Latest news with #NicolaWillis'
Scoop
5 days ago
- Health
- Scoop
Broken Promise
During the 2023 election campaign, National made a commitment to a significant increase in the funding of cancer drugs. This promise was completely forgotten in Nicola Willis' 2024 Budget but was partly rectified in November due to the ensuing public outcry. At that time Shane Reti, then Minister of Health, stated that 'blood cancers would not be forgotten.' $151million was allocated to Pharmac in 2024 over 4 years to purchase new cancer drugs. However, blood cancer patients have received hardly any of this. Pharmac predicts only about 180 people with blood cancers per annum will benefit from these changes. 'There are more than 2,000 people in NZ living with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia and about half of whom require treatment at any one time. For most of them there is no treatment alternative to outdated medicines. Just 15 Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia* patients per annum are expected to benefit from the funding largesse,' said Dr Ruth Spearing, 'and of these 15, 5 approvals are for Bendamustine — a derivative of nitrogen mustard, which was originally developed during WWII and is rarely used in other countries now.' Dr Spearing said 'This is another stark (and, for many, fatal) broken election promise'. *CLL Dr Ruth Spearing, Haematologist and Trustee of CLL Advocates NZ CNZM, FRACP, FRCPA Rob Crozier, Patient and Trustee of CLL Advocates NZ Background New Zealand funds the smallest number of new blood cancer drugs in the OECD and spends less per head of population on drugs when corrected for GDP than ANY other OECD country. This is well below the spending of countries with similar levels of wealth. Not many New Zealanders are aware of this. Pharmac's lack of funding impacts on the ability of Health NZ to treat patients as the less effective intravenous drugs are funded rather than oral alternatives, leading to lack of spaces to treat patients in infusion centres as well as much less effective outcomes.
Otago Daily Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Child poverty not budging
The government is relying on growth in the economy to reduce stubbornly static child poverty numbers. Finance Minister Nicola Willis' view is ''the absolute best thing we can do to get children out of poverty is to support their parents into work and to better-paying jobs''. But even if that eventually turned out to be true, it does not help the thousands of children suffering now. Those still smarting from the government's surprise changes to the pay equity regime might well wonder what effect lifting the wages of many more low-paid women, and more quickly, might have had on the status of children of some working poor. For the last seven years governments have been required to report on progress towards child poverty targets and what difference the Budget might make. There are three measures - the proportion of children living in material hardship, those living in poor households before housing costs are considered, and those living in poor households after allowing for housing costs. In the 2023-24 year there was no change from the previous year to the measure of those living in poor housing after housing costs were accounted for, and no statistically significant change in the other two measures. While both housing measures were better than they were in 2018, material hardship, which had dipped to 12.5 % in 2022 from 13.3% in 2018, was back up to 13.4% last year. The child poverty report issued this month by Ms Willis says the failure to meet the targets for 2023-24 reflected in part the impact of high inflation at that time on the cost of living. An estimated 156,000 children are living in material hardship. The government says reducing child material hardship is a particular focus and a priority in its child and youth strategy, but it is hard to swallow those worthy words when the government's refresh to the strategy downgraded the importance of food security. It also removed the measure relating to house quality. It should not be forgotten either that the government, without any fanfare, watered down the previous government's 2023-24 target to reduce material hardship last year to 9%, raising it to 11%. There have been few crumbs in this year's Budget likely to shift the child poverty dial, with Treasury forecasts showing rates of child poverty will change little in the next few years. Giving 142,000 families an average $7 a week extra from Working for Families is not a game changer. Nor was last year's poorly planned and oversold FamilyBoost early childhood education policy which voters were told would give relief of up to $75 a week for families earning less than $180,000. The reality was few regularly received the full amount. Ms Willis may be hoping the tweaks to the system she will announce next month will raise confidence in the scheme, but questions remain about why this was not closely monitored from the outset and any necessary changes made well before now. The government says its focus is on changing the circumstances trapping people in poverty by providing them with opportunities to make changes and choices. But with high unemployment rates still biting, the opportunities for changes and choices are not obvious. In such circumstances, stepping up sanctions for those on jobseeker benefits seems mean-spirited, time-wasting, and pointless. Continuing funding for foodbanks for another 12 months has been welcomed, but as the Salvation Army points out, this alone does not address the ongoing demand for food security. There are also concerns housing commitments are insufficient and that changes to emergency housing criteria are resulting in more homeless people. The government has talked up its social investment approach which it describes as using data and evidence to allow earlier and more effective intervention, but it is hard to see the $275 million allocated for this will go very far. The government says it is still committed to the 2027-28 10-year targets for child poverty - only 5% of children in poor households before housing costs are included, and 10% once costs are included, and 6% in material hardship. However, so far its actions are more akin to commitment phobia.
