MEDIA RELEASE, 9 February 2000
Population Ageing One of the Challenges
The implications of New Zealand’s ageing population is a challenge the new Government will be addressing, Health
Minister Annette King says.
“The positive news is that the Ministry of Health’s report shows New Zealanders are living longer lives. This means more
people having the chance to know their grandparents, and developing stronger family support networks.
“It also means more people needing to use health services as they develop conditions associated with ageing.
“We are aware of the effect our aging population has on health spending. We are even more aware this pressure will
continue increasing.
“We welcome the report on our ageing population. It provides us with data which identifies and quantifies the issues
surrounding the increasing average age of our population.
“Having reliable information allows us to develop solutions that will work. The information will be fed into our New
Zealand Health Strategy, being developed by the Ministry of Health.
“The strategy will provide a comprehensive framework to deal with New Zealand’s health problems, including pressures on
the health budget. The strategy will be completed by the year’s end.”
ENDS