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Medical care dominated the debate in a time of unusual and serious questions.
“Hey David!” A group of high school students in the Public Gallery called ACT leader David Seymour entered the debate chamber. Standing in the middle of the ground, before any other parliamentarian arrived, he happily repeats, “I hope you really enjoy it and hope you then believe in democracy at least as much as before.”
If they liked it, it’s doubtful. If they believed in democracy more than possible. Despite a week when the cultural wars and the word “Bussy” dominated the headlines, Wednesday’s question time was uncommonly sober and serious. The swelling of the opposition was less energetic, which the government was subdued, and Prime Minister Chris Luxon was uncommonly focused on detail.
Healthcare dominated the debate, particularly two new recent stories: one 1 report where several senior doctors at Nelson Hospital claimed that the life of patients was being put at risk due to waiting times and a Research in New Zealand Doctor who have found that many primary care doctors are feeling more pessimistic than ever under the new health minister, Simeon Brown.
As Chris Hipkins questioned how the government let the situation get so bad, Luxon kept a tone low, recognizing “some longtime challenges” and promising a quick response team “would really find out how they can solve the problems they are facing.” Luxon strongly denied Hipkins’ allegation that the government had accumulated a freezing in doctors and nurses. “There is more money, there are more employees and there is no freezing of hiring,” he insisted.
Luxon had anticipated the interrogation topic and shaken a list of things his government was doing – accelerating 100 GPS and 400 nurses, an additional $ 285 million in the GP system and an increase of $ 17 billion on total health spending.
In the seat next to him, Health Minister Simeon Brown sat forward with his hands on his notable collier of his typical lean and caught stance. Along with Luxon’s contrite tone, it was a sign that this problem had reached a rare nerve.
Like Luxon, Brown read from a prepared list of actions he was taking: send a quick response team to Nelson to evaluate the situation, bringing Blenheim surgeons and getting teams from other parts of the country to help you have first specialized review lists.
Luxon and Brown love the politics game. They are more comfortable in attack than in defense. Both were highly effective in opposition and, in government, their first instinct is to divide all issues into a critique of the last lot. They tried this strategy on Wednesday, but the blows did not have their usual strength.
“The last government was just reorganizing the decks on the boat and not caring and offering results to the New Zealandes,” Luxon said. Later, during an exchange with the Labour Health -Verral Ayesha Health Gate, Brown adopted a similar line: “If the member looked at his government’s history, she would realize that this is a problem that grew over time.”
It is fair to argue that many of the government’s problems have been inherited, but this particular scandal is more difficult to wave manually. It is true that waiting times increased significantly under the previous labor government-much of the reason why the coalition led by Nacional won the election-but doctors in Nelson were clear that this is not a mere continuation of 2023; The problem is the worst it has already been.
The policy of guilt does not wOrk also in health. It’s all right and good for the fingertips about the cost of ferries or the widest economy, but the public doesn’t have much tolerance for this hand baggage when lives are currently at risk.
For his credit, Luxon and Brown came prepared and treated the problem with the seriousness they deserved. The work did not take a knock on, but will be more than happy to continue highlighting any faults in the health system. There is a reason for the work of the Minister of Health to be considered the largest hospital pass in the Cabinet (intended pun). You get little credit when things are working well and assume all the blame as soon as things go wrong.
Luxon’s decision to exchange Shane Reta’s performance for an intimate friend and Ally Simeon Brown was seen as a movement to shake the system with the same throat approach that Brown applied to transportation. It can still be an effective tactic at a management level. In the house, however, it comes with a great disadvantage. Brown is the strongest attack dog in the government; Therefore, when opposition attacks it with complex and sensitive health scandals, they neutralize their shell and bite.
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