Nurses ask us to vote for our health
Written By:
- Date published:
7:01 am, April 5th, 2017 - 50 comments
Categories: accountability, health -
Tags: brighter future, cuts, health, health care, nurses, under funding
Well here’s a powerful statement:
Think of your health when voting this September, nurses urge
New Zealanders are being asked to think of the health system when they cast a vote this September. A nurses’ union released an open letter saying “it’s getting harder to do the work that we trained for”.
…
“Health underfunding means that sometimes we’re not able to give you the best. We are often short-staffed, rushed, and need a little more time to give you care,” the letter says.“We are sad sometimes because of what we couldn’t do for your tamariki, your grandparents or your neighbour. Many of you are feeling frustrated by delays in getting the healthcare you deserve and expect. We are frustrated, too.”
The letter tells voters who they back is a personal choice and doesn’t name any political parties, but makes clear the organisation’s position that health funding is not adequate under the National-led Government. …
Here’s a selection of recent headlines for context:
Study shows ‘damning’ level of unmet health care need. “The Government needs to demonstrate its commitment to the health of all New Zealanders by addressing the high levels of unmet health need as a matter of priority.”
Nurses spending their own money to help patients – union. “The Nurses Organisation says hospital patients are soiling themselves because there aren’t enough nurses to help them to the bathroom.”
Leaked document shows 10 District Health Boards face budget cuts: King. “Labour claims that health has been underfunded to the tune of $1.7 billion over the last five years…”
Researchers claim NZ health budget declining, publicly-funded surgery on way out. “New Zealand’s health budget has been declining for almost a decade and could signal health reforms akin to the sweeping changes of the 1990s, new research claims.”
Families’ despair as hospitals face severe shortages for acute mental health treatment. “Hospital beds for people suffering from extreme mental distress are stretched to breaking point, with double as many people being seen for crisis assessments as there are bed nights available.”
Auckland’s crumbling mental health services. “The problem was a lack of funding as more people accessed mental health services and Auckland struggled with an increasing population and rising house prices…”
Thousands of patients going without hospital care, figures show. “Dr Mackay says funding levels for health are a “disaster waiting to happen…””
Call to government to address rural health crisis. “Rural Health Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand (RHAANZ), representing over 40 rural based organisations, says the country’s rural health and social workforce is in crisis.”
Patients turned away. “Nearly a third of orthopaedic patients referred for a first specialist assessment are being turned away from Dunedin Hospital, and the situation is becoming “untenable”…”
Despite denials, poor service plagues our health system. “New Zealand’s public health system, which was once the pride of the developed world, is clearly ailing.”
New Zealand’s declining health care system is slipping behind other countries’. “Our national health system was once the envy of the world; it is no longer. The facts show that we underperform in many areas.”
You could vote for three more years of “brighter future”. Or you could listen to the nurses.
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The Government must guarantee New Zealanders will not be at risk after making changes to the way mental health callouts are handled. ...2 weeks ago
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Haere e te Kīngi o te kotahitangi Haere ki o nui, ki o rahi I te pō ...2 weeks ago
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The Green Party is paying tribute to the Māori King, Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero XVII, after he passed away earlier this morning. ...2 weeks ago
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With disability communities still reeling from the diminishing of Whaikaha, a leaked document now reveals another blow with National restricting access to residential care homes. ...2 weeks ago
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Labour is calling on the Government and Mercury Energy to find a solution to the proposed Winstone Pulp mill closure and save 230 manufacturing jobs. ...2 weeks ago
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- NZ First Member’s Bill To Disestablish Auckland Transport
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The failure of the Prime Minister to condemn his Minister for personally attacking the judiciary is another example of this Government riding roughshod over important constitutional rules. ...2 weeks ago
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- Release: Patient care at risk from redundancies
Patient care could suffer as a result of further cuts to the health system, which could lose thousands of staff who keep our hospitals and clinics running. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens call on Govt to wake up on child poverty
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- Release: Police are off the beat under National
Foot patrols around the country have decreased 15 percent since National took office, despite National’s Mark Mitchell claiming otherwise. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Climate denial is an insult to Pacific leaders
Winston Peters’ climate denialism at the Pacific Islands’ Forum is an embarrassing new low. ...2 weeks ago
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- Release: Uber court decision recognises workers’ rights
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- Release: Govt backtrack on fast-track still not enough
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Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced a programme to drive Artificial Intelligence (AI) uptake among New Zealand businesses. “The AI Activator will unlock the potential of AI for New Zealand businesses through a range of support, including access to AI research experts, technical assistance, AI tools and resources, ...3 hours ago
