streamline it, make it more efficient where possible, just by encouraging suggestions for change from the staff who notice things and think about them. They could have been anonymous in case someone was afraid of their supervisor. This would reveal gaps. Also good communication between DHBs and some case histories about improvements or changes made that were beneficial would raise all the boats on the same tide. Has that been done?

      There has been time well spent with efficiencies from clinics reminding people of their appointment times to limit the number of no-shows. Fulminating about them is not productive, understanding that it happens and acting to prevent it was a good, practical move.

      I think there is already a nation-wide approach on funding, being a population basis, such as Dunedin complains about. There they have population funding but a large area with low population, needs well-resourced scattered clinics to serve them, staff with a good transport allowance, and include a dedicated helicopter service for all those outlying areas that experience inclement weather often. Then even that may not be enough for good services to the outliers. So will a national approach now take note of the previous anomalies like this in the system?

      Has this change been made necessary because we have been stuck with a system embedded, with highly paid CEOs swanning around like private company heads on similar salaries? Did government have little room to make change in a system that was hammered in tight? Are the positions made available to those in a favoured pool who move from one high-paid position to another, and the ordinary public who have a good background have little chance? Does the generic manager approach push out those with medical backgrounds who have worked in and understand hospitals and have added management training to their skills?

      I have a dread feeling that this is another example of Labour feeling frustrated and going for the putsch as they did in 1984. Perhaps they have no ideas of how to make change as it seemed earlier, and have 'bought' this idea of a revolution, rather than incremental improvements using different approaches than previously. Was it necessary, was it broke and needing to be fixed, or just staggering under the increasing demands on it, many from the large growth in immigration of past decades. Our own fertility figures are below replacement; the population growth is largely from overseas. But also medical services are assisting growing numbers of old people to live longer, who then need more medical assistance to cope with ailments, so that is a compounding problem that no-one seems to want to face.

      Also there are the calls from people with cancer for the latest pharmaceuticals to fend off death, to have more years of life, at great cost which they don't want to bear; death notifications refer to a 'battle' with cancer. Is that a task for a 'health' system. Having a nationally managed health service; what effect will that have on such cases? As Rosemary McDonald says ACC provides entitlement. But everyone clamouring for everything; how can we all be entitled for all we want as things are at present? How can a publicly funded service cope in a small country that has deliberately opened its borders to foreigners, as a way of stimulating the economy. The thoughtful wisdom of anyone in government, or the economic community has been overwhelmed and drowned out by those with enthusiasm for growth and increased wealth for some.

  10. KSaysHi 10

    Excellent news. Too much money going towards overhead, rather than frontline. Well done Andrew Little.

    The health system has been failing too many people especially for routine stuff where delays cause permanent disability, or death.

  11. dv 11

    For those who want the dhbs to stay (Collins) the local dhb should be allowed to raise their cost locally via a DHB tax.

    • McFlock 11.1

      Because areas with high levels of poverty-related diseases are able to afford to pay more to treat them?

  12. Peter 12

    Now we're going to have 'the health system is stuffed, something needs to be done' brigade chanting 'but not that, it won't work.'

  13. Peter Don Wilson 13

    Well done. The next step in creating a truly public health system is to nationalise all private hospitals and shut down all private health insurance. Just think of all that resource and revenue that could then be available for the public health system.

  14. Booker 14

    Fantastic news. For too long successive governments have kicked the can down the road and done little to address the problems with the DHB model of running healthcare. There’s already been back-end changes like having more centralized accounts departments and IT systems anyway.

    The idea that you vote for people to run a healthcare system and that would result in better local healthcare has been a failed experiment. I remember Susan Davoy saying after her stint on a DHB board that she felt she lacked the necessary background knowledge, and I’m sure that most people would.

    The notion that a tiny country of 4-5 million should have so many separate health systems is ridiculous, and has resulted in huge amounts of bloat and middle management duplication. The funding allocations are opaque and too many DHBs have needed emergency interventions to keep them financially solvent.

    I have to say this is unexpected, but enormously welcome and it’s great to finally have some true leadership in charge 🙂

    • ghostwhowalksnz 14.1

      "The notion that a tiny country of 4-5 million should have so many separate health systems is ridiculous.."

      A false narrative. NSW has 7 non metropolitan health districts, 7 disdtricts within Sydney itself plus 3 specialist areas such as Sydney Childrens health, Justice Forensic and Mental health, a one for 3 Catholic hospitals

      https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/lhd/Pages/default.aspx

      The NHS in England has virtually every major hospital as its own self governing trust almost like a DHB..

