Latest news with #HolidaysAct
Scoop
3 days ago
- Health
- Scoop
Government's Health Boost Less Than Claimed, Expert Says
$31b for Health in Budget 2025 just 3.6 percent increase, compared with what was 'actually spent' in 2024/25, Professor Tim Tenbensel says Most of last year's boost to HNZ's bottom-line 'absorbed' by Holidays Act remediation payouts to staff Axing pay equity settlements in the health sector 'saved' the Government $420m. A leading health systems expert is questioning the Government's claim of 'record investment' in the public system, saying the real increase to the health budget this year is half of what the government claims. Health Minister Simeon Brown and Finance Minister Nicola Willis have said the $31 billion allocation for health in Budget 2025 represented an operating funding increase of 7.4 percent – or nearly $2 billion – year on year. The two ministers donned hard hats and high-vis vests for a site visit at Wellington Regional Hospital on Wednesday, where they announced details of a further $100 million investment in its ongoing upgrade. Speaking to media following the tour, Brown said Health NZ had also had a $1.4 billion uplift in operating funding this year – the second instalment of a $16.6 billion cost-pressure boost over four years. 'It's a significant uplift to allow them to invest in the front-line workforce required to give New Zealanders and timely and quality healthcare they need,' Brown said. The government's investment in health far outstripped either population growth or inflation, the Finance Minister added. 'For context, that operational funding uplift was more than 7 percent over what it's been, which even on a population basis is more than 6 percent,' Willis said. 'So, we're ensuring that funding is going in at a far faster rate than either population growth or inflation.' In response to RNZ's request for a detailed breakdown of the percentage increase, Brown's office later said the figure of 6.2 percent was 'based on Treasury's annual growth rates set out in Budget Economic and Fiscal Update 2025, and the nominal Vote Health operating spend for Budget 2025'. However, Auckland University health policy Professor Tim Tenbensel said, according to his calculations, the $31 billion allocated for health in the Budget was only 3.6 percent more than what was actually spent last year. 'So, we're pretty much treading water at best, or rather sinking a little, in this budget,' Prof Tenbensel said. Furthermore, operational funding last year only increased about 1.2 percent in real terms. 'And the reason for that is because a lot of the money for this financial year's Budget in health was soaked up to remediate the underpayment of staff under the Holidays Act,' he said. 'So, that might help to explain the reality of people in the sector wasn't matching some of the things said by government.' Tenbensel said the Government's oft-quoted claim of a $16 billion boost to Health NZ's bottom-line was 'a bit like your boss giving you a $3000 payrise each year for four years and then claiming your pay has gone up by $30,000 over that time, not $12,000'. The trick was to keep adding on the previous year's increase as 'new money', ignoring the fact that it would have been eaten up by inflation. 'It's a very creative ploy that one, so I think we need to see it for what it is,' he said. 'All governments do this sort of thing, but in the scheme of things, this one is pretty brazen.' Dumping pay equity claims, including for primary care nurses, saved the Government about $420 million in health, which mostly paid for the near $500 million investment in digital health, after hours and urgent care in the Budget, he said.
Scoop
3 days ago
- Health
- Scoop
Government's Health Boost Less Than Claimed, Expert Says
$31b for Health in Budget 2025 just 3.6 percent increase, compared with what was "actually spent" in 2024/25, Professor Tim Tenbensel says Most of last year's boost to HNZ's bottom-line "absorbed" by Holidays Act remediation payouts to staff Axing pay equity settlements in the health sector "saved" the Government $420m. A leading health systems expert is questioning the Government's claim of "record investment" in the public system, saying the real increase to the health budget this year is half of what the government claims. Health Minister Simeon Brown and Finance Minister Nicola Willis have said the $31 billion allocation for health in Budget 2025 represented an operating funding increase of 7.4 percent - or nearly $2 billion - year on year. The two ministers donned hard hats and high-vis vests for a site visit at Wellington Regional Hospital on Wednesday, where they announced details of a further $100 million investment in its ongoing upgrade. Speaking to media following the tour, Brown said Health NZ had also had a $1.4 billion uplift in operating funding this year - the second instalment of a $16.6 billion cost-pressure boost over four years. "It's a significant uplift to allow them to invest in the front-line workforce required to give New Zealanders and timely and quality healthcare they need," Brown said. The government's investment in health far outstripped either population growth or inflation, the Finance Minister added. "For context, that operational funding uplift was more than 7 percent over what it's been, which even on a population basis is more than 6 percent," Willis said. "So, we're ensuring that funding is going in at a far faster rate than either population growth or inflation." In response to RNZ's request for a detailed breakdown of the percentage increase, Brown's office later said the figure of 6.2 percent was "based on Treasury's annual growth rates set out in Budget Economic and Fiscal Update 2025, and the nominal Vote Health operating spend for Budget 2025". However, Auckland University health policy Professor Tim Tenbensel said, according to his calculations, the $31 billion allocated for health in the Budget was only 3.6 percent more than what was actually spent last year. "So, we're pretty much treading water at best, or rather sinking a little, in this budget," Prof Tenbensel said. Furthermore, operational funding last year only increased about 1.2 percent in real terms. "And the reason for that is because a lot of the money for this financial year's Budget in health was soaked up to remediate the underpayment of staff under the Holidays Act," he said. "So, that might help to explain the reality of people in the sector wasn't matching some of the things said by government." Tenbensel said the Government's oft-quoted claim of a $16 billion boost to Health NZ's bottom-line was "a bit like your boss giving you a $3000 payrise each year for four years and then claiming your pay has gone up by $30,000 over that time, not $12,000". The trick was to keep adding on the previous year's increase as "new money", ignoring the fact that it would have been eaten up by inflation. "It's a very creative ploy that one, so I think we need to see it for what it is," he said. "All governments do this sort of thing, but in the scheme of things, this one is pretty brazen." Dumping pay equity claims, including for primary care nurses, saved the Government about $420 million in health, which mostly paid for the near $500 million investment in digital health, after hours and urgent care in the Budget, he said.
