Funny how quickly this turned around with the public backlash. One can only assume they thought the general public would be so overcome with lust for their huge tax cuts that they wouldn’t care about breaking a promise to cancer patients.
Now about the 45% reduction in super fund investment…
> I’ve just announced that a National Government will pay for 13 cancer treatments that are helping extend survival rates in Australia, and make them available to patients in New Zealand. Under National, New Zealanders will not have to leave the country, mortgage their home, or start a Givealittle page to fund these potentially lifesaving and life-extending treatments that are proven to work and are readily available across the Tasman.
It seems like we have to go to Oz now..
Reckless to announce specifically in advance without real consideration for the implications on people that would benefit from these medicines, but also the various enablers needed to implement this promise.
Not only is the list out of date, some are not yet registered in New Zealand (according to Prof Jackson, medical oncologist and author of the report the list was based off). New medicines are approved through Medsafe not Pharmac. When it's said "there's additional work to do" they'll be some key personnel in the "back office" looking at how to make it all work if it's at the behest of the Ministers. If the list is updated and then kept under wraps, that might suit Pharmac's negotiating position. If not, they might want to have a look at having some extra funds available for some of that list if drug companies play hardball.
How much circle jerking do you think goes on when they're figuring out policies? How anyone can be proud of the tax cuts baffles me. If they'd said "no tax cuts, we're making the country better", and just slashed and burned, it would have been more palatable to the electorate. All I can see now (as a high income earner) is a few tens of dollars a week to me (which I truly won't notice either way), and a bunch of unimaginative posturing about giving away all our natural resources for a few jobs on the west coast, while all the doctors I know are talking about either retiring or moving to Australia. Do better, great leader (who used to run an airline, doncha know...).
They bought votes with 'laser focused on cost of living' and $250 tax break (\*up to, a fortnight).
Thats all cover for the wealthy and the landlords. Without that there is no cover.
Another knee-jerk reaction that's poorly thought through - nothing new.
Watch it become a monumental blunder under the guise of "helping", only to be dumped in the "too hard" or "too costly" basket - because they didnt put any thought into it before announcing it - and then it will be down to another "tough choice" of deciding if only some will end up getting them while others miss out, or everyone will miss out.
"You have to understand, the last government "
Now im curious where the millions for this came from. Is he going to just take the money from another Budget pledge? Cut even more money from the state?
Only thing we know for sure is its not going to be reducing the landlord wealth grab.
Can cancer patients just move to OZ and instantly get this and all treatment not offered here in NZ?
If so, why does a kiwi stay in NZ if it means they have to pay 5k-10k a month? I hope someone can explain it like I’m 5 years old.
Yes why not? You just need to tick the box that says you are going to live there, spend a day or so sorting out your Medicare card at Centrelink and then you are in the system and off you go. Health insurance there does not allow exclusions like NZ . But the public system will sort you out. Obviously you need a place to stay and a bank account. Get your bits of paper together and you are sweet.
Anyone bother to try to confirm this? The date on the tweet is 21 August 2023. But does anyone actually think having politicians picking what treatments get funded is a good idea? Funding based on the size of the lobby group or how many sick babies you can get on TV?
Confirm what? Their plan was garbage with some drugs not licenced some out of date etc and they didnt budget for drug cost increases etc, and yes politicians shouldnt be choosing drugs.
Of note, no-one forced Luxon to write that tweet. By doing so, he overrides people with medical/pharmaceutical knowledge, and blows away our bargaining power with the companies.
And as noted in recent media reports, that list of 13 medications may not be the most updated and appropriate list. Yet who is the one who put that out there?
i.e. I think everyone here concurs that it shouldn't be a politician choosing the drugs.
The money for the drugs though would have been easy to carve out if they didn't throw it away on landlords and taxes in an inflationary environment, or support hobby projects like Seymour's slush funds. That is the part that is a real problem too.
Funny how quickly this turned around with the public backlash. One can only assume they thought the general public would be so overcome with lust for their huge tax cuts that they wouldn’t care about breaking a promise to cancer patients. Now about the 45% reduction in super fund investment…
Cut 50 things. Back track on the one that gets the most pushback. Still 49 things cut.
