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You are in Health
what the parties will do about
Mental Health
NZ’s suicide rate is among the highest in the world, especially among young people. While nearly half of New Zealanders will experience mental illness or distress at some point in their lives, many go without services or treatment. There are growing calls for urgent action of one kind or another.
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ACT
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Save thisIncrease support for people with physical or mental conditions(...)Why
ACT believes the state has a limited but necessary role to play in protecting vulnerable people and those who fall on hard times.
HowACT would increase state support for those with physical or mental conditions. This would include improved access to supported living arrangements for people with serious mental illness.
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Save thisIncrease funding for private mental health treatment(...)Why
ACT believes that new innovations are need in the mental health sector to make better use of resources. Increasing funding for private mental health treatment should give patients greater choice and reduce waiting lists.
HowACT would increase funding for private mental health treatment.
A $30 million trial fund would be established for District Health Boards, or the regional bodies that ACT would replace them with, to allocate to non government health providers.
Patients could opt to use a non government provider, and the cost would be covered by the fund. Providers could be charities, community groups or businesses.
Providers would be required to meet health outcomes agreed with government in order to continue in the scheme.
Labour
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Save thisFund extra mental health workers for primary and intermediate schools in earthquake affected areas(...)Why
Labour believes that the Canterbury rebuild will not be complete until the mental health needs of children are addressed.
Since the earthquakes, there has been a 73 percent increase in young people going to mental health clinics in Canterbury. But there is not enough funding to cope and this has led to long waiting times for mental health services.
Funding 80 mental health professionals for schools in Canterbury should ensure that children and young people affected by the Christchurch and Kaikōura earthquakes can get the help they need when they need it.
HowLabour would fund 80 additional mental health professionals to work in public primary and intermediate schools in Canterbury and Kaikōura for three years. This would amount to one full time mental health professional for every 500 school children in Canterbury and Kaikōura.
The mental health professionals would include psychologists, psychotherapists, social workers, registered nurses and community mental health workers. They would provide on-site counselling, social work and interventions, focussing on low to medium level mental health needs.
Labour would allocate $10 million of funding for this policy. This funding would come from the additional $8 billion Labour would commit to health over the next four years.
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Save thisPilot mental health teams in high demand areas(...)Why
Labour believes that New Zealand’s mental health services are underfunded, overstretched and too fragmented. They are unable to meet demand, particularly for people with mild to moderate mental health needs.
Creating mental health teams in high demand areas should ensure people with mental illness have more consistent access to support, saving them from distress and freeing up other front line health and police resources.
HowLabour would pilot a programme to put specialist mental health teams in high demand areas. These teams would be based on site with primary care providers like GPs and would offer free, accessible help for people with mental health issues before and after crises.
In particular, the teams would help to coordinate between the available sources of mental health support, including from GPs, primary health organisations, district health boards and non-government mental health organisations. The teams would be made up of mental health doctors and other medical professionals. Patients would deal with the same professional throughout.
Funding would also go to GPs to conduct interventions and make appropriate referrals, and also to non government organisations to provide social assistance such as help getting a job or finding somewhere to live. Further funding would also be directed at increasing access to counselling.
The programme would be piloted at eight sites across the country where there are high needs populations, like Christchurch. Labour expects the programme to assist nearly 40,000 people each year of the pilot. Labour would invest $43 million for this over two years.
After two years Labour would review the pilot to decide whether to roll it out nationwide.
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Save thisProvide all schools with a comprehensive health service(...)Why
Labour believes that fresh thinking is needed to ensure all young New Zealanders get the mental health support they need. New Zealand has one of the highest rates of youth suicide in the world.
Having access to health professionals at schools significantly reduces the risk of depression and suicide but the quality of health services provided in secondary schools varies. Extending school-based health services should ensure that all students can access these services. This should save lives.
HowLabour would ensure all public secondary schools have a comprehensive youth health service. Funding for school based health services is currently only for decile 1 to 3 public secondary schools, teen parent units and alternative education facilities. This funding provides school nurses.
Labour’s policy would fund the equivalent of 240 nurse hours per 100 students a year, along with additional GP support. Students would be able to see a health professional at their school and either have their needs met on-site or be referred to youth health services, Child & Youth mental health services, or their own doctor. This would be achieved through an expansion of the existing Schools Based Health Service to all public secondary schools.
Labour estimates this package would cost about $50 million per year and it would be met by increasing overall health funding by $1.7 billion.
Labour would also generally increase resourcing for youth mental health.
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Save thisRe-establish the Mental Health Commission(...)Why
Labour believes that New Zealand’s mental health services are underfunded, overstretched and too fragmented. In 2012 the Mental Health Commission was disestablished and its functions transferred to the Health and Disability Commissioner. Bringing back the Mental Health Commission should provide additional monitoring and oversight of mental health service providers.
HowLabour would re-establish the Mental Health Commission. This would monitor and oversee mental health providers and advocate for their improvement.
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Save thisIncrease funding for suicide prevention services run by rainbow community organisations(...)Why
Labour believes that more could be done to ensure rainbow communities have the support they need, especially for mental health and suicide support groups. At the moment, groups are underfunded and this is preventing them from providing vital support to rainbow New Zealanders who are struggling with mental health issues.
HowLabour would provide targeted suicide prevention funding to increase the reach of rainbow community support organisations and mainstream crisis support and services.
Green
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Save thisImprove pay for mental health workers(...)Why
The Green Party believes that mental health workers should be paid similarly to other support workers, like those in aged care and disability support. But at the moment, mental health workers are paid $6 an hour less than other support workers, sometimes with the same employer.
Care and disability workers recently won a pay equity settlement from the government, but mental health workers were not included in the settlement. Improving pay for mental health workers would be fair, and would avoid people having to leave the sector because the pay is too low.
HowThe Green Party would ensure that mental health work is paid similarly to other types of support work.
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Save thisProvide free counselling to everyone under 25 years old(...)Why
The Green Party believes that urgent action is needed to address mental distress among young people. New Zealand has some of the worst rates of youth suicide in the world.
Any person who wants to access counselling should be able to, particularly young people. Providing free counselling for everyone under 25 years old should ensure the whole system of care is supportive from the start.
HowThe Green Party would provide free counselling for all New Zealanders aged 25 and under.
The Green Party estimates this policy would cost $116 million per year.
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Save thisIncrease funding for youth mental health(...)Why
The Green Party believes that urgent action is needed to address mental distress among young people. New Zealand has some of the worst rates of youth suicide in the world.
Increasing funding for youth mental health should provide young people with the skills and resources they need to make it through tough times, as well as the support for when people need more acute intervention.
HowThe Green Party would increase funding for youth mental health by $100 million.
This funding would support the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, the Crisis Assessment Teams, and mental health beds for young people in hospitals.
The Green Party would also increase funding for community initiatives by $41 million. This would involve providing resources and programmes in schools, LGBTQIA+ school support services, and training for school guidance counsellors.
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Save thisConduct a mental health inquiry(...)Why
The Green Party believes that New Zealand’s mental health system is broken and cannot deliver the care New Zealanders need. The system is underfunded and those who need help aren’t getting it. A comprehensive nationwide inquiry should identify the systemic problems facing the mental health sector and deliver effective solutions rather than just tinkering around the edges.