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Budget health boost 'half of what govt claimed'
By Ruth Hill of RNZ A leading health systems expert is questioning the Government's claim of "record investment" in the public system, saying the real increase to the health budget this year is half of what the government claims. Health Minister Simeon Brown and Finance Minister Nicola Willis have said the $31 billion allocation for health in Budget 2025 represented an operating funding increase of 7.4 percent - or nearly $2 billion - year on year. The two ministers donned hard hats and high-vis vests for a site visit at Wellington Regional Hospital on Wednesday, where they announced details of a further $100 million investment in its ongoing upgrade. Speaking to media following the tour, Brown said Health NZ had also had a $1.4 billion uplift in operating funding this year - the second instalment of a $16.6 billion cost-pressure boost over four years. "It's a significant uplift to allow them to invest in the front-line workforce required to give New Zealanders and timely and quality healthcare they need," Brown said. The government's investment in health far outstripped either population growth or inflation, the Finance Minister added. "For context, that operational funding uplift was more than 7 percent over what it's been, which even on a population basis is more than 6 percent," Willis said. "So, we're ensuring that funding is going in at a far faster rate than either population growth or inflation." In response to RNZ's request for a detailed breakdown of the percentage increase, Brown's office later said the figure of 6.2 percent was "based on Treasury's annual growth rates set out in Budget Economic and Fiscal Update 2025, and the nominal Vote Health operating spend for Budget 2025". However, Auckland University health policy Professor Tim Tenbensel said, according to his calculations, the $31 billion allocated for health in the Budget was only 3.6 percent more than what was actually spent last year. "So, we're pretty much treading water at best, or rather sinking a little, in this budget," Prof Tenbensel said. Furthermore, operational funding last year only increased about 1.2 percent in real terms. "And the reason for that is because a lot of the money for this financial year's Budget in health was soaked up to remediate the underpayment of staff under the Holidays Act," he said. "So, that might help to explain the reality of people in the sector wasn't matching some of the things said by government." Tenbensel said the Government's oft-quoted claim of a $16 billion boost to Health NZ's bottom-line was "a bit like your boss giving you a $3000 payrise each year for four years and then claiming your pay has gone up by $30,000 over that time, not $12,000". The trick was to keep adding on the previous year's increase as "new money", ignoring the fact that it would have been eaten up by inflation. "It's a very creative ploy that one, so I think we need to see it for what it is," he said. "All governments do this sort of thing, but in the scheme of things, this one is pretty brazen." Dumping pay equity claims, including for primary care nurses, saved the Government about $420 million in health, which mostly paid for the near $500 million investment in digital health, after hours and urgent care in the Budget, he said.
Otago Daily Times
22-05-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
No surprises for health sector
For the health sector it's largely a 'no surprises' Budget, with all the big-ticket items having already been announced - including a $447 million boost for primary care, urgent and after-hours care. Getting a prescription is set to get cheaper for people with long-term conditions like asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure, with a move to allow 12-month prescriptions from June. That is set to cost $91m. Overall, the health budget now tops $3.1b in 2025/26 - an increase of less than 5% (4.77%) for the year. That includes the "cost pressure funding" to which the government committed in last year's Budget of $16m over six years. The Budget includes $2.7 million for capital expenditure - mainly to fix and upgrade crumbling hospital infrastructure, projects like the new Dunedin Hospital development - but also to resolve all the claims from historical non-compliance with the Holidays Act. Health Minister Simeon Brown said the government's "record investment" in health was already delivering results, in terms of more elective surgeries, GP appointments, and other critical healthcare services. "Budget 2025 also invests over $1 billion in new capital to deliver modern, fit-for-purpose infrastructure that meets the health needs of New Zealand's growing and ageing population. "We're also making real progress on our health targets. Emergency department wait times are coming down, cancer patients are being seen faster, and childhood immunisation rates are improving." Budget 2025 initiatives include: • $81.2m this year for increased access to urgent and after-hours care, helping to reduce pressure on emergency departments expanding the primary care workforce, including training more doctors and nurses locally •24/7 access to digital primary care for online medical consultations, making it easier for people to get advice and prescriptions from their own homes easier access to long-term prescriptions and broader prescribing rights • streamlined transfers from hospital to aged care, helping free up inpatient hospital beds and improve continuity of care - set to cost $6m, funded through "reprioritisation from the Ministry of Health's baselines" •increased funding for the Health and Disability Commissioner to improve complaint resolution and care standards • support for a new multi-agency response to mental health distress calls ($2.2m for hospital services in this year's Budget, rising to $7.7m in 2028/29 plus $ 511m for primary sector, rising to $29m • over $1b for health infrastructure, including redeveloping Nelson Hospital, Wellington Emergency Department and upgrading Auckland Hospital. "We are delivering on our promise to put patients first," Brown said. "This additional investment of 7.4 percent in total funding represents an increase of 6.2 percent per capita, which will make a real difference to people's lives - ensuring timely, high-quality care for patients while supporting our frontline workforce who deliver that care every day."