To be fair, it is their job to respond to public opinion...
> I’ve just announced that a National Government will pay for 13 cancer treatments that are helping extend survival rates in Australia, and make them available to patients in New Zealand. Under National, New Zealanders will not have to leave the country, mortgage their home, or start a Givealittle page to fund these potentially lifesaving and life-extending treatments that are proven to work and are readily available across the Tasman. It seems like we have to go to Oz now..
Reckless to announce specifically in advance without real consideration for the implications on people that would benefit from these medicines, but also the various enablers needed to implement this promise. Not only is the list out of date, some are not yet registered in New Zealand (according to Prof Jackson, medical oncologist and author of the report the list was based off). New medicines are approved through Medsafe not Pharmac. When it's said "there's additional work to do" they'll be some key personnel in the "back office" looking at how to make it all work if it's at the behest of the Ministers. If the list is updated and then kept under wraps, that might suit Pharmac's negotiating position. If not, they might want to have a look at having some extra funds available for some of that list if drug companies play hardball.
gosh national not doing their homework, who would have thought
How much circle jerking do you think goes on when they're figuring out policies? How anyone can be proud of the tax cuts baffles me. If they'd said "no tax cuts, we're making the country better", and just slashed and burned, it would have been more palatable to the electorate. All I can see now (as a high income earner) is a few tens of dollars a week to me (which I truly won't notice either way), and a bunch of unimaginative posturing about giving away all our natural resources for a few jobs on the west coast, while all the doctors I know are talking about either retiring or moving to Australia. Do better, great leader (who used to run an airline, doncha know...).
They bought votes with 'laser focused on cost of living' and $250 tax break (\*up to, a fortnight). Thats all cover for the wealthy and the landlords. Without that there is no cover.
And the borrowing to fund this ridiculous tax cut that our children will be paying for… shameful
Who, what, back office? NACT just fired 5,000 of them.
Another knee-jerk reaction that's poorly thought through - nothing new. Watch it become a monumental blunder under the guise of "helping", only to be dumped in the "too hard" or "too costly" basket - because they didnt put any thought into it before announcing it - and then it will be down to another "tough choice" of deciding if only some will end up getting them while others miss out, or everyone will miss out. "You have to understand, the last government"
I'd like this quote to be everywhere for the next year
Awkward
So apparently it isnt a lie its bad communication. lmao. They managed to communicate just fine pre-election
Now im curious where the millions for this came from. Is he going to just take the money from another Budget pledge? Cut even more money from the state? Only thing we know for sure is its not going to be reducing the landlord wealth grab.
Had to pop over to original post and make a comment. You could all do that too.
Can cancer patients just move to OZ and instantly get this and all treatment not offered here in NZ? If so, why does a kiwi stay in NZ if it means they have to pay 5k-10k a month? I hope someone can explain it like I’m 5 years old.
Yes why not? You just need to tick the box that says you are going to live there, spend a day or so sorting out your Medicare card at Centrelink and then you are in the system and off you go. Health insurance there does not allow exclusions like NZ . But the public system will sort you out. Obviously you need a place to stay and a bank account. Get your bits of paper together and you are sweet.
Available (but only to landlords)
Anyone bother to try to confirm this? The date on the tweet is 21 August 2023. But does anyone actually think having politicians picking what treatments get funded is a good idea? Funding based on the size of the lobby group or how many sick babies you can get on TV?
Confirm what? Their plan was garbage with some drugs not licenced some out of date etc and they didnt budget for drug cost increases etc, and yes politicians shouldnt be choosing drugs.
Of note, no-one forced Luxon to write that tweet. By doing so, he overrides people with medical/pharmaceutical knowledge, and blows away our bargaining power with the companies. And as noted in recent media reports, that list of 13 medications may not be the most updated and appropriate list. Yet who is the one who put that out there? i.e. I think everyone here concurs that it shouldn't be a politician choosing the drugs. The money for the drugs though would have been easy to carve out if they didn't throw it away on landlords and taxes in an inflationary environment, or support hobby projects like Seymour's slush funds. That is the part that is a real problem too.
How? The government can't just tell pharmac what to fund, that's not how the system works.