HowThe Green Party would conduct an inquiry into the mental health system. This would have broad terms of reference, including to review funding, consider how well integrated mental and physical health are within the District Health Board structure, review staffing issues, review family involvement in mental health care, and to review coercive practices and seclusion. The inquiry would be completed within a year.
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Save thisRe-establish the Mental Health Commission(...)Why
The Green Party believes that New Zealand’s mental health system is broken and cannot deliver the care needed for New Zealanders. In 2012 the Mental Health Commission was disestablished and its functions transferred to the Health and Disability Commissioner. Reinstating this Commission should help identify where the mental health system is failing.
HowThe Green Party would re-establish the Mental Health Commission. The Commission would monitor and oversee mental health providers and advocate for their improvement.
Māori Party
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Save thisFund more kaupapa Māori mental health facilities(...)Why
The Māori Party believes that there is a serious issue with mental health in Aotearoa. Aotearoa leads the world in suicide rates, and this is especially bad among Māori and rangatahi.
But it is often too hard to access services because some are only available to people in very serious distress.Funding more kaupapa Māori mental health facilities should provide better support to people dealing with mental health issues.
HowThe Māori Party would fund more kaupapa Māori residential and community based mental health facilities.
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Save thisFund kaupapa Māori based suicide prevention, support and education programmes(...)Why
The Māori Party believes that there is a serious issue with mental health in Aotearoa. Aotearoa leads the world in suicide rates, and these rates are especially bad among rangatahi Māori.
Kaupapa Māori based suicide prevention, support and education programmes should help reduce the rate of suicide among Māori.
HowThe Māori Party would provide funding for kaupapa Māori based suicide support, education and prevention programmes. The Māori Party would also expand the Rangatahi Suicide Prevention Strategy.
The Māori Party would also provide resources for whānau to develop their own solutions to suicide prevention, support after suicide and health promotion efforts such as Waka Hourua Māori and Pasifika suicide prevention.
The Turamarama Declaration would also be implemented. This seeks to use traditional Māori practices that support tamariki from conception to adulthood.
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Save thisProvide secondary schools with mental health workers(...)Why
The Māori Party believes that there is a serious issue with mental health in Aotearoa. Aotearoa leads the world in suicide rates, and these rates are especially bad among rangatahi Māori.
Putting mental health workers in secondary school should provide better mental health support for young people.
HowThe Māori Party would set up mental health youth workers in secondary schools.
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Save thisMake it easier to access mental health services(...)Why
The Māori Party believes that there is a serious issue with mental health in Aotearoa. Aotearoa leads the world in suicide rates, and this is especially bad among Māori and rangatahi.
It is often too hard to access services because some are only available to people in very serious distress. Lowering the threshold for accessing mental health services should make it easier to intervene early to address mental health issues.
HowThe Māori Party would lower the threshold for accessing mental health services.
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Save thisPay $200 per week to everyone aged 18 to 23(...)Why
A universal basic income for everyone is a long-term goal for The Opportunities Party. This would give people more choice about how to spend their time, recognise the contribution of unpaid work and remove the disincentive to work and dehumanisation caused by targeted benefits.
A payment for young people is a good place to start because people starting out in adult life need support to help reach their potential. People aged 18-25 have the highest unemployment rate and New Zealand has one of the highest rates of youth suicide in the world, and The Opportunities Party believes these facts are connected. A payment for young people should provide the security to transition to independence without fear of being penniless.
HowThe Opportunities Party would introduce a universal basic income of $200 per week after tax for all people between the ages of 18 and 23. The payment would be unconditional and would total about $10,000 per year.
People who are currently on benefits would receive the payment, plus any amount by which the payment falls short of their previous benefit. The payment would remain unconditional and would not be lost if the recipient started paid employment. It would replace student loan living costs and student allowances for people who currently receive those payments.
The Opportunities Party estimates the universal basic income for youth would cost an additional $2.8 billion per year after savings from the policy are taken into account. This would be funded by not implementing National’s proposed tax cuts, and by allocating some of the expected government budget surplus towards the basic income.
National
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Save thisContinue to adopt a social investment approach to mental health(...)Why
National believes that New Zealand’s suicide rate is too high, particularly among young Māori and Pasifika. But the causes of mental health problems are complex and do not happen in isolation, so innovative solutions are needed.
Social investment is an approach to public services which uses data analysis to identify how to best deliver the service in the wider social context. Continuing to adopt a social investment approach to mental health should help the government develop innovative ways to address the causes of mental health problems early and effectively.
HowNational would continue to adopt a social investment approach to designing and delivering mental health services.
This approach involves analysing data from across government to define the problem and to provide evidence about the best approach. It involves seeing the problem in its wider social context and focusing on early intervention to prevent mental health issues arising.
As part of this approach, the National Government has funded mental health initiatives including the Family Start programme and the Suicide Mortality Review Committee.
The Family Start programme provides intensive support to at-risk families and includes supporting mothers to access community-based mental health services. The Suicide Mortality Review Committee uses data sets from across government agencies to identify patterns and possible intervention strategies for reducing suicide.
National will also fund 17 other initiatives, including technological and crisis support initiatives.
The technological initiatives include e-therapy for young people and young prisoners, tailored telehealth pilots, and an electronic assessment tool for young people.
The crisis support initiatives include a service to help people in mental health crisis keep their tenancy, a multi-agency response service for mental health related 111 calls, and a trial of alternative support options for people experiencing acute mental health crisis.
Other initiatives National would fund include a trial of a programme to strengthen self-regulatory skills in early childhood, greater frontline mental health support in schools, and trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy for children following experiences of family or sexual violence, among others.
Under Budget 2017, the National Government allocated $124 million to find these social investment approaches to mental health. National announced the specific initiatives receiving funding on 14 August 2017.
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Save thisContinue to pilot a social bonds programme to help people with a mental illness into work(...)Why
National believes that employment can help people with mental illness because it provides financial security and improves mental wellbeing. A social bonds approach uses private enterprise to help provide public services. Continuing to pilot approach in the mental health context should provide a financial incentive to mental health service providers to help get those with mental illness into work.
HowNational would continue to pilot a social bonds programme to help people with mental illness into work.
A social bonds approach uses private enterprise to help provide public services. Service providers contract with the government to achieve certain social outcomes and private investors provide upfront funding to deliver the service. If the agreed results are achieved, the government pays the investors back their investment plus a return.
A pilot programme to use this to provide mental health services is currently underway in Auckland. Unemployed people with a qualifying benefit and a diagnosed mental health condition are eligible to be referred to the company AMP Workcare, which provides vocational rehabilitation and disability services. This programme aims to help 1,700 people with mental illness over a five year period.
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Save thisContinue a programme to improve the quality and consistency of mental health services(...)Why
National believes that demand for mental health services in New Zealand is growing but the standard of treatment people receive depends a lot on where the person lives. Creating national standards based on expert evidence for the treatment of mental illness should ensure that treatment is consistently of high quality.
HowNational would continue a programme to improve the quality and consistency of mental health services. This programme involves working with sector experts to create national, standardised practices, including for prescribing drugs for mental illness, transferring patients in and out of services, and minimising restrictive care, such as compulsory residential treatment.
