|
|
|
|
Budget 2026 – Prostate Cancer Foundation disappointed by continued failure to fund screening pilot
Source: Prostate Cancer Foundation
The Prostate Cancer Foundation says the Government’s failure to provide funding in Budget 2026 for a prostate cancer screening pilot is another missed opportunity to save Kiwi men’s lives.
Foundation President Danny Bedingfield said the organisation was disappointed that a relatively modest investment had again been overlooked despite years of advocacy and strong support from clinicians and health experts.
“We have now been talking to successive governments for more than three years about funding two regional pilots for the early detection screening of prostate cancer at an approximate cost of only $6.4 million over four years,” Mr Bedingfield said.
“In the context of a multi-billion-dollar health budget, this is a drop in the bucket for the Government, but a kick in the guts for Kiwi men and their families.
“And it goes against what ordinary Kiwis want. Independent polling of 1,000 eligible voters found that 84% of New Zealanders support the development of a prostate cancer screening programme. This strong level of support cuts across gender, age, region, and political affiliation.
“The Government continues to say it is committed to improving cancer outcomes, yet once again prostate cancer has been left behind. Everyone acknowledges that the earlier cancer is detected, the better the clinical outcomes and the better the survival rates.”
Mr Bedingfield said the Foundation was struggling to understand why prostate cancer screening continued to face delays when more than 4,000 New Zealand men are diagnosed with the disease every year and more than 700 die from it annually.
“These are fathers, husbands, brothers, sons, workmates and friends. Their lives matter, he says. “We have two simple questions for the Government — why does cancer specific to men continue to be overlooked, and what exactly is the barrier to finally getting a prostate cancer screening pilot underway?”
Mr Bedingfield said the case for action was overwhelming. “The clinical support is there, the need is there, and the cost is modest. What appears to be missing is the political will to act.
“If funding a pilot programme is considered a bridge too far for Health Minister Simeon Brown, then we urge the Minister to direct officials to urgently identify other practical measures that could reduce the toll prostate cancer is taking on New Zealand families.
“We cannot continue talking about improving cancer outcomes while ignoring the cancer that kills more than 700 Kiwi men every year.”
India’s top agribusiness professionals put boots on the ground in New Zealand
Source: Asia New Zealand Foundation
Ten entrepreneurs and business leaders from India's agribusiness sector are coming to New Zealand to share knowledge, explore opportunities and build foundations for future collaboration. They will be in New Zealand as part of the Foundation’s New Zealand India Entrepreneurship Initiative (NZIEI).
From June 4-11, the Asia New Zealand Foundation will host the delegates, connecting them with businesses in Waikato, Auckland, and Tauranga, and bringing them to the country's largest agricultural show, Fieldays, on Friday, June 12.
One of the delegates, Pulkit Mittal, Vice President – Growth Office at (TAFE) Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited, leads one of India’s largest agricultural machinery companies. He applied to join the programme to better understand how New Zealand has built globally respected agricultural systems.
“I'm particularly looking forward to engaging with agribusiness leaders and exploring how emerging technologies in areas like farm data systems, livestock intelligence, and mechanisation can create meaningful collaboration opportunities between New Zealand and India.”
With the recent signing of the Free Trade Agreement, this delegation presents a timely opportunity for India and New Zealand to deepen agribusiness connections.
“The Free Trade Agreement between India and New Zealand is a fantastic opportunity, but ultimately it is people who make business happen,” Asia New Zealand Foundation director of business Tim McCready says.
“Fieldays puts them in front of the right people in one place, while also showcasing New Zealand as a globally competitive player in agriculture. Over the course of the week, they will be meeting with New Zealand businesses that have as much to learn from them as they do from us.”
The programme's impact is already proving tangible. Indian fruit supplier Rohan Ursal attended last year's inaugural delegation and has since introduced a new variety of New Zealand apple, the Rouge, to the Indian market.
Ursal is also importing Royal Gala through his company, Purandar Highlands Farmers Producer Company Ltd.
“This year, we have people connecting with us – new suppliers and small growers from New Zealand trying to seek new markets or seek new buyers like us in India,” Ursal says.
He credits both the FTA signing and the commercial traction of the Rouge for generating new inbound interest.
“In the next five years, I think we will see very good growth in this sector.”
He says the next step is developing a deeper understanding of how each market operates – something he expects will take time but sees being on the ground in each country as an essential part of this process.
Asia New Zealand Foundation chief executive Suzannah Jessep says “the programme reflects the Foundation's belief that lasting commercial relationships are built when people understand each other, trust each other, and stay connected over time.”