    • gsays 14.2

      Well said Booker, I fully concur with yr last paragraph.

      When I watched Minister Little on tele this morning I was grateful he is the Health Minister.

      Now, heaven forbid, the IT know-how could be bought in-house. Further undoing the sub contracting of responsibility.

      Start building institutional knowledge.

    • Anne 14.3

      Thank you for that Booker. Excellent summary.

      The ideology behind the DHBs was to allow local people to run their own health institutions they way they believed was best for their communities. That is not what happened of course. All the local sociopaths (Susan Devoy excluded) scrambled to get on their health boards where they thought they could wield power and control over their locals communities largely to satisfy their personal egos.

      The reason we have had to wait so long for these much needed 'reforms' is because Labour was being stymied by NZ First. Now the flood gates are open, so lets hope this is only the start of winding back the failed neoliberal system.

    • Foreign waka 14.4

      I think the elephant in the room is actually the doctor fee that so many cannot afford and opt to go to the hospital instead and thus clogging up the system for patients that are really needing the staff attention for serious conditions and accidents.

      If you really want to make things work, than cancel the doctor fee and selects under a "preferred supplier" model Medical practitioners and put a funding mechanism in place, centered around actual people treated and see how that works. You cannot over stretch a number of doctors x hours in a day / by average time per patient = $ value sub. This would prevent people going to hospital with a headache. This would make better use of resources and the funds go where the "action" is. Just saying.

      • greywarshark 14.4.1

        FW I think we need to be careful about condensing the GP visits and making them cheaper etc. In Britain they give a 5 or 10 minute window and only one ailment can be discussed at a time. That's real wartime rationing I think. The neolibs and wealthy in the UK are at war with the ordinary folks in this and other ways.

        In theory in NZ it would be better to go to a GP or after hours service free than get into the A&E. But distance has to be considered, some people can't get to suburban after-hours places. GPs wouldn't have security officers handy at night which the hosps should, and also regular visits from the police, doing their job.

        • Foreign Waka 14.4.1.1

          gws, this is already happening anyway and has no connection to DHB's. You only get 10 minutes and that is generous. Except you are lucky and the waiting room is almost empty at summer holiday time. If you move to a different area it can be does the local doctor does not accept any new clients.

          Most GPs operate out of a larger Medical center where you have some 4 or so practitioners as well as nurses. It is mainly a cost issue that many people on benefit and lower income visit the hospital. There are only so many resources available and by that I also mean feet on the ground. Having waiting rooms for emergency full of people with runny nose and headache will worsen the outcome of those who seek actual emergency services. Some might even have a very detrimental outcome because of this. Care for patient first and in an appropriate facility. Hence my take on the fee issue. As for at night services, if it is that urgent it would be an emergency. But we see those waiting rooms full all day long with cases that should be going to the medical center. And this is a money issue as hospitals do not charge fees.

          • greywarshark 14.4.1.1.1

            I didn't realise that NZ had got so tight in its GP treatment of their clients – patients.

            Your points are so true Foreign Waka. Thinking about it all I believe we could find that by increased spending going to a different type of service we could be much more helpful to the health status of low income citizens, and perhaps also to those in remote places. And that is with mobile vans with regular rounds, staffed by well-trained mature nurses with both a professional approach also being considerate, friendly and understanding.

            There would be enough time to deal with the immediate problem and to give some consideration and advice to other concerns with the intention of checking outcomes on the next round. There would also be an 0800 number for the round so that needy people could ask for advice or help between visits. There would be a trust relationship between the service and the people in the area of the medical round.

            Getting in early and people not having the stress of having to travel, as well as meet the needs of dependents in their families, finding caregivers to sit with them or having to take the family with them to appointments – would be avoided by such a service which would be cost-effective.

            The value of this would be realised if the top-down health administration of services to the population was reversed, and looking at the needs of the people, particularly poorer families and people with caring responsibilities from their point of view, was paramount.

            This is the approach we need in NZ today, at so many levels, so that we have a society that runs itself effectively, practically, humanely and happily. I believe we could have a happy society that all people would enjoy living and co-operating in. We just have to decide that we want it, and then shape all our behaviours to be effective for that outcome.

            • Foreign waka 14.4.1.1.1.1

              I really hope that some thought is given to the people who actually need healthcare rather than endless bureaucracy. But I am by experience a cynic and in my mind a better bet is that, the managerial snout in trough disease will get absolute priority for the health dollar regardless how many DHB's there are. Meanwhile we all can just dream of better times.