National would fund these initiatives for the next five years and would review them after the first three years. It estimates this would cost around $7.5 million, which can be funded from within District Health Board baselines.
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Save thisContinue to pilot mental health initiatives for prisoners and offenders(...)Why
National believes that prisoners and offenders suffer from mental health problems at a far greater rate than the rest of the population. These groups require greater support in meeting their mental health needs, as these can be a barrier to getting work, education and treatment. Piloting mental health initiatives for prisoners and offenders should identify the best approach to help these groups address their mental health needs.
HowNational would continue to pilot mental health initiatives for prisoners and offenders. The pilot will run for two years.
The programme includes increased mental health support for prisoners and community-based offenders, counselling and social work support for women prisoners, support in transitioning back into communities for prisoners with severe mental needs, and wrap around support for families of offenders receiving mental health services.
Mental health clinicians and family support workers have been appointed at prisons and in Community Corrections sites in Manukau, Hamilton, Palmerston North, and Dunedin. The results of the pilot will be evaluated.
NZ First
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Save thisConduct a mental health inquiry(...)Why
New Zealand First believes that New Zealand’s mental health services are in disarray. The National Government’s approach to funding these services has been too targeted and inconsistent. Conducting a national inquiry into the issue should allow for a radical change with the way mental health is addressed.
HowNew Zealand First would hold a national inquiry into mental health.
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Save thisIncrease funding for mental health services(...)Why
New Zealand First believes that New Zealand’s mental health services are in disarray. They have been inadequately funded and there are too few options for addressing mental health problems, particularly for young people. Increasing funding for specialist mental health services should ensure that more New Zealanders have access to the services they need.
HowNew Zealand First would increase funding for specialist mental health service providers in all District Health Boards. This funding would be targeted at regions with the highest need and which currently lack access to services. Additional resources would be provided for youth mental health services in particular.
what the parties will do about
Alcohol and Drugs
Drinking causes a lot of illness, injury, violence and other harms. But many NZers like to drink or use recreational drugs. Internationally, the tide has been turning on cannabis prohibition, and some parties want change here too.
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Māori Party
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Save thisDevelop a national strategy for addressing meth(...)Why
The Māori Party believes that more could be done to understand the drivers of meth and the ways in which support services and education strategies work against meth addiction.
A national strategy should support a coordinated approach to addressing the harm caused by meth.
HowThe Māori Party would develop a national strategy on meth. This would be whānau-centred and community-led and would focus on the causes of meth and wider health disparities.
In addition, the Māori Party would review the effectiveness of support services, and education, rehabilitation and communication strategies related to methamphetamine.
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Save thisBan new liquor outlets(...)Why
The Māori Party believes that new liquor outlets will contribute to greater harm from alcohol. No new outlets should be opened.
HowThe Māori Party would ban new liquor outlets.
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Save thisAim to remove all synthetic cannabis from the community(...)Why
The Māori Party believes synthetic cannabis has been harmful to communities and young people, and needs to be obliterated.
HowThe Māori Party would aim to remove all synthetic cannabis and other psychoactive substances from the community.
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Save thisDecriminalise the possession and personal use of certain illicit drugs(...)Why
The Māori Party believes that too many people end up in the criminal justice system because of possession and personal use of illicit drugs. Drug use should be treated as a health issue, and not a criminal justice issue.
HowThe Māori Party would remove criminal penalties for the possession and personal use of certain illicit drugs.
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Save thisFund community based kaupapa Māori drug treatment programmes(...)Why
The Māori Party believes that meth has been harmful to Māori communities, and supports the fight against meth.
Funding community based kaupapa Māori treatment programmes and residential facilities to deal with meth addiction should support more people to access treatment for addiction.
HowThe Māori Party would fund community based kaupapa Māori treatment programmes and residential facilities for drug and alcohol problems. Whānau Ora wrap around services would also be used to provide further support.
The Māori Party would also increase the numbers of respite care beds for meth addicts in kaupapa-led alcohol and drug facilities.
National
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Save thisIncrease penalties for manufacturing and distributing synthetic cannabis(...)Why
National believes drugs and the gangs who sell them are a scourge on society. It is committed to stopping gangs selling drugs, imprisoning those that do, and seizing the proceeds of their criminal activity.
Increasing the penalties for manufacturing and distributing synthetic cannabis should reduce the amount of synthetic cannabis in the community.
HowNational would increase penalties for manufacturing and distributing synthetic cannabis. The maximum penalty would be increased from two years imprisonment to eight years imprisonment.
Penalties for possession would not be changed.
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Save thisAllow police to search cars and houses for firearms without a warrant in some cases(...)Why
National believes methamphetamine and the gangs who sell it are a scourge on society. National is committed to stopping gangs selling drugs, imprisoning people who do, and seizing the proceeds of their criminal activity.
Currently, police require warrants to search houses and cars in most circumstances. Giving police new powers to search gang members cars and houses without a warrant should make it easier to detect and prosecute drug offending.
HowNational would give police new powers to search cars and houses without a warrant.
Police would be able to search houses and cars for the purpose of ensuring a person does not have firearms. The powers would be exercised under a Firearms Protection Orders.
National estimates that, together with its other policies on reducing drug dealing, this would cost $42 million over four years.
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Save thisCreate a new criminal offence for people who contaminate rental properties with meth(...)Why
National believes drugs and the gangs who sell them are a scourge on society. Creating a new criminal offence to punish people who contaminate rental properties with methamphetamine should reduce methamphetamine use.
HowNation would create a new criminal offence of ‘wilful contamination’ to punish people who contaminate rental properties with methamphetamine.
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Save thisDouble number of drug detection dog teams and extend their work to domestic airports(...)Why
National believes methamphetamine and the gangs who sell it are a scourge on society. National is committed to stopping gangs selling drugs, imprisoning people who do, and seizing the proceeds of their criminal activity.
Doubling the number of drug detection dog teams and extend their work to domestic airports should help detect drug offending.
HowNational would double the number of drug dogs teams and extend their work to domestic airports, ferries and mail centres. Police vetting for anyone working at ports, mail centres or airport baggage centres would become mandatory.
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Save thisIncrease funding for drug treatment and education(...)Why
National believes that drugs like methamphetamine are a scourge on society. Greater help is needed for those that are already addicted.
Increasing funding for drug treatment and education should reduce addiction and drug related harm.
HowNational would increase funding for drug treatment and education services. The funding would provide 1500 additional in patient drug treatment places, as well as greater resources for community based treatment, prevention and education services provided by community organisations and iwi.
National estimates this would cost $40 million over four years.
Green
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Save thisLegalise medical cannabis(...)Why
The Green Party believes that current cannabis laws are out of date and are punishing people in pain, and at a significant cost to the economy. Medicinal cannabis should not only be legal but affordable, and recent changes to the law do not achieve this.
Legalising cannabis for medicinal use should ensure sick people and those in pain can afford the products they need and catch New Zealand up with global developments.
HowThe Green Party would legalise the use, cultivation and possession of cannabis for people with a terminal illness or debilitating condition, provided they have the support of a registered medical practitioner.
