Green Party warns New Zealand’s healthcare system is going in the disastrous direction of Americanisation, after a new report shows almost half of all public health spending takes place in the private sector.
“Luxon’s Government is responsible for Americanising our health system, in a deliberate attempt to run public healthcare into the ground to force privatisation,” says Green Party Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick.
The report by Public Futures Aotearoa, released today, revealed how public money is driving corporate expansion and giving windfall profits to the private healthcare industry.
“Under the Luxon coalition Government, 80% of increased spending over the last three years, 80c in every dollar, has been funnelled into the private sector.”
“46.4% of all public health funding, $14.8 billion, is now handed to the private sector. The healthcare and social assistance sector’s profit before tax has more than doubled since 2020.”
“This Government has decided to line the pockets of private corporations at the expense of our public healthcare system. And they’re doing it with taxpayer money.”
“Everything about this is messed up. Luxon and Willis have actively decided not only to funnel taxpayer money into private healthcare but also to undermine the capacity of our public healthcare system. No wonder the Minister of Health ignores the protests of frontline healthcare workers.”
“The Green Party is offering real solutions. Last week, our Fiscal Plan showed that we would increase public health funding by $3 billion every year. Our investment will deal with immediate and future pressures to ensure we have a safe, effective healthcare system for patients and health workers.”
“Public investment should bolster public infrastructure and build a country and economy that works for all of us. That’s common sense, and that’s what the Greens stand for,” says Swarbrick.
