“The Māori Health Authority has been spending half a million dollars a month on recruiters to hire more bureaucrats,” says ACT Deputy Leader and Health spokesperson Brooke van Velden.

“Written Parliamentary Questions released to ACT show that the organisation has spent $9.2 million on contractors and consultants in only eight months. With $3.9 million allocated towards recruitment agencies focussed on policy advisors, communications staff and administration staff.

“While this is going on, Kiwis of all ethnicities are missing out on important healthcare. Less surgeries are being done, people aren’t receiving scans on time, there’s less frontline staff than last year.

“The Government has been so focussed on increasing bureaucracy and injecting co-governance into the health system they have ignored what matters to Kiwis - that when Kiwis need treatment they can get appointments.

“The emphasis should be on getting value for every dollar and fitting services to every New Zealander. Our population is more diverse than just Māori and non-Māori, but you wouldn’t know it from this Government’s priorities.

“We’re seeing the result of Labour’s misguided priorities play out in emergency rooms across the country now. The health system is in crisis and Kiwis want to have faith that an ambulance will turn up or they can get the care their taxes are paying for.

“The future of our health system will be based on better training, better retention and better recruitment. Not more bureaucracy.”

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