Immediate relatives or other nominated persons would be permitted to administer or supply the cannabis.
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Save thisWork toward legalising cannabis for personal use(...)Why
The Green Party believes that current cannabis laws are out of date. They criminalise individuals and families and support a black market, even though the health risks of cannabis use are relatively low.
Cannabis use should be treated as a health issue rather than a criminal one. Legalising cannabis for personal use and regulating its supply should reduce the harms of criminalisation and make it safer for those who use it.
HowThe Green Party would review overseas experience with legal cannabis markets before legalising the personal use, possession or cultivation of small amounts of cannabis.
A legal age use age would be set, and education campaigns in schools and the community would explain the harms of extended cannabis use.
The current law around driving under the influence of cannabis will be replaced with one that is based on cannabinoid levels that correlates with impairment, and cannabis would be specifically included in the provisions of the Smokefree Environments Act.
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Save thisSet a minimum price for alcohol(...)Why
The Green Party believes that alcohol is a health and social problem and should be treated as such. Setting a minimum price for alcohol should shift the burden of the costs of alcohol onto those that consume it, and reduce the quantity of alcohol consumed.
HowThe Green Party would set a minimum price for alcohol and replace the current alcohol tax regime with a tax that is directly proportional to the alcohol quantity of a drink. This would be raised progressively each year. The alcohol purchase age would be kept at 18.
NZ First
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Save thisOppose cannabis decriminalisation(...)Why
New Zealand First believes that liberalising cannabis and drug use laws threaten the social fabric and traditional family values that underpin New Zealand society. Any changes to these laws should only be done following a referendum.
HowNew Zealand First would oppose the liberalisation of cannabis and other drug use laws unless change was made following a referendum.
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Save thisMake it an offence to be intoxicated in public(...)Why
New Zealand First believes that the majority of people drink responsibly but a small minority binge drink and abuse drugs. Making it an offence to be intoxicated in public should help tackle binge drinking and drug abuse while not overly interfering in the lawful activities of most New Zealanders.
HowNew Zealand First would make it an offence to be drunk or drug affected in a public place or while trespassing on private property. The person would need to be intoxicated to a degree that risks serious harm to themselves or someone else. Penalties would be imposed of up to $2,000 or up to three months in prison.
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Save thisOppose bans on alcohol advertising and sponsorship(...)Why
New Zealand First believes that bans on alcohol advertising and sponsorship are based on bad research and are really an attempt to pry, snoop and regulate how people live. Such bans should be opposed.
HowNew Zealand First would oppose bans on alcohol advertising and sponsorship.
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Save thisRaise the drinking age to 20(...)Why
New Zealand First believes that young people cause too much harm by consuming excessive amounts of alcohol. Raising the purchase age to 20 should make it harder for young people to access alcohol.
HowNew Zealand First would raise the age for purchasing all forms of alcohol from 18 to 20 years.
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Save thisLegalise the sale and use of cannabis(...)Why
The Opportunities Party believes that current cannabis laws cause more harm than smoking cannabis does. Prohibition forces people to interact with criminals and is inconsistent with the government’s approach to other drugs like alcohol.
Legalising the sale of cannabis should allow it to be properly regulated, ensuring that it is treated as the health issue that it is and stop the imprisonment of non-violent cannabis users.
HowThe Opportunities Party would legalise and regulate the supply and consumption of cannabis.
A legal purchase and use age would be set at 20, and individuals would be allowed to grow up to two plants at home. Education campaigns would discourage use until 25.
To supply and manufacturer cannabis, businesses would need a license, and would only be able to sell the cannabis through Cannabis Licensing Trusts (local charities) or a government online store, not at the same outlets as alcohol. These outlets would be subject to local authority regulation. A tax would be imposed based on THC potency to set a minimum price.
The Opportunities Party estimates that the trusts would generate revenue of $150 million a year. This would be used for education, after school projects for youth, treatment of addiction for all drugs and regulation to control demand for cannabis. The Opportunities Party also estimates that legalisation would free up $180 million in police resources.
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Save thisRaise the drinking age to 20(...)Why
The Opportunities Party believes that alcohol is the drug that causes the most harm to New Zealand society. It is responsible for many avoidable deaths and injuries, and contributes to sexual offending and family violence.
The effect of lowering the drinking age in 1999 to 18 was really to reduce the de facto drinking age to between 14 and 17. Raising the drinking age to 20 should reduce alcohol use and harm.
HowThe Opportunities Party would increase the legal age for alcohol purchase to 20.
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Save thisIncrease tax on alcohol(...)Why
The Opportunities Party believes that alcohol is the drug that causes the most harm to New Zealand society. It is responsible for many avoidable deaths and injuries, and contributes to sexual offending and family violence.
The excise tax on alcohol hasn’t been raised in a long time, which has made alcohol cheaper and more readily available. Raising the excise tax on alcohol should see the price of alcohol rise, reducing consumption and alcohol-related harm.
HowThe Opportunities Party would increase the price of alcohol by an average of 10 per cent through excise tax. The Opportunities Party estimates this would raise $300 million per year, which would be used to fund community based youth mental health support and drug and alcohol treatment.
what the parties will do about
Healthcare
Some think of healthcare as being free in NZ, and it is, at least compared to countries like the US. But users do pay a contribution to, for example, doctors fees and prescriptions, while specialist treatment isn’t always free. What you can get also depends a lot on where you live — increasingly, some services are only available in the main centres.
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ACT
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Save thisRequire parents of immigrants who join their children in NZ to pay for their own healthcare and superannuation(...)Why
ACT believes that some parents who join their immigrant children in New Zealand get access to healthcare and superannuation without contributing to these services by paying tax. Requiring these immigrants to pay for their own healthcare and superannuation should prevent them taking unfair advantage of New Zealand’s resources.
HowACT would require parents of immigrants who join their children in New Zealand to pay for their own superannuation and healthcare.
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Save thisLegalise euthanasia(...)Why
ACT believes that current laws mean that euthanasia is forced underground where there are no safeguards. Some people are faced with the choice of committing suicide or implicating loved ones in an illegal assisted death.
Legalising euthanasia should provide people with terminal illnesses with better choices.
HowACT would legalise euthanasia in certain circumstances.
Medical practitioners would not be charged with an offence for assisting with the death of a person who is suffering unbearably and expressly requests euthanasia.
It would remain a criminal offence to assist a person to die by anyone other than a medical practitioner in specified circumstances.
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Save thisMerge the 20 District Health Boards into five regional bodies(...)Why
ACT believes that New Zealand’s health system is inefficient, allocating too much money to bureaucracies and not enough to healthcare. The District Health Board system is too top heavy, with 20 Boards.
Many have failed to break even, with thirteen running deficits and another five just breaking even. Merging the 20 District Health Boards into five regional bodies should reduce operating costs and make healthcare more efficient.
HowACT would merge the 20 District Health Boards into five regional bodies. These regional bodies would be controlled by 11 members who would all be appointed by the Ministry of Health.
National
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Save thisCap doctor visits at $18 for people with low incomes(...)Why
National believes that a strong and growing economy means that the government can provide greater support for people to access healthcare.
