Our 2011 election manifesto - Labour Party

A co-ordinated approach to address the obesity epidemic that is costing New Zealand
millions of dollars a year.
Ensuring mental health is restored as a priority for District Health Boards with
appropriate targets to restore and improve mental health services.
Healthy Kiwis, living healthy lives
There is an increasing understanding that more equal societies do better economically and
socially, through research such as Wilkinson and Pickett‟s The Spirit Level. Allowing
inequities to develop in our society drives social exclusion, fuels poverty and crime and leads
to poor health outcomes and life expectancy for vulnerable populations. Conversely,
addressing these issues will improve economic productivity, lower costs associated with
prisons, benefits and improve mental health and well-being.
International research shows that a society‟s health status is closely linked to factors that are
not traditionally seen as being part of health policy, eg income inequality, employment,
housing and transport. Males in the least deprived areas in New Zealand can expect to live
8.8 years longer than males in the most deprived areas (82.1 versus 73.3 years). For
females, the difference is smaller, but still substantial, at 5.9 years (84.6 versus 78.7
years). 31
In New Zealand we also have to acknowledge the importance of ethnicity in health
outcomes. The New Zealand Medical Association have noted that Māori have poorer health
outcomes and therefore have greater health needs than non-Māori as measured in heart
diseases, cancer and mortality. This persists even when other factors such as socioeconomic
status and smoking have been accounted for. Pacific groups and other immigrant
populations as also found to have a low health status. 32
It is through addressing these issues that we will see a more healthy population in New
Zealand. In addition addressing these issues will also start to arrest the ever-increasing cost
of healthcare.
Labour will adopt a whole-of-government approach to reduce and eliminate inequities
in health, including through coordinated policy approaches covering issues such as
fairer taxation, education, housing, employment, poverty eradication and income
inequality.
Labour has already made commitments which include:
Creating a $5,000 tax free zone.
Taking GST off all fresh fruit and vegetables.
31 Social Report 2010, Ministry of Social Development.
32 Health Equity Position Statement, New Zealand Medical Association, April 2011
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