Nats revert to failed policies, Greens say
green-party
Tue Oct 02 2007 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
Nats revert to failed policies, Greens say
Tuesday, 2 October 2007, 1:59 pm
Press Release: Green Party
Nats revert to failed policies of the 90s, Greens say
Green Media Release 2nd October 2007
The National Party’s reversion to the tried and failed new right doctrine of the 1990s in health and education is a sign that the National's differences from the Brash era may only be superficial, Green Party Co-Leader Russel Norman says.
“Under the leadership of John Key, National had a chance to move beyond the tired policies of the 1990s. National had an opportunity to offer voters a policy framework that deals with the challenges New Zealand faces in a world of climate change and finite resources,” Dr Norman says.
“It is disappointing that, at the first pressure to reveal its policy intentions, National has resorted to new right doctrine. It plans to let competition between doctors set the fee levels in primary care, instead of ensuring that primary health care is affordable to everyone. And it would let the private sector build and own state schools, for no educational gain. It wants to partially privatise public assets which would lead to full privatisation and overseas ownership in due course. And the idea of allowing tertiary fees to increase significantly also seems to be on their agenda.
“What we have seen in recent weeks from Mr Key has been a series of underwhelming performances – a ‘me-too’ response to Labour’s emissions trading scheme, a belated revelation about his party’s enthusiasm for market-driven competition in doctors’ fees, and a partial privatisation model that, as the New Zealand Herald pointed out, will offer the private sector ‘a risk-free ride on a stock underwritten by the taxpayer.’
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"There is definitely a place for independent schools within the New Zealand system. Indeed much of the existing state funding of ‘private’ schools cited by National's Katherine Rich has been the historical outcome of state support for 'integrated' schools, usually founded on religious tenets. Rich is trying to distract debate from the central issue - of National's plans for privatisation, which would be an retrograde step for the core education system. On principle, the Greens oppose public money going into private education for profit.
“Mr Key has enjoyed a free ride on the back of major discontent with the Government’s performance. Like David Cameron, the leader of the British Conservatives, Mr Key may find his popularity will nose-dive once the public takes a long hard look at him as a prospective Prime Minister.
“It should also be noted that Labour is not pure on the issue of privatisation. As Ian Powell from the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists pointed out, Labour has allowed the privatisation of public laboratory services in five DHBs over the last few years.
“What National has offered in recent weeks, has been ideology, not practical solutions. This is not what New Zealand needs right now – we are looking for ways to sustain a modern economy within a world of finite resources. The market has got a key role to play within that framework, but the recent past has shown convincingly that the market cannot be entrusted by itself to deliver good outcomes in health, education, housing and the environment.
“It is disappointing to find that Mr Key has still not taken the lessons of the 1990s on board,” Dr. Norman says.
ENDS
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