Currently, around 1.4 million New Zealanders have access to $18 doctor visits through the Very Low Cost Access Scheme. This provides low cost healthcare in some high-demand areas.
Expanding $18 doctor visits more people on low incomes should allow more New Zealanders to access healthcare when they need it.
HowNational would cap doctor visits at $18 for people on low incomes.
This policy would be achieved by making everyone with a Community Services Card entitled to $18 doctor visits, and by expanding eligibility for Community Services Cards to all people receiving an Income Related Rent Subsidy or Accommodation Supplement.
The changes would come into effect from 1 July 2018.
National estimates these changes will provide 600,000 people with access to $18 doctor visits. National estimates this would cost $380 million over four years. This would come from the $3.9 billion of extra funding that National has committed to healthcare spending this election.
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Save thisIncrease health funding by $3.9 billion over four years(...)Why
National believes New Zealanders deserve high-quality health services. Improving these services is their highest priority.
New Zealand’s health system is facing cost pressures and the needs of a growing population. Increasing health funding should ensure all New Zealanders have access to high quality health services.
HowNational would increase health funding by $3.9 billion over four years as part of Budget 2017.
$1.76 billion of this would go to District Health Boards over four years for spending on improved services and access. $205 million over four years would fund disability support services. $52 million over four years would fund increased ambulance services and $38.5 million would support the implementation of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme.
Some of the total funding has been allocated to mental health services and Pharmac. Of the total new spending, $1.54 billion is for increased wages for care and disability support workers won in a pay equity dispute.
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Save thisProvide pregnant women with one free dental course(...)Why
National believes that a growing economy allows the government to provide greater support to new families.
Pregnancy can lead to dental problems for some women. Providing a free dental course to pregnant women should help protect their health.
HowNational would provide one free dental course for pregnant women and mothers up until their baby’s first birthday. This would include a check-up and any resulting x-rays, extractions and fillings.
National estimates that, alongside its policy of extending paid parental leave and providing a third free IVF cycle, this policy would cost $88 million per year from 2019.
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Save thisIncrease funding for elective surgeries(...)Why
National believes that, as New Zealanders live longer, access to elective surgery is becoming more important than ever. The number of elective surgeries has increased under the current government and is expected to continue to increase.
Increasing funding for elective surgeries should ensure more people can access surgeries to reduce pain, restore independence and improve quality of life.
HowNational would increase funding for elective surgeries by $30 million per year for the next four years.
National estimates this would result in 200,000 elective surgeries taking place each year.
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Save thisBuild a new hospital in Dunedin(...)Why
National believes the people of Dunedin and the wider Southern community deserve quality hospital care. But the Dunedin Hospital requires rebuilding because a previous plan to rebuild just the services block would cost too much for too little improvement.
Rebuilding the Dunedin Hospital should provide modern and sustainable facilities to meet the future needs of Dunedin and the wider Southern community.
HowNational would build a new hospital in Dunedin. This would likely be built in the central city.
The hospital could be opened within 7 to 10 years.
National estimates the new hospital would cost $1.2 to $1.4 billion and would consider funding the construction through a public private partnership.
Māori Party
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Save thisIncrease the number of mobile health clinics in rural communities(...)Why
The Māori Party believes that all aspects of life are interconnected and that health is a vital part of general wellbeing. But at the moment, rural communities don’t have adequate services.
Increasing the number of mobile health clinics in rural communities should improve access to healthcare.
HowThe Māori Party would increase the number of mobile health clinics in rural communities.
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Save thisProvide more kaupapa Māori health services(...)Why
The Māori Party believes that all aspects of life are interconnected and that health is a vital part of general wellbeing. At the moment, healthcare services could be improved for Māori.
Providing more kaupapa Māori health services should help improve wellbeing for Māori.
HowThe Māori Party would provide more kaupapa Māori health services. These would include hospice facilities, homecare services and programmes to support terminally ill patients and their whānau.
The Māori Party would also increase the number of community-led birthing centres, and antenatal, maternity and postnatal care services and programmes.
Kaupapa Māori mental health and drug addiction services, residential and community-based, would also be increased.
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Save thisReduce the cost of prescriptions for low income whānau, over 65s and under 18s(...)Why
The Māori Party believes that a family’s financial position should not have an impact on whether they can afford medicine for their child or elder. But at the moment the cost of prescriptions are preventing some families from being able to afford medicines.
Reducing the cost of prescriptions for low income whānau, over 65s and under 18s should improve access to healthcare for those who need it most.
HowThe Māori Party would remove the $5 prescription charge for low income whānau and fully subsidise prescriptions for people over 65 years old and those under 18 years old.
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Save thisMake doctor and dentist visits free for under 18s(...)Why
The Māori Party believes that all aspects of life are interconnected and that health is a vital part of general wellbeing. Providing all children and young people with free GP visits and dental care should ensure that they get the best start to life.
HowThe Māori Party would introduce free GP visits and dental care for those under 18 years of age. This would include after hours care and weekends.
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Save thisProvide everyone over 55 with one free annual doctor and dentist visit(...)Why
The Māori Party believes that all aspects of life are interconnected and that health is a vital part of general wellbeing. Providing free annual doctor and dentist visits to over 55s should improve access to basic healthcare.
HowThe Māori Party would provide one free annual doctor and dentist visit for those over 55 years of age.
Labour
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Save thisIncrease health funding by $8 billion over four years(...)Why
Labour believes that everyone should have access to affordable, quality healthcare. But the National Government has effectively cut health funding by $2.3 billion when inflation is taken into account.
This has meant there’s less money for all forms of healthcare, and hospitals are rationing resources. Increasing health funding should begin the process of making up for years of underfunding and provide more affordable and accessible healthcare.
HowLabour would increase funding for the health sector by $8 billion over four years. This would be in addition to funding increases planned by the National Government under Budget 2017.
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Save thisReduce doctors' fees by $10(...)Why
Labour believes that accessible primary care, like doctors visits, helps to avoid expensive hospital treatment. But chronic underfunding of healthcare by the National Government has resulted in rising doctors fees.
Many people avoid going to the doctor because they can’t afford it. Reducing doctor visit fees by $10 should ensure that more people can access the healthcare they need, get treatment early and reduce the burden on hospitals.
HowLabour would reduce the cost of doctor visits by $10 by making several funding changes.
The low fee cap for doctors visits for people enrolled at Very Low Cost Access practices would be extended to Community Services Card holders. This cap would then be reduced to $8 for adults and $2 for teenagers. More people would be made eligible for the Community Services Cards. Visits would remain free for under 13s.
Labour would also increase the funding available to all doctors practices to reduce fees by $10. The average fee would reduce from $42 to $32, and the maximum fee from $69 to $59.
More generally, Labour would also provide an additional $46 million to doctors practices to reduce fees and meet growing demand. An additional $30 million would also be provided over three years to create more training places for general practitioners.
This policy would be a temporary measure while Labour undertakes a review of the primary care system more generally. The review would identify ways to better match subsidies to patient incomes than the current Very Low Cost Access scheme, as well as ensuring the financial sustainability of practices and addressing other barriers to accessing healthcare.
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Save thisProvide all schools with a comprehensive health service(...)Why
Labour believes that fresh thinking is needed to ensure all young New Zealanders get the mental health support they need. New Zealand has one of the highest rates of youth suicide in the world.