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The independent rapid review into the Wairoa flooding event on 26 June 2024 has been released, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced today. “We welcome the review’s findings and recommendations to strengthen Wairoa's resilience against future events,” Ms ...3 hours ago
- Promoting faster payment times for government
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- Acknowledgement to Kīngi Tuheitia speech
E te māngai o te Whare Pāremata, kua riro māku te whakaputa i te waka ki waho moana. E te Pirimia tēnā koe.Mr Speaker, it is my privilege to take this adjournment kōrero forward. Prime Minister – thank you for your leadership. Taupiri te maunga Waikato te awa Te Wherowhero ...21 hours ago
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- Ministry for Regulation’s first Strategic Intentions document sets ambitious direction
Regulation Minister David Seymour welcomes the Ministry for Regulation’s first Strategic Intentions document, which sets out how the Ministry will carry out its work and deliver on its purpose. “I have set up the Ministry for Regulation with three tasks. One, to cut existing red tape with sector reviews. Two, ...1 day ago
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- First of five new Hercules aircraft takes flight
Defence Minister Judith Collins today welcomed the first of five new C-130J-30 Hercules to arrive in New Zealand at a ceremony at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Base Auckland, Whenuapai. “This is an historic day for our New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and our nation. The new Hercules fleet ...1 day ago
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- Pharmac delivering more for Kiwis following major funding boost
Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour has welcomed the increased availability of medicines for Kiwis resulting from the Government’s increased investment in Pharmac. “Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the Government,” says Mr Seymour. “When our Government assumed office, New ...2 days ago
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Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop has congratulated New Zealand's Paralympic Team at the conclusion of the Paralympic Games in Paris. “The NZ Paralympic Team's success in Paris included fantastic performances, personal best times, New Zealand records and Oceania records all being smashed - and of course, many Kiwis on ...2 days ago
- Government progresses response to Abuse in Care recommendations
A Crown Response Office is being established within the Public Service Commission to drive the Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care. “The creation of an Office within a central Government agency was a key recommendation by the Royal Commission’s final report. “It will have the mandate ...5 days ago
- Passport wait times back on-track
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says passport processing has returned to normal, and the Department of Internal Affairs [Department] is now advising customers to allow up to two weeks to receive their passport. “I am pleased that passport processing is back at target service levels and the Department ...5 days ago
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- District Court judges appointed
Attorney-General Hon Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new District Court judges. The appointees, who will take up their roles at the Manukau Court and the Auckland Court in the Accident Compensation Appeal Jurisdiction, are: Jacqui Clark Judge Clark was admitted to the bar in 1988 after graduating ...5 days ago
- Government makes it faster and easier to invest in New Zealand
Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour is encouraged by significant improvements to overseas investment decision timeframes, and the enhanced interest from investors as the Government continues to reform overseas investment. “There were about as many foreign direct investment applications in July and August as there was across the six months ...5 days ago
- New Zealand to join Operation Olympic Defender
New Zealand has accepted an invitation to join US-led multi-national space initiative Operation Olympic Defender, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. Operation Olympic Defender is designed to coordinate the space capabilities of member nations, enhance the resilience of space-based systems, deter hostile actions in space and reduce the spread of ...6 days ago
- Government commits to ‘stamping out’ foot and mouth disease
Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says that a new economic impact analysis report reinforces this government’s commitment to ‘stamp out’ any New Zealand foot and mouth disease incursion. “The new analysis, produced by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, shows an incursion of the disease in New Zealand would have ...6 days ago
- Improving access to finance for Kiwis
5 September 2024 The Government is progressing further reforms to financial services to make it easier for Kiwis to access finance when they need it, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Financial services are foundational for economic success and are woven throughout our lives. Without access to finance our ...6 days ago
- Prime Minister pays tribute to Kiingi Tuheitia
As Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII is laid to rest today, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has paid tribute to a leader whose commitment to Kotahitanga will have a lasting impact on our country. “Kiingi Tuheitia was a humble leader who served his people with wisdom, mana and an unwavering ...6 days ago
- Resource Management reform to make forestry rules clearer
