| Archive - these pages are part of the continuing record of Executive Government - for the current Administration, see www.beehive.govt.nz |
![[Government Crest]](../../../images/crestdog.gif)
New Zealanders' quality of life rests on the strength of families and communities. Only in supportive, healthy communities can we and our children realise the potential that a strong economy brings.
The Tax Reduction and Social Policy Programme will improve the position of families both by reducing tax rates and by increasing family assistance.
However the Government's approach goes much further. Work is proceeding on many fronts and will impact on our social services, welfare policies and law and order priorities.
For instance, the United Nations Women's Conference in Beijing last year challenged countries such as New Zealand to improve the quality of life for women and their families:
Families shoulder the country's most important task - raising tomorrow's citizens. Get this right and most other issues are more easily dealt with.
Whatever their form, families are the heart of our communities, providing support and security. But some families are vulnerable. Violence, crime and unemployment undermine a family's ability to make the most of opportunities. Our policies therefore must bolster the family, so that it is a secure and stimulating environment for children.
Many government agencies - education, health, welfare and justice for example - touch on the well-being of families. These agencies must work together to help families in need. We are now analysing their work to establish how they can better coordinate their approaches.
Reducing family violence is a particular priority. The Government's Crime Prevention strategy released in 1994 identifies the reduction and long term prevention of family violence as one of seven goals in crime prevention.
The recent Government Statement of Policy on Family Violence reinforces the fact that breaking the cycle of violence is important both for its own sake and as a contributor to individual and community well-being.
New Zealand is at the forefront of international approaches which integrate the efforts between government agencies, individuals and communities to address the underlying causes of crime.
Family violence services are now provided in many settings including health clinics and marae, so that families at risk receive the care and help they need. Improving access for Maori to family violence services - including those designed and managed by Maori - is part of the strategy.
We cannot escape the fact that some people will behave violently and that their families need to be protected. The Domestic Violence Act will allow more people to seek protection orders. It will provide greater protection for the victims of domestic violence.
We need to acknowledge that family structures are changing and the population is ageing. Systems that support families must reflect these changes. They must meet tomorrow's challenges, not yesterday's needs.
The needs of sole parent families differ from the needs of families with two parental figures. Families in which both parents are in paid work face particular stresses. The contribution older people can make, and the support we offer them, needs to be viewed in light of changes in family structures.
A Prime Ministerial Task Force on Positive Ageing is being established to explore the issues of the aged and options for promoting positive ageing.
Improving the health of New Zealanders is one of the Government's most important tasks.
New Zealand's health system has been reorganised so New Zealanders get the health care they need with a system the country can afford. The changes that have occurred will help us achieve this and allow New Zealanders to have the best that modern medicine can offer.
The health system of the past did not deliver equitable coverage to all. The Government has changed that. People now have equal opportunity to receive good treatment because the four Regional Health Authorities are being funded on a population basis taking into account the makeup of the population.
To provide certainty in health planning, the Government demands that Regional Health Authorities consult with communities both to get a clear picture of the services needed and to determine the best way of delivering those services.
The work is challenging and demanding because population growth and ageing, rising expectations, changing disease patterns and developments in technology are pushing up demand for health and disability services. Modern health services must adapt and expand to cope with this pressure.
The Government has increased spending on health and will continue to do so. New Zealanders can expect to continue to benefit from one of the best publicly funded health systems in the world.
To meet growing health demands we have to get the best value for money for every dollar spent on health. We are beginning to see the benefits of changes introduced two years ago. Along with providing resources for existing GP, pharmacy, lab and hospital services, Government set four priorities in the areas of greatest need:
The programme is ambitious. Progress has been made, but there is much to be achieved.
Maori now have better access to health services. Maori have more grass-roots involvement in providing services for their people. Joint initiatives have been established between Regional Health Authorities and Maori providers.
Good results are being achieved in drug and alcohol treatment, mental health, public health and child health. Reduced smoking by Maori and increased immunisation among Maori children are major work areas. The Government is improving coordination and responsiveness of services.
More mental health services have been established and existing services have been improved. New or additional services include 24-hour, seven-day community crisis cover, crisis respite services, rehabilitation and activity programmes, maternal mental health services and information and support services run by consumers.
Regional Health Authorities have increased spending on mental health services by $30 million since Area Health Boards were phased out. New Zealand now spends $310 million per year on services for people with mental health and psychiatric disabilities. A further $25 million will be spent on mental health during 1996/97.