NZ Herald
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Nicola Willis' choice of Budget day attire is a sideshow to policy debate
THREE KEY FACTS Finance Minister Nicola Willis' choice of attire on Budget day has become a sideshow to the main event, drawing the ire of a New Zealand designer who labelled it 'total disrespect'. The Carpenter's Daughter owner Caroline Marr says her research shows Willis' dress cost $1100 and was
NZ Herald
24-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
A Karaka homeowner says cladding on his new $1.27 million home makes 'shotgun' sounds,
Erica Stanford makes teacher workforce announcement at Mt Albert Grammar. Video / Alyse Wright Nicola Willis has delivered her 2025 Budget, which includes changes to KiwiSaver contributions and a new investment boost scheme. Video / NZ Herald Tourism Holdings had to rush thousands of camper vans across the Canadian border to circumvent reciprocal tariffs. Now, it's warning of major US tourism setbacks. Nicola Willis' post-Budget event in Wellington. Angela Beer, owner of Pets and Pats, was sentenced today for repeated breaches of RMA at doggy daycare which was operating at Dairy Flat. Video / Sylvie Whinray, supplied World's most famous rugby player, Ilona Maher, touches down in Tāmaki Makaurau to play the Black Ferns. Video / Sylvie Whinray Debt Deal of the Year was one of 15 awards presented at the annual finance industry awards held in Auckland on May 13. 'He was always very polite,' says Mum of intrepid cinematographer Jacob Bryant. 'Which, I guess, is what saved his life.' Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning is in cinemas now Young New Zealanders give their thoughts on the Government's Budget 2025 and how it will impact them. Video \ Jason Dorday Chris Hipkins wants to reverse the changes, but won't commit to a dollar figure. Charlie Davies-Carr is now 19 years old and studies law at university. Video / ZM KiwiSaver cut, Best Start means-tested, $6.6b for business. Nicola Willis' Budget aims for growth but she warns of slow wages and high unemployment. Video / Mark Mitchell Debt is projected to increase by $60 to $70 billion over the next five years. Video \ Mark Mitchell Ryan Bridge and an expert panel break down Budget 2025
Otago Daily Times
22-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
A govt has fewer options when its back's against the wall
Ever since I helped write Bill Birch's Budget speech 30 years ago, I love Budget Day - the most exciting day of the year for an economics and politics nut like me. This year I am even happier than usual to be a mere commentator and not an active participant. Unfortunately, our economy is one of the worst performers in the world. And so times are tough for many people, including us all collectively with respect to our government and its finances. For several years, the government has had a "structural" deficit, meaning its spending will inevitably exceed its revenue. So the government's debt — on behalf of us all, currently around $100,000 per household — will keep rising. Just like for ordinary people, a government has fewer options when its back is to the wall. Continuing to live beyond our means will have dire consequences: accelerating interest payments, which could otherwise have been spent on other things, and deteriorating standards of living — and more brain drain to Australia. Unless "something" is done. There are just three possible "somethings" that can be done: increase taxes, cut spending, or grow the economy. This year's Budget, Nicola Willis' second, ruled out higher taxes. Instead, her focus was on spending cuts offset by some spending increases — in other words, "spending reprioritisations" — and several growth-friendly policy initiatives. More than a hundred spending reprioritisations — actual and forecast — were announced. Passed into law a fortnight ago, the largest and most controversial is, of course, changes to the pay equity regime. In Ms Willis' words: "Making those [pay equity] changes means the government can repurpose $2.7b a year, on average, towards Budget priorities like health, education, and law and order." Another central plank of this year's Budget is a new tax incentive scheme called Investment Boost, encouraging businesses to invest in productive assets. Ms Willis began her speech with: "This is a responsible Budget to secure New Zealand's future." I agree with the first half of her sentence (given her options). But I'm doubtful about the second. Much more reform is needed. ■Paul Hansen is an emeritus professor, department of economics, University of Otago.