Forestry Minister Todd McClay today announced proposals to reform the resource management system that will provide greater certainty for the forestry sector and help them meet environmental obligations. “The Government has committed to restoring confidence and certainty across the sector by removing unworkable regulatory burden created by the previous ...6 days ago
- More choice and competition in building products
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- Joint Statement between the Republic of Korea and New Zealand 4 September 2024, Seoul
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- Comprehensive Strategic Partnership the goal for New Zealand and Korea
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol. “Korea and New Zealand are likeminded democracies and natural partners in the Indo Pacific. As such, we have decided to advance discussions on elevating the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive ...7 days ago
- International tourism continuing to bounce back
Results released today from the International Visitor Survey (IVS) confirm international tourism is continuing to bounce back, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey says. The IVS results show that in the June quarter, international tourism contributed $2.6 billion to New Zealand’s economy, an increase of 17 per cent on last ...7 days ago
- Government confirms RMA reforms to drive primary sector efficiency
The Government is moving to review and update national level policy directives that impact the primary sector, as part of its work to get Wellington out of farming. “The primary sector has been weighed down by unworkable and costly regulation for too long,” Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. “That is ...1 week ago
- Weak grocery competition underscores importance of cutting red tape
The first annual grocery report underscores the need for reforms to cut red tape and promote competition, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “The report paints a concerning picture of the $25 billion grocery sector and reinforces the need for stronger regulatory action, coupled with an ambitious, economy-wide ...1 week ago
- Government moves to lessen burden of reliever costs on ECE services
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says the Government has listened to the early childhood education sector’s calls to simplify paying ECE relief teachers. Today two simple changes that will reduce red tape for ECEs are being announced, in the run-up to larger changes that will come in time from the ...1 week ago
- Over 2,320 people engage with first sector regulatory review
Regulation Minister David Seymour says there has been a strong response to the Ministry for Regulation’s public consultation on the early childhood education regulatory review, affirming the need for action in reducing regulatory burden. “Over 2,320 submissions have been received from parents, teachers, centre owners, child advocacy groups, unions, research ...1 week ago
- Government backs women in horticulture
“The Government is empowering women in the horticulture industry by funding an initiative that will support networking and career progression,” Associate Minister of Agriculture, Nicola Grigg says. “Women currently make up around half of the horticulture workforce, but only 20 per cent of leadership roles which is why initiatives like this ...1 week ago
- Government to pause freshwater farm plan rollout
The Government will pause the rollout of freshwater farm plans until system improvements are finalised, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard announced today. “Improving the freshwater farm plan system to make it more cost-effective and practical for farmers is a priority for this ...1 week ago
- Milestone reached for fixing the Holidays Act 2003
Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden says yesterday Cabinet reached another milestone on fixing the Holidays Act with approval of the consultation exposure draft of the Bill ready for release next week to participants. “This Government will improve the Holidays Act with the help of businesses, workers, and ...1 week ago
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Toitū te marae a Tāne Mahuta me Hineahuone, toitū te marae a Tangaroa me Hinemoana, toitū te taiao, toitū te tangata. The Government has introduced clear priorities to modernise Te Papa Atawhai - The Department of Conservation’s protection of our natural taonga. “Te Papa Atawhai manages nearly a third of our ...1 week ago
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- Road and rail reliability a focus for Wellington
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Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 11 September appeared first on Newsroom. ...8 hours ago
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Yes, we can listen to the nurses and the young doctors as well while we’re at it.
Its time these successive neo liberal govts were shown the door.
Neo liberal literally DOESNT work.
It creates unemployment or at best a class of work slaves. End result?… these sorts of issues as outlined above.
Lets all start voting accordingly and choose the party least adhering to that self serving ideology. First port of call ? – Get rid of English and his Nats. Give English his second crushing defeat . Some people need slightly broader hints to get the message. Hes one of them.
Then lets start rebuilding our shattered health and education sector, our provinces and start improving wages and conditions in this country. And push for a progressive taxation to ensure these corporate’s pay their fair share . No more of this Lord and peasant drivel we have had served up for the last 33 years from these treacherous thieves.
Vote the National party out of office this coming September.
You think a Lab/Green/NZ1st government would reject neoliberalism?
Unfortunately maybe not yet. But they are showing hints of questioning neoliberal orthodoxy, while the nats continue to blindly and utterly embrace it.
Better would be to give National A shock without letting any of the rabble in who did nothing different last time they had power.
As I see the problem for Dunedin is that it is a ‘safe’ Labour stronghold so National don’t bother about it nor Labour who ‘know’ they cannot loose.