Having access to health professionals at schools significantly reduces the risk of depression and suicide but the quality of health services provided in secondary schools varies. Extending school-based health services should ensure that all students can access these services. This should save lives.
HowLabour would ensure all public secondary schools have a comprehensive youth health service. Funding for school based health services is currently only for decile 1 to 3 public secondary schools, teen parent units and alternative education facilities. This funding provides school nurses.
Labour’s policy would fund the equivalent of 240 nurse hours per 100 students a year, along with additional GP support. Students would be able to see a health professional at their school and either have their needs met on-site or be referred to youth health services, Child & Youth mental health services, or their own doctor. This would be achieved through an expansion of the existing Schools Based Health Service to all public secondary schools.
Labour estimates this package would cost about $50 million per year and it would be met by increasing overall health funding by $1.7 billion.
Labour would also generally increase resourcing for youth mental health.
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Save thisEstablish a National Cancer Agency(...)Why
Labour believes that cancer treatment requires urgent improvement. Every year 23,000 New Zealanders are diagnosed with cancer, and cancer is responsible for a third of all deaths.
The current funding system is unfair because the quality of cancer treatment varies in different parts of the country. A National Cancer Agency should improve the quality and consistency of cancer treatment in New Zealand.
HowThe Labour Party would establish a National Cancer Agency. The Agency’s goals would be to improve consistency of treatment across the country and develop a National Cancer Plan to reduce death rates.
A national clinical trials network would also be established so trials could be accessed by patients across the country.
The Agency would work with District Health Boards to make Budget bids for more staff and equipment, and bring various regional cancer organisations under one organisation. The Agency would also be responsible for collecting data on treatment outcomes to inform best practice.
The Agency would be allocated $10 million for establishment costs and a further $10 million to start work immediately. The cost of the Agency would vary year to year depending on bids by the Agency for staff and equipment for District Health Boards.
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Save thisBuild a new hospital in Dunedin(...)Why
Labour believes that everyone should be able to get the healthcare they need, when they need it, but Dunedin Hospital is no longer able to serve Dunedin’s health needs.
The National Government has become sidetracked in trying to set up a public private partnership to do the construction in 10 years time.
A new hospital should be built by the government, not a public private partnership, so it can be done promptly and at best value. Building a new hospital in Dunedin should meet the healthcare needs of Dunedin and the Lower South Island for decades.
HowLabour would build a new Dunedin Hospital within its first term of government. The new hospital would be built in the central city area rather than at the Wakari site.
Labour would, immediately after the election, form a group with Southern DHB, the Ministry of Health, Dunedin City Council, Otago Regional Council, and the University of Otago to agree a vision for the new hospital and what each organisation would do to help realise it.
The construction would be funded by the government’s normal capital allowance and a public private partnership would not be considered.
Labour estimates the project would cost $1.4 billion.
Green
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Save thisIncrease health funding(...)Why
The Green Party believes that healthcare should be delivered by a well-funded public health system and be free for all New Zealanders. Funding needs to keep up with growing needs but the National Government has underfunded the health system. As a result, too many people are missing out on crucial healthcare and healthcare is becoming a luxury.
HowThe Green Party would increase health funding. This would involve adjusting the funding formula for primary care to reduce financial barriers to visiting a doctor.
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Save thisExtend free doctor visits to people under the age of 18(...)Why
The Green Party believes that early intervention and preventative care are the most cost effective approaches to improving health. But the National Government has cut funding for these services.
Currently free doctor visits are available to children under the age of 13. Offering these free visits to everyone under 18 should improve health outcomes for young people.
HowThe Green Party would make GP visits and medicines free to those aged 13 to 17.
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Save thisProvide all decile 1 to 4 schools with a nurse(...)Why
The Green Party believes that early intervention and preventative care are the most cost effective approaches to improving health. But the National Government has cut funding for these services. Providing all decile 1 to 4 schools with a nurse should improve health outcomes for young people.
HowThe Green Party would make GP visits and medicines free to those aged 13 to 17.
NZ First
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Save thisIncrease health funding(...)Why
New Zealand First believes the National Government has underfunded the health system. Resources are stretched too thin and regional areas in particular are missing out on quality services. Increasing funding to health should not only provide better for New Zealanders but also save money in the long run.
HowNew Zealand First would increase funding for health.
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Save thisProvide superannuitants with three free doctors visits and one free eye check yearly(...)Why
New Zealand First believes that properly funding healthcare is not only better for people but should save money in the long run. Macular degeneration is an eye condition that causes nearly half of all blindness in New Zealand and 1.5 million people are at risk.
Providing free eye checks for superannuitants, along with three free doctors visits, should reduce the rate of hospitalisation of old people for health issues that could have been treated earlier by a doctor.
HowNew Zealand First would provide three free doctors visits and one free eye check a year for superannuitants. Holders of Super GoldCards would be eligible for the services.
New Zealand First estimates that the change would be cost neutral if one per cent of users avoided hospitalisation as a result of early intervention.
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Save thisHold an inquiry into the health system(...)Why
New Zealand First believes that the public health system is not meeting the needs and expectations of the public. A inquiry should be able to identify what the public expects and what the system can deliver, which should pave the way for reform.
HowNew Zealand First would establish a Commission of Inquiry into the public health system.
The Commission’s aims would be to identify what the public expects of the health system and whether the current system can meet those expectations. It would also consider the issue of overlap between public and private health provision.
TOP
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Save thisImprove coordination between the health and education systems for people with special needs(...)Why
The Opportunities Party believes that access to special education should be allocated on the basis of need and not a person’s ability to request it. At the moment it is only accessible to those who know to get it. Decile ten schools have seven times more students getting special assessment conditions as decile one schools.
Better coordination between the health and education systems should make access to special education more equitable.
HowThe Opportunities Party would improve the coordination between the health and education systems for people with special needs. This would likely require increased funding.
what the parties will do about
Public Health
Drinking, smoking and drug-use cause a lot of health problems and expense for the taxpayer, and have long been in the government’s sights. And now there’s obesity too.
Swipe left and right to see more parties.
Labour
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Save thisIntroduce enforceable quality standards for rental housing(...)Why
Labour believes that too many people are left living in cold, damp and mouldy homes because the property they rent is substandard. This is a big cause of preventable illness, especially among children. Introducing enforceable quality standards should ensure that all people can have a warm and dry place to live.
HowLabour would require all rental properties to meet enforceable quality standards.
The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority would set minimum standards relating to heating, insulation, indoor temperatures, ventilation, draught-stopping and drainage. Standards would also be set for boarding houses.
The standards would apply to all new tenancy agreements made after the standards are introduced, which would be in the first 100 days of Labour in Government. The standards would apply to all tenancies five years after becoming law. Landlords would be fined up to $3,000 for renting out properties which don’t meet the standards.
This policy would be implemented by amending the Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
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Save thisImplement a plan to reduce childhood obesity(...)Why
Labour believes that childhood obesity has a major impact on health throughout the child’s life. Targeting the sale of unhealthy food to make it more explicit that it is unhealthy and encouraging young people to exercise more should help families to live healthier lifestyles and to reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity.
