✨ Government Policy Statement
28 AUGUST NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE 3353
Energy efficiency and the development of renewable energy resources will be promoted. While recognising the need for improving the roading infrastructure and reducing congestion, investment will be targeted into roading alternatives, including walking, cycling and public transport.
Honourable Members,
The protection of the environment and our natural and historic heritage is part of moving on to a path of sustainable long term development as a nation and as a member of the world community. The security that this affords us in an economic and environmental sense needs to be matched by greater security in a social sense.
Already my government has moved decisively with respect to New Zealand Superannuation. The same sense of purpose and stability is also needed with respect to other aspects of our social and physical security.
The biggest challenges in that respect in nearly all developed countries are to be found in health and law and order.
Health presents particularly difficult challenges because demand can so easily outstrip capacity to pay. Yet, rightly, our people demand access to affordable and timely high quality health care.
It is, therefore, essential that we simultaneously seek to improve the efficiency of the system as well as improve the services provided.
Improving primary health care is an important part of my government’s policy in this respect. It is estimated that up to a third of hospital admissions for people under 75 are avoidable and of those, two thirds could have been avoided with earlier access to primary health care. Initially, the cost of primary health care will be reduced for high health need, low income people. This will be followed by the extension of cost reductions to more children and to older people.
Spending on primary health care will be increased substantially. Primary Health Organisations will be established as the key mechanisms for District Health Boards to ensure the needs of their populations are met. All health professionals will be encouraged to work together in those organisations to provide quality coordinated care for the populations enrolled with them. There will be support for the development of Maori and Pacific providers.
My government will continue to increase its investment in mental health services. In response to the policies of the Progressive Coalition and United Future, the leader of the Progressive Coalition will be responsible for implementing a comprehensive drug strategy aimed at protecting young people and educating them in the dangers of drug use and a youth suicide prevention strategy.
More effort now in these areas will both save lives and reduce costs in the longer term to government.
Similarly, in law and order it is important that we invest in early intervention and prevention and not simply respond after the event. My government will implement the Crime Reduction Strategy which takes an integrated approach to
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Online Sources for this page:
VUW Te Waharoa —
NZ Gazette 2002, No 125
Gazette.govt.nz —
NZ Gazette 2002, No 125
✨ LLM interpretation of page content
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Government Policy and Economic Strategy
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🏛️ Governance & Central AdministrationEnergy efficiency, Renewable energy, Infrastructure, Public transport, Environmental protection, Natural heritage, Historic heritage, Sustainable development, Economic security, Environmental security, Social security, New Zealand Superannuation, Health care, Primary health care, Hospital admissions, Primary Health Organisations, District Health Boards, Health professionals, Maori providers, Pacific providers, Mental health services, Drug strategy, Youth suicide prevention, Crime Reduction Strategy, Early intervention, Prevention