﻿Mr SPEAKER: Question No 6, the Hon Annette King.
Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader— Labour) to the Minister of Health:
Does he stand by all his statements?
Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN (Minister of Health):
Yes, within in the context that they were made.
Hon Annette King: Does he stand by his statement on Radio NZ this morning
regarding unfunded drugs for melanoma patients that “365 deaths a year—
"it works in one-third of patients, so, you know, 120-odd could benefit”;
if so, are these 120 people not worth saving?
Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: To the first question, yes.
Hon Annette King: Is he satisfied with the current standard treatment
for advanced melanoma, even though cancer specialists are telling him
it does not work, and the only people able to access
life-saving drug therapy are those who are able to raise the money?
Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: The point is there are new drugs available.
Pharmac is in complex commercial negotiations that are now looking
at which might be the most appropriate to fund.
The issue is, really, at the next Budget,
when we have a bid for health, that if we get more money
it means that more pharmaceuticals can be funded.
Hon Annette King: Does he stand by his admission
on The Paul Henry Show this morning that the Ministry of Health
has not got the money to fund Pharmac; if so, will he also
now admit what everybody knows,
which is that health has been underfunded by $1.7 billion
under this Government?
Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: What I said was that
the $800 million that Pharmac gets is totally accounted for—
and that member is totally incorrect going around saying
that there have been cuts to the health budget.
There have not; funding has gone up by $4 billion
under this Budget—and she should stop saying that,
because she is misleading the public of NZ.
Hon Annette King: Has underfunding of health,
especially Pharmac, led to NZ now being last out of 20
comparable OECD countries for access to innovative medicines,
with 81 medicines waiting to be funded by Pharmac,
with an average wait of 3 years?
Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: What I can tell the member
is that public health spending in NZ is higher than Australia
as a percentage of GDP [Interruption].
It is I am afraid— sorry, that is the truth.
Hon Annette King: Why did he say on Radio NZ this morning
that petitioner Leisa Renwick “asked for a meeting sometime
"after 1.30 p.m. today”, when she started emailing him on 18 February,
offered to meet him anytime— over breakfast or even accompany him
to a rugby fixture—if he would just meet with her?
Was he being straight with the public when he said that?
Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: The member is misrepresenting
what is in those emails, and, actually, as you know,
I have met with Mrs Renwick today out on the forecourt,
because you were there.
Hon Annette King: I seek leave to table Leisa Renwick’s emails
to the Minister so I am not misrepresenting her—
Mr SPEAKER: Order! We do not need that part added.
Hon Annette King:—dating back to 18 February,
seeking a meeting with him at any time.
Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table those particular—[Interruption]
Order! Leave is sought to table those emails.
Is there any objection?
They can be tabled.
Hon Annette King: So he lied.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member will stand and withdraw that remark immediately.
Hon Annette King: I withdraw, Mr Speaker.
Mr SPEAKER: Question No 7.
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