“By bringing India’s future agribusiness leaders to New Zealand, onto our farms, alongside our growers and innovators, we are helping to build intergenerational partnerships, and we’re creating a cohort of young leaders in India who not only understand New Zealand but who will champion the New Zealand relationship when they get home.”
Meet the delegation:
About the New Zealand India Entrepreneurship Initiative (NZIEI): The Asia New Zealand Foundation NZIEI programme is an initiative established to facilitate trade and build networks and connections between entrepreneurs and business leaders in India and New Zealand. This will be the second year of this programme.
This programme is modelled on the successful ASEAN Young Business Leaders Initiative (YBLI) , which, since its launch in 2011, has brought over 159 business leaders and entrepreneurs from across ASEAN to New Zealand, while 81 New Zealand business leaders and entrepreneurs have travelled to Southeast Asia.
About the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono : Established in 1994, the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono is one of New Zealand’s leading authorities on Asia. Its mission is to equip New Zealanders to excel in Asia, by providing experiences and insights to build knowledge, skills and confidence. The Foundation’s activities cover more than 20 countries in Asia and are delivered through eight core programmes: arts, business, entrepreneurship, leadership, media, research, Track II diplomacy and sports.
Budget 2026 doesn’t move the dial on child poverty rates – CPAG
Source: Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG)
For yet another year, Treasury’s child poverty forecasting shows no movement toward hitting the 2028 goal of halving child poverty in accordance with the Child Poverty Reduction Act 2018.
Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) says taken as a whole, Budget 2026 doesn’t meaningfully shift the dial on child poverty.
Forecasts
Of the three child poverty measures that Treasury models, only one is set to hit the 2027 target. The rest will miss, and all are miles away from the 2028 targets.
It is important to note that the 2027 targets were set by Child Poverty Reduction Minister Louise Upston in 2024 as part of the Government’s Child and Youth Strategy.
This was a target the Government set because it “wants to make the target achievable” ( Figure 2), yet even after it’s lowered the bar, it’s still failing to clear it.
Fuel support
The temporary $50 increase to the In-Work Tax Credit will provide welcome relief for many working families. However, CPAG remains deeply concerned that children in families receiving income support continue to be excluded from this assistance through the discriminatory design of the Working for Families system.
With unemployment forecast to rise to 5.5 percent in mid-2026, more families are likely to experience periods out of paid work due to broader economic conditions, not personal choice. In that context, maintaining a two-tier system of support for children becomes even more difficult to justify.
A child’s access to food, housing, and essentials should not depend on their parents’ employment status. If the Government recognises that rising living costs require additional support for children in working families, it is hard to understand why that support should also be extended to children in households receiving income support.
Housing
The Government’s flagship “housing support fairness” package effectively asks some of the lowest-income families in the country – those in public housing – to pay more of their income in rent in order to fund modest increases in support for private renters. While reducing inequities between housing support systems is a legitimate policy aspiration, it should not come at the expense of households already struggling to meet basic needs.
The increase in Income-Related Rent from 25 to 30 percent of income represents a direct reduction in disposable income for many low-income families in public housing. About 84,000 households will see rents increase by around $31 a week on average. For households already facing impossible choices between food, power, transport, and school costs, this matters.
At the same time, the Government is reducing access to Temporary Additional Support (TAS), one of the few mechanisms available to families facing acute hardship. Cutting the maximum TAS rate sends the wrong message during a cost-of-living crisis and risks deepening material deprivation for children.
General initiatives
More broadly, the Budget continues a pattern of relying on foodbanks, food hubs, and charity-based responses as core pillars of social support. While community providers do extraordinary work, food insecurity is ultimately a systems issue in a country that feeds 40 million people globally a year. Children need incomes that are adequate and secure, not ongoing dependence on emergency food assistance.
Community resilience is not a long-term solution to child poverty, it is a temporary band-aid, and the longer the Government leaves the band-aid as the only solution, the less effective it will be.
The continuation of school lunch programmes and investment in social housing are positive steps, but they are mitigations of hardship, not solutions to poverty.
There are also serious concerns about the impact on the public services and community infrastructure children and whānau rely on. Behind every frontline service are the policy, administration and coordination roles that keep income support, housing assistance, public health and community services functioning effectively. Reducing state capacity can mean longer waits, weaker support systems, and greater barriers for families already under pressure.
Child poverty is the result of policy choices. Ending it requires a sustained commitment to income adequacy, affordable housing, and an unconditional approach to supporting children. Budget 2026 contains few short-term relief measures, but it falls well short of the transformational change needed to ensure every child in Aotearoa can thrive.