Techday NZ
21-05-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
Rewiring HR: How technology and AI are redefining the HR function
There was a time – not too long ago – when HR was viewed largely as a 'back-office operation'. It was the department that processed payslips, kept tabs on annual leave and hopefully knew where to find an employment contract in the filing system if needed. Today, that perception is not just outdated – it's fundamentally at odds with the role HR now plays in the success and sustainability of modern organisations. In 2025, HR has moved from peripheral to pivotal. From onboarding to offboarding – and every regulatory, engagement and talent challenge in between – the function now touches nearly every strategic lever in a business. At the centre of this evolution is technology and now, AI. HR professionals are being called upon to not only navigate complexity, but to lead through it – often with limited resources and rising expectations. This has made the HR tech stack not just a nice-to-have, but a necessity, particularly as artificial intelligence enters the picture in a meaningful, practical way. Here are three of the shifts reshaping how HR leaders operate – and why these tools are no longer just about efficiency, but impact. 1. HR systems are converging – and that's a good thing For many years, HR systems have been fragmented: payroll often lives in one platform, onboarding in another and engagement tools are tacked on as an afterthought. The result, however, is often time lost to double-handling, poor data visibility and missed insights. But this is changing. Businesses are increasingly moving toward centralised, cloud-based Employment Operating Systems (eOS) – platforms designed to bring everything from compliance tracking to recruitment, performance reviews and employee engagement under one digital roof. This kind of integration doesn't just make admin easier, iIt offers something much more powerful: a single source of truth. When systems talk to each other, HR teams can see emerging issues and trends in real time, respond proactively and make more confident decisions. As expectations grow around employee experience, governance and ROI, this centralisation gives HR professionals the ability to turn insights into actions faster – from addressing turnover patterns to improving onboarding timelines. 2. Compliance is getting more complex – and more manageable New Zealand employers in particular are dealing with an unprecedented wave of compliance change. From upcoming Holidays Act reforms to a more prescriptive personal grievance process, shifting health and safety obligations and evolving visa and minimum wage requirements – staying compliant is no longer a passive process. Even the most well-resourced HR teams can struggle to keep pace and for smaller businesses, the risk of missing a critical update or misinterpreting a new obligation is high – and the consequences can be costly. That's why technology is increasingly becoming a compliance partner, not just a tool. Smart HR systems now provide real-time updates, pre-built policy templates and automated entitlements calculations. In practice, this means less time spent deciphering legislation and more time spent applying it meaningfully – all while significantly reducing the margin for error. With AI-supported workflows, even complex processes like visa status management, leave accruals or disciplinary documentation can now be streamlined with greater accuracy and auditability – creating peace of mind for employers and better protection for employees. 3. AI is reshaping how we hire and who we reach Hiring has always been a high-stakes game, but in today's climate it's also a technology 'race'. Candidate expectations have shifted, recruitment channels are more competitive and the window to act on securing top talent is narrower than ever. AI-powered hiring tools are becoming critical infrastructure in this new environment because these tools help HR teams screen CVs more efficiently, match candidates to job requirements with higher precision and support bias-aware decision-making through structured, data-informed shortlisting. Think of it as 'always-on' recruitment – where systems are continuously scanning the market for role matches, surfacing qualified candidates automatically and reducing the time it takes to move from vacancy to offer. Early adopters are already reporting measurable impacts. For example, AI-assisted matching has been shown to shave up to two weeks off standard recruitment cycles. Beyond speed, this shift also supports better hiring decisions by amplifying reach and reducing human bottlenecks, enabling smaller HR teams to operate with the scale and intelligence of much larger ones. The future of HR is already here – but are we ready? What these three shifts point to is a broader truth: HR is no longer about processing work – it's about enabling performance. And in a world where people strategy is business strategy, the systems we use to support that function matter more than ever. The rise of AI and integrated platforms isn't about replacing the human side of HR – it's about giving it the space and data it needs to thrive and add even more value. HR teams will always be the cultural glue of an organisation but the tools they use can now be the difference between surviving complexity and driving impact. For New Zealand HR professionals, the opportunity is clear: by embracing these tools early and strategically, we position ourselves not just to meet change – but to lead it.