              • greywarshark

                Looking at past history for us and then looking at the UK, which I have attempted to place information on, I fear that will be the case. I think it's say 80/20 against – the bureaucrats are mortared in. Each of us is just another brick in the wall.

  15. greywarshark 15

    edit
    Government has produced an idea for a new system for DHBs which were still holding together under the old one, with difficulty, but actually with working systems that needed rejigging and then more cash.

    What could have been done instead – the DHBs mainly needed to be listened to, including the nurses and all staff who would be encouraged to make suggestions about being more effective and efficient, anonymously if necessary, work out a straight-forward plan of how to get ahead, change the wage structure, and be given their heads to get better health outcomes along monitored lines.

    But now Labour can wave the DHBs restructuring and the addition of proper concern for Maori Health in the air as their second 'nuclear' moment. We can't expect full effectiveness from the health system as it gets changed and for a while they will rely on that response to all criticisms – 'it's being restructured'. And how long will that take? Can we have faith in them getting everything right – more likely to end up with a different set of problems. But they will send out a puff of green smoke so they look trendy and concerned about Te Green Party. I have to look further and find out what input the Green Party has had, and see how practically based that was.

  16. McFlock 16

    Interesting model. I extected maybe half a dozen regional health orgs, didn't think of branches within a national admin body.

    I do worry about the lack of local advocacy that will happen with all the decisions in Wellington, though. But we'll see how it fleshes out – damned straight the current model is inadequate in many ways.

  17. Byd0nz 17

    Let's hope ACC is next on the block for reform. Time to scrap their crap investments and put the money back to caring for the injured who have paid their levies for service not for foreign investment.

  18. Stuart Munro 18

    Cautiously optimistic – there was plenty wrong under the DHB model, and with the added challenges of Covid, what went before really did need some reform. I expect some resistance however.

    While National are sulking in the dustbin of history, it might be a good thing to do rolling reforms of all major sectors every decade or so – things fall apart, and the needs of the community change. Treasury is ripe for one – Brash's little helpers are neither use nor ornament, insisting on changes that never produced the promised benefits. Somehow the axe never fell on that nest of non-performing charlatans.

    • woodart 18.1

      neice of mine is high up in treasury . when I asked why 90% of their staff werent sacked and their work outsourced to far cheaper accountants in delhi , she went very quiet and couldnt give an answer.

  19. Tiger Mountain 19

    A whole layer of health executives and contractors are likely bricking it today across the nation…because at first glance it looks like neolibs first and enduring love–“funder/provider split” is going to be fractured for good.

    Other managerialists deep in the monetarist hegemony may be similarly concerned, so hopefully Ministers such as Little and Mahuta have friends and a strategy to defend this most significant rollback on Rogernomics and Ruthanasia for many years.

    • Rosemary McDonald 19.1

      A whole layer of health executives and contractors are likely bricking it today …

      By the grace of the Goddess, please let it be so.

  20. I don't think he has gone far enough.

    A nuclear moment such as this should not be the reason to create Health NZ, we already have one of those called the Ministry of Health.

    The additional layer just adds extra cost and bureaucracy.

    Lets follow this with a recreation of the Ministry of Works and get rid of Waka Kotahi

  21. Foreign waka 21

    It remains to be seen whether this becomes just a budget exercise. If I am not mistaken, 20 DHB get some 4 bill out of 15 or some 26% of the Health budget. If the money is just allocated to more decentralized operational assistance with compliance and paperwork we wont get more health services we just have other people on the trough.

    • ghostwhowalksnz 21.1

      Its more like just over 70% that goes to DHBs, including Pharma

      Using the Treasury online summary using 2019 figures ( before Covid) of $19 billion

      Its a bit behind but the % are much the same

      $3,221 million (16.2% of the Vote) funds health and disability services and maternity and other ‘national’ services

      $911 million (4.6% of the Vote) for the support, oversight, governance, and development of the health and disability sectors, consisting of:

      • Ministry of Health operating costs ($221 million or 1.1% of the Vote)
      • Supporting Equitable Pay ($414 million or 2.1% of the Vote)
      • Health Workforce Training and Development ($212 million or 1.1% of the Vote

      1,713 million (8.6% of the Vote) for capital investment, consisting of:

      • sector capital investment ($1,548 million or 7.8% of the Vote)
      • Equity Support for DHB deficits ($134 million or 0.7% of the Vote)
      • Residential Care Loans – Payments ($15 million or 0.1% of Vote)
      • Foreign waka 21.1.1

        Hmmm….