Budget 2026 – College of GPs: Budget 2026 misses the opportunity to invest in a sustainable, accessible and affordable primary care
Source: Royal NZ College of General Practitioners
A sustainable health system starts with a sustainable general practice workforce and today’s Budget announcement does not go far enough to deliver it.
Despite commitment to improve access and strengthen frontline services, the significant investment into general practice that is required is yet to be delivered.
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners’ President, Dr Luke Bradford, says increasing enrolments and access targets must be matched by workforce capacity.
“You cannot improve access to frontline health care without the workforce to deliver it. Announcements to provide 53,000 additional enrolments and expanded access are positive in their intent, but without enough GPs there is a real risk of shifting the pressure, rather than relieving it.
“General practice is the front door to the health system, but patients are struggling to afford to see their GP. At the same time, we are struggling to recruit enough junior doctors into this profession due to a lack of alignment in pay and working conditions compared to other specialities.”
There are so many advantages to investing in general practice, and the College is concerned that the Budget continues to prioritise hospital and secondary care, despite the evidence that investing in primary care is the most cost-effective option for reducing pressure on the rest of the system and for improving health outcomes.
“Funding must reflect the full scope and value of general practice, including the complex, preventative and ongoing care we provide, as well as the essential work that happens outside of the consultation that keeps patients safe and well.
College Medical Director Dr Prabani Wood says, “Funding must support GPs to build long-term therapeutic relationships with the communities that they serve. It is this continuity of care that enables general practice to deliver its full value to the health system.”
“Retention of the current workforce is just as critical as recruitment. Today’s workforce is under significant pressure, and they are the ones who are also training the next generation,” says Dr Bradford.
A significant win for New Zealanders is the lowering of the bowel screening age to 56 years. However, to meaningfully address the documented health inequities, eligibility must be extended to age 50 for Māori and Pacific Peoples who are at greater risk.
College CE Toby Beaglehole says a reset in health funding priorities is urgently needed.
“Investment in general practice is not optional. It is the most affordable way to improve access, affordability and health outcomes. We won’t achieve those improvements while primary care in New Zealand receives on average 6% of the total health budget, compared with 14% internationally.
“If we want to have a sustainable health system that delivers early, affordable care close to home, we need a targeted shift in investment towards the specialism of general practice and the wider primary care workforce.”
The College acknowledges the support and additional funding for general practice and rural medicine and is committed to working with the health minister to deliver sustainable, equitable and accessible care for all New Zealanders.
The College has developed a series of advocacy white papers that set out the priorities for strengthening New Zealand’s health system. Read the first paper in the series, The future and sustainability of general practice – Why this must be a Budget and election priority.
Read Dr Bradford’s pre-Budget opinion editorial published in NZ Doctor highlighting how meaningful change depends not just on policy intent, but on solutions that reflect the realities of frontline care.
Health – IHACPA releases Support at Home pricing and costing advice
Source: Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA)
|
28 May 2026 – The Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA) has released the Support at Home Pricing Advice 2026–27 and the Support at Home Cost Collection 2025 Final Report.
The pricing advice was developed based on IHACPA’s annual cost collection and after extensive public consultation, ensuring IHACPA’s advice is directly informed by the costs of delivering in-home aged care services. To inform the pricing advice, IHACPA’s Support at Home Cost Collection 2025 captured and analysed detailed cost data from 135 services, covering over 35,000 clients to produce a comprehensive dataset. This cost collection prioritised participation from providers who had not previously taken part, as well as those delivering services to underrepresented groups. This includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and rural and remote populations. As part of the public consultation held from 11 June to 18 July 2025, IHACPA received 220 submissions from a wide range of stakeholders. This includes submissions from in-home aged care participants and their families, carers and representatives, providers and the aged care workforce, government departments and agencies, researchers and peak bodies.
IHACPA’s Chair, Mr David Tune AO PSM said, ‘We’re pleased to release our pricing and costing advice for the Support at Home service list. This work is central to supporting older people to stay at home for longer together with access to quality aged care services that meets their needs.’
‘IHACPA’s pricing advice is grounded in evidence, informed by real cost data and direct engagement across the sector. I would like to thank everyone who participated in our cost collections and consultation last year. Stakeholder feedback is vital to ensuring our advice reflects not only financial considerations, but also the practical aspects of delivering in-home aged care,’ Mr Tune added.
Key elements of IHACPA’s pricing advice include:
In developing this advice, IHACPA accounted for recent Fair Work Commission decisions, superannuation guarantee increases, and the indexation of historical cost data.
