Better Care for the Elderly

Our population is ageing. In the future, growing numbers of older people will place more demands on our health system, and we need to make sure they can get the high-quality care they need.

That's why, on Wednesday, I launched National's Aged-Care Discussion Paper 'Choice Not Chance for Older New Zealanders'.

Older people tell us it's important to have real choices about how and where they live as they age, and what sort of care they get. National wants to make sure they have those choices.

Our discussion paper includes a number of proposals to improve care for the elderly. These include:

- Improved funding agreements with aged care providers that include an agreed increase in funding each year. This will give providers more certainty and improve their ability to provide care.

- Requiring all DHBs to provide dedicated respite residential-care beds. People who care for a loved one at home and can't get an occasional break are really struggling. We want older people and their families to get better access to respite care. At the moment, most DHBs don't fund dedicated respite beds, and many families have nowhere to turn.

- Setting up an Aged-Care Industry Training Organisation to oversee independent providers of training. This will boost the quality of care and give caregivers and nurses better career paths.

To see all our proposals and read the full discussion paper click here. Jo Goodhew and our health team have done a great job putting the paper together, and if you're interested in aged care I hope you'll read it and send us your feedback.

Electoral Finance Bill

Listen to my latest comments on the Electoral Finance Bill in an interview with Wallace Chapman of Kiwi FM.

Relief at Last for Fruit Growers

For months, we've been telling Labour that its Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme will choke our horticultural industry. For months, we've said that the scheme must overlap with the existing Seasonal Work Permit (SWP) scheme, or fruit growers won't be able to hire the workers they need in their critical picking season. And for months Labour has ignored us and told us that they know better.

But this week they finally caved in. On Thursday, Labour quietly announced that the SWP scheme will be extended. This is what National has been calling for, and after 18 months of frustration, fruit growers can finally get on with hiring the pickers they need.

Around the Central North Island

I had a really interesting few days in the Central North Island last week. I visited Port Taranaki in New Plymouth, and met some locals in the towns of Normanby and Ohawe Beach.

Chester Borrows and I got a briefing from the Wanganui Police about the tragic death of Jhia Te Tua, and what they are doing to combat gangs.

Then I had a fascinating visit with Environment Waikato in Taupo. We flew over much of the Taupo region, saw first-hand the deforestation and land-use changes that are going on as forestry is converted to dairying, and learnt about the impact this is having on the lake and the Waikato River.

There's just no substitute for talking to people who work at the coal-face about the challenges our country faces, and what National can do to build a better future for all New Zealanders.

 
John Key MP
Leader of the National Party