17319 (2025). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

17319 (2025). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health: What consideration, if any, has been given to the impact of reducing administrative support within the audit, assurance and risk team on the team’s ability to prevent overpayments and fraud?

Hon Simeon Brown: I am advised that administrative support assists in detecting fraud once it has occurred, rather than preventing it. I have made my expectations clear to Health New Zealand that the agency must maintain a strong focus on frontline services to ensure all New Zealanders can access timely, quality healthcare, and its change processes should prioritise reducing bureaucracy.