        From this web page:

        https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/what-we-do/budget-2020-vote-health

        Vote Health is the main source of funding for New Zealand’s health and disability system and ACC is its other major source of public funding. It’s a significant investment – almost $20.27 billion in 2020/21

        My comment: includes ACC that is funded by user pay taxation.

        DHB funding

        A total $3.92 billion is allocated to district health boards in 2020/21 to provide additional support over the next four years, and another $125.4 million over four years to meet further cost pressures on planned care. DHBs have also had a one-off injection of $232.5 million to help them catch up planned care after COVID-19.

        And then there is this:

        https://www.asms.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Examining-health-funding-in-Budget-2020-final.pdf

        When you read through it, the over run of budgets comprise the debt servicing (buildings/upgrades/equipment) and increase of all wages to living cost, the additional centralisation of some admin functions (i.e. disability) etc. Some might remember the expensive upgrade of the Auckland Hospital.

        I just look at all issues and up till then reserve my judgement. So far I have seen so many stuff ups that at the moment I hope this is not one of them. With the huge amount of tax payer money at stake, a failure could mean full privatization.

        • ghostwhowalksnz 21.1.1.1

          Yes , I saw that too and it didnt make sense. $4 bill over 4 years is what the largest DHBs alone get each

          " 2020/21 to provide additional support over the next four years,"

          Its a Covid related thing , where the amounts available for health were boosted specifically for the epidemic

          My % are the standard ones as any covid money is available over 4 years and not spend in a budget year which is what you were really after

  22. Brendan 22

    Goodbye health boards.

    When Kiwiblog comes in support of the basic gist of this policy, then it looks like this policy could work. Again implementation is another issue.

    All the best for the next few years implementing it

    • Sacha 22.1

      Do you mean this 'could work' as in the Nats will not seek to overturn it when they are next in power?

      • Brendan 22.1.1

        Implementation is everything. Anyway.

        Why did the Act reformers come from the Labour party? Because Labour was the party of the reform, whereas the Nats were the party of the status quo.

        The reforms outlined by Labour are safe and unlikley to be overturned outright.

  23. greywarshark 23

    Looking at the UK and its National Health Service – on google there are a large number of reports, analysis on the NHS. The Nuffield reports are lengthy and thorough.

    The conclusions on the one for 2008-2017 indicates what they were experiencing there in the recent decade both internally and affected by international events: https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/chapter/2008-2017-an-uncertain-path-ahead

    In the Conclusion this statement appeared which had been a tweet:

    Jeremy Hunt, the Secretary of State,* adopting social media, tweeted about the biggest things that he wished he had known when he took up his post. The top issues were:

    a) Importance of detailed workforce planning

    b) Critical link between NHS and social care and

    c) If you want to improve patient safety, ‘there is no change without culture change…’

    d) Reform that moves care models to prevention

    e) Grasping potential of tech to transform health, as it has every other aspect of life..

    (Jeremy Hunt had a long tenure looking after the NHS and other matters. A heavy burden, I think he looks in the Wikipedia image a bit wacky. Some of his pronouncements are ill-thought I consider.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Hunt%27s_tenure_as_Health_Secretary

  24. greywarshark 24

    edit
    We should look at the UK where the NHS has been tossed around as a political football, underfunded, and then blamed for ineffectiveness.

    It makes an uncomfortable read. I don't have faith that great changes in NZ will help us avoid problems that the UK hasn't been able to cope with. And really the NHS woes were at the back of the Brexit referendum and the ensuing political moves out of Europe and finagling with USA interests to possibly privatise the UK health service as a very lucrative business. The UK public continue on a losing streak. There has to be a limit on what the national health system can fund. See below the list of demands on the health system that have grown and overwhelmed it, prepared by the Royal College of Physicians.

    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/28/labour-nhs-jeremy-corbyn-hospital-theresa-may (by Polly Toynbee)

    Labour’s failure on the NHS is prolonging this health crisis

    [overly long text deleted]

    • weka 24.1

      I deleted that cut and paste. The other comment is too long too. You can quote to offer an idea of what is in the link and/or to connect to your own words, but it needs to be shorter.

      • greywarshark 24.1.1

        Okay it just could be that everyone doesn't have a computer and time to look up the shortened detail that I can lay in front of their eyes so they can be informed but if that is against the rules I understand that you can't allow it.