IHACPA’s pricing advice to the Australian Government helps inform funding decisions for Support at Home.
The recommended prices in IHACPA’s pricing advice do not present a price cap, benchmark or guidance for aged care providers when setting their prices. The Minister for Health and Ageing is responsible for determining price caps for in-home aged care services and the timing of announcement for prices for services on the Support at Home service list.
More information
|
Budget 2026 – ProCare welcomes expansion to bowel screening but acknowledges the equity gap that remains
Source: ProCare
ProCare is pleased to see the Government move to lower the age for free bowel screening, improving access to early detection and preventative care for thousands more New Zealanders this year.
The age for screening is expected to be lowered to 56 this September, following a drop to 58 years in March 2026.
Expanding eligibility means more people can take part in screening earlier, helping to detect any issues sooner when they’re easier to treat, and reducing the likelihood of people developing serious illness.
Bindi Nowell, Chief Executive at ProCare says, “Keeping care in the community, and making sure as many people have the opportunity to get their health checks sooner, is always a win for primary care. Our teams in general practice are constantly looking for ways to keep their populations healthy, so expansions like these are always positive.”
“Previously, Māori and Pacific people have had access to free bowel screening from 50 years, which was a great equity move to support these communities who are often affected by bowel cancer at a younger age. Today’s announcement of lowering to 56 is welcome, but we want to acknowledge the gap in equity that we're still not addressing.”
“We’ll be supporting for our general practices to let their patients know about the changes, so as many people as possible can access screening sooner.”
About ProCare
ProCare is a leading healthcare provider that aims to deliver the most progressive, pro-active and equitable health and wellbeing services in Aotearoa. We do this through our clinical support services, mental health and wellness services, virtual/tele health, mobile health, smoking cessation and by taking a population health and equity approach to our mahi.
As New Zealand’s largest Primary Health Organisation, we represent a network of general practice teams and healthcare professionals who provide care to nearly 700,000 patients across Auckland and Northland. These practices serve the largest Pacific and South Asian populations enrolled in general practice and the largest Māori population in Tāmaki Makaurau. For more information go to www.procare.co.nz
Budget 2026: where are the solutions to climate, biodiversity and fuel crisis? – Greenpeace
Source: Greenpeace
Greenpeace is lamenting the paucity of solutions in Budget 2026 to the climate, biodiversity and fuel price crises.
“We’re facing twin climate and biodiversity crises, overlaid by a cost of living crisis directly caused by our economy’s dependence on fossil fuels,” says Russel Norman, Greenpeace Executive Director.
“Yet the Budget has no plan to decarbonise our economy and hence simultaneously address the cost of living and climate crisis,” says Norman.
“There is no plan to decarbonise the transport sector which is highly dependent on imported fossil fuels and produces a fifth of all New Zealand’s climate pollution.
“The new Road of National Party Significance will cost us $112 million per kilometre but will do absolutely nothing to deal with the cost of transport which is driven by fossil fuel dependence.
“The Budget has money to repair state highways being damaged by extreme weather events but no plan or money to cut the climate pollution that is causing the damage.
“There is no plan to support everyday New Zealanders’ uptake of rooftop solar and batteries which would actually help with the cost of living crisis.
“On the positive side there is an investment of $1 billion in rail and the previously announced, yet begrudging, loan scheme to support businesses to reduce fossil gas use.
“Undermining that, on the biodiversity front, there are further cuts to the Department of Conservation. And the use of $100 million of the International Visitor Levy simply replaces existing baseline funding.”
The Government’s climate policy has resulted in large fiscal costs:
- The National Party’s original fiscal plan released in 2023 included $2.1 billion in revenue, over four years, from Emissions Trading Scheme auctions. But these auctions have largely failed due to the weakening of climate policy leaving a large hole in the Government’s revenue.
- The Government is allocating $200 million to subsidise oil and gas exploration.
- The fiscal impact of the Government decision to weaken the Clean Car Standard directly cost the Government $264 million.
- The fiscal impact of subsidising agribusiness climate pollution, by keeping them out of the ETS, is hard to quantify but will be hundreds of millions.
- The $23 billion liability for failing to meet the Paris climate agreement.
“Now is not the time for business as usual. Now is the time to embrace our renewable energy future,” says Norman.
Budget 2026 – Budget misses opportunity to respond to growing mental health need – Mental Health Commission
Source: Te Hiringa Mahara – Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission
Te Hiringa Mahara – Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission is disappointed to see no new explicit investment into mental health and addiction services in today's budget.