@Antoine
Little has already rejected tax cuts which means this money can be spent on nurses and the health system.
Has he said that he will spend more on nurses and the health system?
A.
Horrifically, I find myself agreeing with BM. Why have labour and the greens locked themselves into these stupid economic settings? Presumably because they think the electorate will accept nothing else. TINA anyone?
There is more and more mainstream thinking about both UBI and robin hood tax. They can at least talk about a referendum on UBI.
UBI gets further criticism here. Its really not a progressive policy,
http://bilbo.economicoutlook.net/blog/?p=35705
Had meant to post this in reply to BM at 3.2….
Truth be known that letter could have been written by unions for Doctors, CYFS, The Police Association, Corrections, Justice and on services to the public in general RNZ, DOC and NZ Post. Its all the same, shit service given by strangled budgets by overworked employees.
Well done Nurses, tell it exactly the way it is.
How much more would a Labour-led Govt spend on health?
Nine billion dollars a year, I reckon. I haven’t looked it up on their website though, so I may be wrong.
They’ve rather corned themselves with that new budget rules announcement.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11823356
One has to wonder where all this extra money is coming from?
Not paying bribes to Saudi sheep farmers. Increasing revenue by running the economy better than National, just like every single Labour led government in this country’s history.
Don’t forget the 1 billion to SCF!!!
well they might do what key did and just get in and go back on their word , and raise taxs . except they would probably take money off those with more than they need as opposed to taking it off the poor buy raising gst.
One term and then gone for a generation, good plan I like it.
Tax havens
Progressive personal and corporate tax
Royalty’s on any extractive industry of foriegn origin – including water
Investment in NZ industry’s – including initial subsidy’s
Re nationalization of former SOE’s
Trade tariffs on all imported goods
Renegotiating so called Free Trade deals
TBH… the list is inexhaustible once neo liberalism is gotten rid of.
No one’s getting rid of neo liberalism, at best it may eventually evolve into something different.
What it will evolve into is a full-on climate change catastrophe!
What the ultra rich don’t seem to realise is that there’ll be no escaping rapid climate change – potentially, no one will survive, no matter how wealthy.
Go, the nurses!
At the very least, huge changes in the way we live will be forced on us.
Most, but not all, courtesy of 30 plus years of neo-liberalism!
Thatcher’s dead
Reagan’s dead
Freidman’s dead
And whole long list of other neo liberal protagonists. And the only other direction they can go in now is ever increasing and tighter controls and domination of the public to maintain neo liberalism’s grip.
If not before a general public revolt , … by a sheer process of attrition.
THAT is how it will decline. And it will be replaced by a more or less Keynesian model, somewhat modified and modernized. There IS NO other alternative.
Barring a few variants on the theme.
A meld of left and right as I have suggested before BM.
That’s why corporates don’t want world govt while they globalize democracy is the globalized companies enemy.
As they would have to pay tax fair wages and distribute money more fairly.
So brexit and Trump are good for the corporate vulture capitalists.
Who push debt into economies and then control those economies with austerity.
Don’t make me call you TINA.
Hopefully they just figure out that the budget rules just don’t make much sense. Then ignore them and don’t worry about it. I recon when Labour gets in an economic cycle might turn out to be about 50 years long or something, that ought to do it.
Just pretend it didn’t happen, that’s probably the best plan.
Well it worked for George Osbourne. This plan has a long history of success in Politics.
Sort of worked for Father Ted.
“New Zealand’s health budget has been declining for almost a decade and could signal health reforms akin to the sweeping changes of the 1990s, new research claims.”
Remember the National part charges for Hospital visits in the 90s? A disaster as it cost more to collect the money than the money was worth.
There was a deliberate National Plan in the 90s to run down the Public Health System so that Private (USA?) Business could take over. And this is exactly what is happening in the UK now except it is the lucrative areas where the takeover happens.
Hasn’t stopped Brother Bill from trying it on, however.
State housing , prisons etc…
Go nurses!
While it’s true that the proportion of expenditure on health decreased from 6.32 per cent to 5.95 per cent as a proportion of GDP in the five years to 2015.
“It’s also true thaT operational expenditure increased by $2 billion, while core government spending increased by $8.8b. In the same period, GDP increased by $45.2b.
Vote Health’s operational expenditure decreased from 6.32 per cent to 5.95 per cent as a proportion of GDP in the same five years.”