HowLabour would implement a plan to reduce childhood obesity. The plan would involve a firm target for childhood obesity reduction.
Labour would introduce regulations to set timeframes for food producers to reduce sugar content in their food and to require easy to understand information about nutritional value on food packaging.
Labour would also restrict advertising of unhealthy foods to children and expand the Project Energize programme to the whole country. Project Energize aims to improve nutrition and physical activity among children in the Waikato.
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Save thisAim to end HIV in New Zealand by 2025(...)Why
Labour believes that there is a disparity in health treatment between Rainbow New Zealanders and the population at large. One of the key areas where the health system should be strengthened for Rainbow New Zealanders is in HIV treatment and prevention.
HowLabour would aim to end HIV in New Zealand by 2025.
To achieve this goal, Labour would increase access to sexual health services, testing and early treatment. Labour would also fund access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and support education, research, and community groups which are working towards ending HIV in New Zealand by 2025.
NZ First
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Save thisRemove GST from food(...)Why
New Zealand First believes that necessities like food shouldn’t be taxed. Food prices are rising, and the National Government’s GST increase has made it even more expensive.
Removing GST from food should make food more affordable and reduce poverty and hardship. This change would have a greater impact for poorer people because they tend to spend a higher proportion of their income on food.
HowNew Zealand First would remove GST from food. Food sold as part of a service in restaurants and takeaway shops would still be subject to GST, but food purchased by those outlets would be GST free.
New Zealand First estimates this would cost $3 billion per year and would be funded by clamping down on tax evasion and the black economy.
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Save thisReview the accessibility of safe spaces in communities for exercise and play(...)Why
New Zealand First believes that New Zealand’s rates of non-communicable diseases like diabetes and obesity must be improved. Reviewing the accessibility of spaces for exercise and play should identify where improvements need to be made to ensure everyone has access to a place to exercise. This should help reduce the problems caused by obesity.
HowNew Zealand First would review the accessibility of safe spaces in communities to exercise and play with the aim of ensuring all New Zealanders can have somewhere to maintain physical fitness.
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Save thisReview the accessibility of affordable healthy foods(...)Why
New Zealand First believes that New Zealand’s rates of non-communicable diseases like diabetes and obesity must be improved. Reviewing the accessibility of affordable healthy foods should identify ways to ensure all families can afford to eat nutrition rich meals.
HowNew Zealand would review the accessibility of affordable healthy foods.
TOP
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Save thisBan junk food advertising(...)Why
The Opportunities Party believes successive government have failed to take any real action on healthy eating. One of the major cause of health problems in New Zealand is food.
Banning junk food advertising should promote healthy living, which should help to avoid preventable health conditions.
HowThe Opportunities Party would ban junk food advertising to children.
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Save thisRequire schools to have healthy eating policies(...)Why
The Opportunities Party believes successive government have failed to take any real action on healthy eating. One of the major cause of health problems in New Zealand is food.
Requiring schools to have healthy eating policies should promote healthy living, which should help to reduce preventable health conditions.
HowThe Opportunities Party would require public premises, such as schools, to have a healthy eating policy.
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Save thisTax unhealthy food and subsidise healthy food(...)Why
The Opportunities Party believes successive government have failed to take any real action on healthy eating. One of the most cost effective health interventions is taxing junk food.
Taxing unhealthy food subsidising healthy food should help people save money while making good choices about what they put into their bodies.
HowThe Opportunities Party would introduce a tax on unhealthy food. The tax would be based on the existing healthy star labelling system.
Foods with a certain rating, perhaps below two stars, would be defined as junk food and taxed by weight. The tax rate would be set to increase the price of such foods by about 20 per cent. The tax would be levied at the point of sale.
Foods with a five star rating would be eligible for a 20 per cent subsidy. These foods would include fresh produce and non-processed foods. The subsidy would be allocated through a card which would allow people to deduct the cost of certain foods at the point of purchase.
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Save thisRaise the drinking age to 20(...)Why
The Opportunities Party believes that alcohol is the drug that causes the most harm to New Zealand society. It is responsible for many avoidable deaths and injuries, and contributes to sexual offending and family violence.
The effect of lowering the drinking age in 1999 to 18 was really to reduce the de facto drinking age to between 14 and 17. Raising the drinking age to 20 should reduce alcohol use and harm.
HowThe Opportunities Party would increase the legal age for alcohol purchase to 20.
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Save thisIncrease tax on alcohol(...)Why
The Opportunities Party believes that alcohol is the drug that causes the most harm to New Zealand society. It is responsible for many avoidable deaths and injuries, and contributes to sexual offending and family violence.
The excise tax on alcohol hasn’t been raised in a long time, which has made alcohol cheaper and more readily available. Raising the excise tax on alcohol should see the price of alcohol rise, reducing consumption and alcohol-related harm.
HowThe Opportunities Party would increase the price of alcohol by an average of 10 per cent through excise tax. The Opportunities Party estimates this would raise $300 million per year, which would be used to fund community based youth mental health support and drug and alcohol treatment.
Māori Party
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Save thisRemove GST from milk and fresh fruit and vegetables(...)Why
The Māori Party believes that a large part of health is eating the right kai. But at the moment, cheaper alternatives to healthy kai are causing many people to eat unhealthily.
Removing GST on fresh fruit and vegetables cheaper would make healthy eating more affordable.
HowThe Māori Party would remove GST from milk and fresh fruit and vegetables.
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Save thisSubsidise e-cigarettes and other vaping products(...)Why
The Māori Party believes smoking is harmful to the wellbeing of too many people in Aotearoa, especially Māori. The Māori Party is committed to reducing smoking.
Subsidising e-cigarettes and other vaping products should support smokers to transition away from smoking and eventually quit.
HowThe Māori Party would heavily subsidise e-cigarettes and other vaping products.
The Māori Party would also decrease the import of tobacco produces as demand for tobacco products decreases.
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Save thisIncrease funding for clean drinking water projects in isolated Māori communities(...)Why
The Māori Party believes that everyone should have access to a drinkable water supply. But at the moment many rural, isolated Māori communities don’t have access to clean drinking water.
HowThe Māori Party would re-instate the Drinking Water Supply Fund.
This funded the creation of clean drinking water supplies in communities with limited access to clean drinking water. Te Puni Kōkiri would administer the fund.
The Māori Party estimates this policy would provide clean drinking water to 63 rural, isolated Māori communities.
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Save thisHalve power bills for households with rheumatic fever(...)Why
The Māori Party believes that rates of rheumatic fever are too high in New Zealand, especially among Māori and Pasifika. Cold, damp housing is a big contributor to high rates of rheumatic fever.
Subsidising power bills for households where people suffer rheumatic fever should make heating more affordable and reduce the rate of rheumatic fever.
HowThe Māori Party would subsidise power bills by half for households in which people have rheumatic fever.
ACT
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Save thisReduce tobacco tax(...)Why
ACT believes that the tax on tobacco is significant burden on smokers and their families. The tax disproportionately hurts Māori and the poor, and has done little to reduce rates of smoking. Smokers should pay tax equivalent to the cost they impose on the healthcare system, but that amount is likely to be much lower than current tobacco tax rates.