Of particular concern is the lack of funding for specialist services, where too many people are already waiting far too long to get the help they need.
“At a time when mental health is the leading health concern for New Zealanders, this response does not match the scale of the need experienced across the country every day,” says Te Hiringa Mahara Chief Executive, Karen Orsborn.
“According to the recent Ipsos New Zealand health report, released this month, 61% of New Zealanders say mental health is the biggest health issue facing the country. This Budget does little to ease those concerns.
“A cornerstone of a well-functioning mental health system is making sure support is available long before people reach crisis. We are not seeing enough investment in this, which means people are missing out on vital care.
“It’s critical that when people reach out for help, they have someone to call, someone to respond and somewhere safe and welcoming to go, when and where they need it.
“The current system doesn’t always work well for Māori, young people or those living rurally in particular. This is unlikely to change without investment.
“Last November we welcomed the additional funding announced by Minister Doocey for expansion of crisis cafes, crisis assessment teams and peer-led acute alternatives. This was a step in the right direction, and further investment will enable the much needed expansion of options for people seeking support.
“This budget won’t take us any closer to having a cohesive national approach to crisis support. No matter where you live, you should have a range of support options to choose from.
“We are pleased to see the investment into reducing online harms for young people announced today and acknowledge what it will achieve. We hope this investment reflects youth-led solutions, investment in education and a strong rigorous regulation on platforms and content.
“The longer we put off expanding the range of support in the face of growing rates of psychological distress, the worse it will be for people seeking help,” says Ms Orsborn.
Budget 2026 – Primary care overlooked again in Budget 2026 – despite known results from investment in primary care – ProCare
Source: ProCare
Primary care has once again been left behind in Budget 2026, with limited clear, targeted investment to match the growing burden of disease through aging, the increasing complexity of patient care, and constrained access to secondary care.
While the Government has committed more than $33 billion to health overall, nearly half of that funding continues to be directed toward hospitals and specialist services, reinforcing a system that prioritises treating illness over preventing it.
ProCare says this approach risks entrenching pressure across the health system rather than relieving it.
Bindi Norwell, Chief Executive at ProCare says: “General practice is the front door of the health system – but it continues to be funded as if it’s an afterthought.
“Research has shown that for every dollar invested in primary care results in between $13 and $15 in savings in secondary care, so we question why primary care continues to be overlooked,” says Norwell.
“Without stronger investment in primary care, we will continue to see pressure build in emergency departments and hospital services. We simply cannot hospitalise our way out of this,” continues Norwell.
“We need a stronger focus on planned, proactive care that deliberately shifts services into primary and community settings, improving access, reducing waiting times, and keeping people well in their communities,” she points out.
Positive step for community services card holders
Budget 26 announced an increase of $800,000 additional funding for Community Services Card holders and people aged 65 and over, who are exempt from the Budget 2024 savings initiative to reintroduce the $5 prescription co-payment for those aged 14 years and over.
ProCare acknowledges this as a step in the right direction, particularly initiatives aimed at improving access through community-based care.
“This is a positive step for equity in primary care. Removing cost barriers for those who need support most helps ensure people can access the medicines they rely on, without financial pressure,” says Norwell.
“Maintaining these exemptions will help improve access to pharmaceuticals, particularly for older people and those on lower incomes, and supports better health outcomes by enabling people to manage conditions early and consistently,” points out Norwell.
Demand rising, workforce stretched
General practice continues to face increasing patient complexity, workforce shortages, financial pressure on practices, and growing unmet need across communities. Without targeted investment, access will continue to deteriorate.
“New Zealand needs a long-term health strategy that recognises growing demand and backs primary care as the foundation of the system; supported by smart investment in workforce, digital tools, and reduced administrative burden,” points out Norwell.
“At the same time, we must shift care closer to home through better planned, community-based services and a more streamlined system, improving access, reducing pressure on hospitals, and delivering better value for patients and taxpayers,” concludes Norwell.
About ProCare
ProCare is a leading healthcare provider that aims to deliver the most progressive, pro-active and equitable health and wellbeing services in Aotearoa. We do this through our clinical support services, mental health and wellness services, virtual/tele health, mobile health, smoking cessation and by taking a population health and equity approach to our mahi.
As New Zealand’s largest Primary Health Organisation, we represent a network of general practice teams and healthcare professionals who provide care to nearly 700,000 patients across Auckland and Northland. These practices serve the largest Pacific and South Asian populations enrolled in general practice and the largest Māori population in Tāmaki Makaurau. For more information go to www.procare.co.nz