Little vows Labour will repair healthcare

Labour Party leader Andrew Little says his own cancer scare has coloured his views on health funding.

He made the remarks yesterday in a joint ‘‘state of the nation’’ event with the Greens in Auckland.

The event was designed to stress the two parties’ ability and willingness to work together for a change of government.

Little was diagnosed with earlystage prostate cancer in 2009, at the age of 43, but has since received treatment and been given a clean bill of health.

He said the experience gave him ‘‘a stronger determination to strive for a system that is genuinely fair for everyone’’.

That included a push for the latest medicines for those with treatable cancer, such as Leisa Renwick’s fight against advanced melanoma that eventually saw Pharmac fund the advanced drug Keytruda.

If voted into power, Labour would reverse the $1.7 billion in health cuts made by National, he said.

‘‘You know, Labour built the public health system in this country. We fixed it after National tried to tear it down in the 1990s. And we’ll fix it again.’’

He also peppered his speech, which Labour billed in advance as not containing major policy announcements, with other personal touches – including an account of his rail trail cycle trip with his 16-year-old son Cam.

The speech touched on the major election issues Labour has identified: Housing, health, and education. Little also reiterated his pledge to get justice for the Pike River families.

On the housing issue, Little said the party’s Kiwibuild policy would see 100,000 affordable houses built and every rental home would be warm, dry, and healthy.

Speculators who used homes as ‘‘gambling chips’’ would be reined in.

‘‘We’ve solved housing crises before. Labour’s built homes before. We’ve done it before. We’ll do it again.’’

Little used the opportunity to attack Prime Minister Bill English for not attending Waitangi on Waitangi Day and not for standing a candidate in the Mt Albert byelection.

‘‘Bill English is a competent bean counter, but he’s showing he’s not a leader.’’

Little said Labour would pay down government debt and be fiscally responsible and run surpluses. ‘‘I’m going to run a tight ship. ‘‘No more Saudi sheep scams, I promise you that.’’

Little said he was proud the Greens were at the meeting too.

‘‘Both Labour and the Greens believe that politics is about building a better future for everyone.

‘‘We’re ready to win. We’re ready to govern.’’

Green co-leader Meteria Turei, whose shorter speech preceded Little’s, praised mana wahine – strong women who had inspired her, including union leader Helen Kelly, who died last year, and former Green co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons.

She also stressed housing and the need for better homes, as well as other mainstream Green themes including jobs, clean rivers and beaches.

The two parties would work together ‘‘to see Andrew Little become our new prime minister’’ and ‘‘do what’s right, not just what’s easy’’. – Fairfax NZ