We could spend vastly more on health in NZ and still not satisfy those on the left that believe that we should keep spending more until all societies health related ills are cured and those on the right that believe we are spending far too much and we should not fund half of what we spend money on at present. It is a after all is said and done a balancing act that the Labour and Natioanl led governments of the last couple of decades have done a fair job of managing.
A “balancing act” that results in 50% of the population having 4% of the nation’s wealth and the top 10% having 60%. Guess which group has the lion’s share of unmet health needs?
The stars below compare the “Balance” between the average wealth of someone in the poorest 50% against the average wealth of someone in the top 10% in NZ.
1 person in poorest 50% of NZ:
*
1 person in richest 10% of NZ:
***************************************************************************
Go Balance!!
Thank-you for this very clear illustration of the gulf between the have-nots and haves in NZ.
Wonder if any rwnj’s will try to run a ‘politics of envy’ rebuttal?
Link please
This is close (from June 2016, so maybe things have ‘improved’ since then, but who for?)
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/307458/10-percent-richest-kiwis-own-60-percent-of-nz%27s-wealth
If the percentages in the linked pie chart (richest 10% own 50% of wealth, poorest 40% own 3% of wealth) are correct (you may be able to mount a critique – don’t forget to link to your evidence), then the 1 star * average (for the poorest 40%) versus the 67 star average (for the richest 10%) is simple maths (much harder to critique).
US used slightly different numbers and got a 1 star * average (for the poorest 50%) versus a 75 star average (for the richest 10%).
Are these sorts of differences in NZ wealth distribution too big, too small, or about right for a healthy, resilient society – what do you ‘reckon’?
I’m broadly comfortable with that. According to your link our inequality level is close to the OECD average and similar to countries like Portugal.
There has been an increase in inequality (by this metric) in recent years driven largely by the housing crisis. Obviously the housing situation needs to improve.
We have a public health system to provide (some) care to those who can’t afford to pay, which is a fine thing.
A.
The majority of the top 10% are most likely “broadly comfortable with that”, and maybe some desire and are working towards even greater inequality (by this metric), although that’s conjecture.
Personally I don’t think this level of inequality in NZ is healthy or sustainable, but at least you seem to be saying that you might become uncomfortable if inequality (by this metric) increased. What do you reckon your upper limit for NZ inequality (by this metric) is? 75 stars, 100 stars, 150 stars – just curious.
What is surprising is just how little redistribution is needed to make a huge difference. You actually do not need a major revolution or anything close.
By simple mathematics – if the richest 10% shared just 10% of their wealth (e.g. if John Key can manage with a mere $54m instead of $60m) then the poorest 40% can have three times what they currently have – which would make a huge difference to many people’s lives!
A ‘little’ redistribution?? You are talking about 50 billion dollars here!
Think of this example. A couple in their 60s lives in Auckland. They own a modest house freehold, let’s say it’s worth $900k, and they have $100k of Kiwisaver. That’s their retirement savings. Now you want them to give $100k to random poor people??
Keep in mind also that a low net worth household may be young people with high income and no dependants…
Income is almost as unequal as wealth, although not quite….
http://www.inequality.org.nz/understand/
$900K is a modest freehold – yeah right!
The wealth of this couple is dependent on the society as a whole including the so called random poor people.
> $900K is a modest freehold – yeah right!
You know what $900K will buy you in Auckland these days?
> The wealth of this couple is dependent on the society as a whole including the so called random poor people.
That is no excuse for society as a whole taking it off them!
A.
Yes it is, because without the society as a whole, there would be no mechanism to make the capital in the first place. The society as a whole depends on the taxation of wealth in order to maintain the means of wealth creation.
This is the classic riposte to the morally flawed libertarian idea that taxation is mere theft.
Exactly!
[…my comment got mangled due to my use of “>” symbols! Try again…]
While you feel that 900k is modest wealth, the “random poor people” are in contrast likely to only have a handful of thousands, and in many cases negative wealth (i.e. debt).
As is common with greed apologists, you choose an example at the lower end of the scale (retiree mom and pop with $900k). You fail to explain why John Key needs over $50m, or Graham Hart over $10b, while others live in poverty.
Your reference to “random poor people” suggests a rather unpleasant prejudice and attitude, by the way.
True, True, it really is very little – around the wealth held by only the richest 0.004% of the NZ population. Spread this redistribution over the top 1% instead, and they will hardly notice it.