35024 (2025). Debbie Ngarewa-Packer to the Minister of Health

35024 (2025). Debbie Ngarewa-Packer to the Minister of Health: What evidence, if any, does the Minister have that the proposed amendments to the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 will improve health outcomes for Māori?

Hon Simeon Brown: As I said in the House, our Government is committed to improving health outcomes for all New Zealanders, including Māori. That’s why we’re passing the Healthy Futures Amendment Bill to ensure the health system is focused on delivering for patients, not bureaucracy.  Following previous decisions to remove health targets and restructure the health system in the middle of a pandemic, patients have been left waiting longer for treatment, accountability has been lost, and outcomes have gone backwards for all New Zealanders, including Māori.  The changes we're making through legislation - including putting health targets into law and requiring every part of the system to focus on delivery - are just one part of our plan to reduce wait times and refocus the health system on what matters most, which is patients, including Māori.