  25. Herodotus 25

    Changing head office from the DHB to Wellington, how will that allow more to be done when there is pressure on limited facilities and staff numbers. Staff are under pressure and there are questions as to how (in) appropriate pay rates are. We are so fortunate that the workforce (also include ECE, education and aged care) are so committed and skilled.

    "..However, the most glaring shortage is in staff. We don’t have enough doctors, nurses, midwives and other critical care workers in this country…"

    "..What we've been offered is lower than the rate of inflation.."

    The budget will be interesting to see what funds have been provided for the transition from DHB's. We also need to be reminded of current issues that need addressing and the delivery of what was promised with funding provided for the likes of mental health that have not been delivered.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/300282654/healthcare-change-needed-but-crucial-staff-shortages-need-to-be-addressed

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2021/04/latest-dhb-pay-offer-felt-like-april-fools-joke-nurses.html

  26. greywarshark 26

    Today, Thursday on Radionz about the health reforms. People who know about health outcomes personally: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/440988/health-system-reform-what-the-experts-are-saying

    Canterbury DHB former acting chairperson Tā Mark Solomon told Morning Report the news of the reform was "like an atomic bomb being dropped with no warning".

    He was sceptical of the planned changes.
    While it was true there were issues with the delivery of health services to isolated regions, he said: "But extending the size of each of the health areas won't reduce that, it'll increase it. Because you are having bigger areas coming together".

    The Ministry of Health had been the "biggest impediment to health delivery in this country, because of the way they have acted", he claimed.
    The ministry had "done a good hatchet job to date to get rid of an innovative, integrated health delivery system. They have destroyed that and are now proposing to try to set it up. I find it just a little bit ridiculous"…'
    .

    Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) former executive director Ian Powell told Morning Report patients were likely to be big losers in newly announced health reforms.

    "The first thing that stands out to me is there is a lack of empirical evidence to actually justify the decision to abolish [DHBs]. The argument about postcodes, for example, or access to … health services on the basis on where you live – this is not going to change that," Powell said.
    The change would not strip away bureaucracy but reposition it, he said.

    "DHBs are actually being scapegoated for the pressures on the system that are causing difficulties such as underfunding, such as the social determinants of health such as poverty … such as workforces shortages."

    The change would take away a strength the health system which was DHBs being responsible for a defined geographic region.
    "A branch office of a new health service set in Christchurch is not going to have a proper understanding of the wider health needs of the whole South Island…

    and – https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/124901961/health-reform-is-right-move-but-ministry-of-health-must-overhaul-its-own-leadership-charity-hospital-founder-says Apr.21/21

    Canterbury Charity Hospital founder Phil Bagshaw has welcomed the Government’s plan to overhaul the health system as “aspirationally correct” – but warns the Ministry of Health needs reforming too.
    Health Minister Andrew Little took the sector by surprise on Wednesday when he announced all 20 DHBs and 30 public health organisations will be abolished under a health system shake-up…

    Bagshaw, who was both an appointed and elected member of the CDHB from 2000 to 2004, said he thinks of the period as “the wasted years” in an undemocratic bureaucracy…
    Bagshaw, who is also a surgeon, said he had serious concerns about the Ministry of Health’s ability to lead the transformation.

    “I have very little confidence in [its] leadership. Trying to work with them is like trying to run around in a vat of treacle.”

  27. greywarshark 27

    Further – Health Minister Andrew Little took the sector by surprise on Wednesday when he announced all 20 DHBs and 30 public health organisations will be abolished under a health system shake-up…

    GPs comment – https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/441029/fund-primary-care-gps-demand-more-from-health-system-reforms

    One reason of the many why people go to hospital A&E:

    "Maybe it should be a means-tested thing – free if you earn under a certain amount," another said.
    "It could be possibly that they have to work more than one job and they're not able to go the GP during normal working hours, and going to [an after-hours medical centre] is going to be two or three times more expensive, so I can understand why they'd go to a hospital."…

    [Dr Api Talemaitoga] Talemaitoga, who is also the chair of the Pasifika GP Network, said doctors needed to think outside the box to increase equity, like being open late or offering live video consultations.

    "It's not just the cost [that's a barrier] – it's the opportunity to visit your GP. That's where virtual platforms are really important, or opening extended hours as people do their double shift at the factory and there's just one car at home," Talemaitoga said.

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    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • There’s a name for this
    Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Echoes of 1968 in 2024?  Pocock on the repetitive problems of the New Left
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Two bar blues
    The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 13
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
    The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
    Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government lowering building costs
    The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Trustee tax change welcomed
    Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Minister’s Ramadan message
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