The race is on for which Labour minister can build the biggest bureaucracy, spend more money and yet have worse outcomes and Andrew Little’s health reforms announcement this week clearly puts him in front, National Health Spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says

“Labour’s health reforms are all about bureaucracy and not outcomes. There was not a single commitment to a health outcome or target in Mr Little’s announcement this week, but volumes were spoken about layers and layers of bureaucracy.

“Locality commissioners, locality co-ordinators and up to 80 locality networks will add to the layers of bureaucracy between patients, providers and the Minister.|

“The Government will take until July 2024 to put all this bureaucracy in place – when instead they should be using that time to drive better health results for Kiwis, with a focus on targets and delivery.

“National will focus on health outcomes and not bureaucracy. We will set targets and hold ourselves to account.

“More money, more bureaucracy and worse outcomes. These are the only things Andrew Little’s health reforms will deliver.”