Improving mental health services for children, young people and their families is part of the Government's strategy to strengthen families. We are determined to provide more support for families coping with mental illness.
The Government, with the support of other political parties, has asked Judge Mason to inquire into and report on progress being made in mental health services. The Government will consider this report on legislation and services and respond where necessary.
New services have been established in child health. Tipu Ora Trust in Rotorua is extending its service to cover all of New Zealand. This initiative involves older people working with families and children, ensuring primary care services are provided at the earliest opportunity. Significant gains have been made in many areas including reducing the number of asthma attacks in children and achieving much higher levels of immunisation.
The Government has put in place a major new initiative to improve the immunisation rates of New Zealand children. Already we're showing some improvement and the Government is determined to ensure that, by the year 2000, at least 95 per cent of two year olds are covered .
The Government has continued its efforts to reduce tobacco use by strengthening the Smoke Free Environments Act. Fewer New Zealanders smoking will inevitably lead to health improvements.
The Government is working to improve the quality of drinking water by overhauling grading systems and revising outdated legislation. We will continue to improve air quality by removing lead from petrol.
A core theme in addressing each of these areas is prevention. The Government is investing more money in public health and will continue to support immunisation programmes and initiatives, such as the breast screening programme, which allow for early detection of illness and less invasive and more successful treatment.
In mid-1995 the transition to a new system of delivering housing assistance was completed. This system provides a cash subsidy for those who need support to meet their housing costs, regardless of whether they rent a State house, rent in the private sector, are boarders, or own their own home.
This contrasts with the old system which concentrated the bulk of State support in the hands of a relatively small number of people in subsidised State rental houses.
Under the new system, over 260,000 households receive the Accommodation Supplement. Direct support is given to those who need it, irrespective of whether they live in State or privately-owned accommodation.
The Government intends to maintain the credibility of this policy by reviewing the maximum payments available at least annually. Already the Accommodation Supplement has been increased twice, and the Special Benefit criteria relaxed to make it more accessible to those with unexpectedly high accommodation costs for a short period.
Under the new policy, the Government will spend over $500 million this year on Accommodation Supplement payments.
Now that a general system of housing support has been established, the Government is able to take stock of which areas it wishes to especially target resources. The Government is giving highest priority to the community housing area, providing accommodation for those with physical or psychiatric disabilities, women's and emergency housing.
A programme has been established to identify and meet the demand for community housing, especially for those with psychiatric disabilities, that has not been met for many years. During 1995/96, over 250 additional community houses will be opened.
The Government has also made a commitment to be a much better manager of taxpayers' substantial investment in housing stock. By 1 July 1996 the Government will have spent over $500 million refurbishing and upgrading our State housing stock, work that has been neglected for decades.
Now that accommodation support is provided by way of a direct cash payment, people have the choice of living in private sector rented properties. The State is now required to offer a quality of service which matches that of private sector landlords.
In addition to refurbishing 69,000 State houses, Housing New Zealand has embarked upon a programme of reconfiguring their housing stock. Population trends and family structures have changed dramatically over the past 20 years, and the configuration of State housing has not.
The Government has made a commitment to reconfigure its housing stock over the next few years so that it better meets the needs of today's population and family structure.
Maori hold a unique place in our country. The Treaty of Waitangi, as the nation's founding document, recognises that particular status.
The Government has two broad objectives for working with Maori:
The Government wants to settle claims under the Treaty of Waitangi in order to address and remove the sense of grievance caused by historical injustices.
The Government has worked successfully with the Waikato-Tainui people to settle their raupatu claim. That claim was one of the most significant Treaty claims against the Crown; its settlement an outstanding achievement for both the the Waikato-Tainui people and the Government. The Government will continue to work with other claimants to seek resolution of their claims.
Settlement of historic claims does not remove continuing rights under the Treaty of Waitangi; nor does it absolve the Crown from its continuing obligations.
Settlement of claims will not deny any Maori the rights held by every New Zealander to health, education and welfare services.
Maori still suffer higher rates of unemployment, and are disproportionately under represented in post-compulsory education and training. They are less likely to earn higher incomes, and have poorer health status.
The Government is working to improve choices, opportunities and incomes for Maori. Some progress has been made:
Alleviating Maori disadvantage remains a vital task. The Government will not realise its vision for New Zealand in 2010 unless we improve the health, education and employment prospects of Maori.