HowACT would reduce tobacco tax.
National
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Save thisContinue to implement a plan to reduce childhood obesity(...)Why
National believes that childhood obesity increases the risk of poor health for people throughout their lives. Continuing the Childhood Obesity Plan should improve the health of young people by intervening early and picking up on warning signs, such as inadequate sleep, before major health problems begin to emerge.
HowThe National Party would continue to implement the Childhood Obesity Plan, established in October 2015.
This involves 22 initiatives, including targeted interventions for those who are obese, increased support for those at risk of becoming obese, and broader approaches to make healthier choices easier for everyone. The plan focuses on food, the environment and being active at each stage of life, including early childhood.
The Plan is supported by a health target for 95 per cent of obese children identified in the B4 School Check programme to be offered a referral to a health professional for support by December 2017.
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Save thisWork towards NZ being smoke-free by 2025(...)Why
National believes that too many people are still smoking. Smoking harms smokers and people around them, and a smokefree New Zealand would mean longer and healthier lives. The National Government is committed to achieving this by 2025.
HowNational would work towards a smokefree New Zealand by 2025 through various initiatives.
Plain packaging for tobacco products will come into force in 2018. The National Government has also set a health target for health services to provide better support for people quitting smoking.
National would implement new rules for nicotine products which can be used as safer replacements for cigarettes. It would establish a system in which smokefree tobacco products, such as snus and moist snuff, could be pre-approved before entering the New Zealand market.
National would also establish rules for e-cigarettes by restricting sales to those 18 years and over, prohibiting vaping in smoke-free areas, and restricting advertising to limit the attraction of e-cigarettes to non-smokers, especially children and young people.
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Save thisExpand the programme to reduce Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy(...)Why
National believes that the rate of Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy is too high. More needs to be done to address the SUDI rate and expanding the programme should achieve real and meaningful change.
HowNational would expand the programme to reduce Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy.
The programme would provide at risk families with safe sleeping devices for babies, such as wahakura or pepipods. The programme also involves encouraging parents to reduce smoking, immunise their children, breastfeed and sleep babies on their backs.
National has set a target of reducing the Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy by 86 percent and 94 percent for Maori by 2025. This would see the rate drop to 0.1 per 1,000 babies born. The rate is currently 0.7 per 1,000 for the whole population, and 1.59 per 1,000 for Māori babies.
As a part of Budget 2017, the National Government allocated $2 million towards the expansion of the programme.
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Save thisAllow DHBs to fluoridate drinking water(...)Why
National believes that fluoridating water is a safe and cost-effective way to improve dental health. But the decision to fluoridate water is currently made by territorial authorities and decisions have been inconsistent. District Health Boards are better placed to decide whether to fluoridate water as they have expertise in public health matters.
HowNational would transfer the power to make decisions and give directions about the fluoridation of drinking water supplies to District Health Boards. When deciding whether to fluoridate water, Boards would be required to consider scientific evidence, the financial costs and savings, the local oral health status, and population numbers.
As a part of Budget 2017, the National Government allocated $12 million to support the implementation of these changes.
Green
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Save thisGive all newborn babies a wahakura safe sleeping device(...)Why
The Green Party believes that there is strong evidence that providing wahakura safe sleeping devices for newborn babies significantly reduces the risk of Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy.
The National Government has begun providing wahakura to some families, but not to all. Making wahakura available to all newborn babies should ease the burden on new families and ensure all babies have a well-supported start to life.
HowThe Green Party would give all newborn babies a wahakura safe sleeping device as a part of a Welcome Pack for newborn babies. The pack would also include bedding, clothes, nappies and other essentials for a baby’s first weeks.
The Welcome Pack would be available for all newborn babies. The Green Party estimates around 40,000 new families each year would take up the Welcome Pack and the total cost would be $12 million a year.
Initially, both hand woven and plastic wahakura would be used for the Welcome Packs, but eventually all would be hand woven, and support the New Zealand weaving industry.
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Save thisMake it safer for children to walk and cycle to school(...)Why
The Green Party believes that too many children travel to school by car. This creates congestion and pollution, and deprives children of the fun and health benefits of walking, cycling or riding a scooter to school.
The main barrier to changing this is the danger of roads. Making it safer for children to walk and cycle to school should make children healthier, happier and more engaged at school. It should also reduce transport time and costs for parents.
HowThe Green Party would make it safer for children to walk and cycle to school by funding walking and cycling infrastructure, and by reducing the speed limit outside schools.
A fund of $50 million would be established to fund infrastructure around schools to separate walkers and cyclists from road traffic. Local authorities would be able to apply for the funding in consultation with schools. The New Zealand Transport Authority would administer the fund.
The speed limit would also be reduced to 30 km/h outside urban schools. Outside rural schools it would be reduced to 80 km/h with the option of a 30km/h limit at the start and end of the school day.
The Green Party would aim to have half of all school children walking or cycling to school by 2022. The Green Party estimates the policy would cost $50 million per year.
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Save thisIntroduce a warrant of fitness scheme for rental homes(...)Why
The Green Party believes that renting shouldn’t be a second-rate option to home ownership but at the moment it is. Too many renters are living in substandard and unhealthy homes, and many children are getting sick as a result.
Requiring residential rental properties to get a warrant of fitness should protect tenants from dangerous properties and help making renting a reasonable alternative to home ownership.
HowThe Green Party would introduce a warrant of fitness scheme for residential rental properties.
Properties that meet minimum standards relating to safety, warmth and weather-tightness would be awarded a warrant of fitness. Standards would include surfaces being clear of mould, existence of decent ventilation, a functional toilet, properly connected drains, safe electrical wiring, floor and ceiling insulation, adequate heaters, and no cracks or holes in the building fabric.
The scheme would be voluntary until 1 January 2019. Landlords who fail to meet minimum conditions would have three months to make improvements. If standards still aren’t met after three months the landlord would be prevented from charging rent until the standards are met.
Ordinarily assessments would cost $200-300 and would be carried out every three years by local councils but those with poor track records would be inspected more often.
Landlords with outstanding rental properties would be able to apply to have their property ranked according to a star rating system. Stars would be awarded for amenities such as solar panels, outside storage facilities and wall insulation.
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Save thisFund upgrades to make homes warmer(...)Why
The Green Party believes that cold, damp and mouldy houses are causing more than a thousand New Zealanders to die each winter. But the National Government has cut funding for home insulation.
Subsidising insulation is a simple solution to keeping kids healthy and should improve the living conditions of many New Zealanders.
HowThe Green Party would make subsidies of up to $2,500 available to all homeowners, including landlords to improve the warmth of homes.
Upgrades could include insulation, double glazed windows, thicker curtains, clean heating devices and other measures to improve warmth and dryness.
The Green Party would aim for 200,000 homes to be upgraded over three years with a view to eventually insulate all poorly insulated houses.
The Green Party estimates the scheme would cost $500 million.
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Save thisTax sugary drinks(...)Why
The Green Party believes that consumption of large amounts of sugary drinks increases the risk of poor health and illnesses such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity. Imposing a tax on sugary drinks should reduce the amount that people, especially children, consume.
HowThe Green Party would introduce a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. Tax collected on sugary drinks would be used to fund healthcare.
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