As you will no doubt know we now have a new health system. Yes, the old racist, white-man health system is gone and has been replaced by an inclusive, non-racist, non-sexist, non-transphobic health system.
Today New Zealand launches a new health system replacing 20 district health boards with a national body – Health NZ – in a bid to end postcode lottery. Health reporter Emma Russell talks to a bowel cancer patient, a hospital anaesthetist and a GP about the changes.
In launching the new health system, Health Minister Andrew Little said today marked the first day in improving outcomes for everyone across New Zealand, and “a beacon towards equity”.
He said while it had been clear our health system had to change, the Covid-19 pandemic forced the issue when it came to decision making, leadership and delivery.
“I think the future is exciting, but even on the first day of this new system it is an opportunity to be seized,” he said.
The challenge was now laid down for those in leadership to make the system work, he said.
[…] Little described Health NZ and the Maori Health Authority as “a step or two closer” to tino rangatiratanga when it came to health.
Tino rangatiratanga refers to the Treaty of Waitangi, as interpreted as a ‘partnership’. Make no mistake. This is Little as close as you can get to admitting that the health reforms are about co-governance.
[…] From today the country’s 20 district health boards cease to exist, replaced by Health NZ in charge of the health system both clinically and financially.
Remember when all the Auckland regional councils were merged into the one big council we have today? How’s that working out?
The Maori Health Authority, run by a board of up to eight, will jointly develop and implement a New Zealand Health Plan with Health NZ.
And here is where we get to the crux of the matter. Don’t be fooled by the word jointly. In practice the Maori Health Authority will able to veto any decision that Health NZ makes. That means it can starve Health NZ of funding and keep the money for itself.
Those that support the changes will argue that our health system has failed Maori. However, if you look at the stats, the reason the health system has ‘failed’ Maori is because of bad lifestyle choices – smoking, too much junk food, etc, not to mention the fact that due to this Government’s mishandling of the economy it’s now next to impossible for even those even on average incomes to eat healthily.
And since the whole system is race-based, how is the new health system not apartheid?