Hon Peter Dunne
MP for Ohariu Belmont
Minister of Revenue
Associate Minister of Health
Tuesday, 29 August 2006
Dunne to Australia for medicines talks
Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne leaves tomorrow for a three-day visit to Australia as part of the development of a
national medicines strategy for New Zealand.
"Increasingly, nations around the world are facing the dilemma of trying to provide the best and most up-to-date
medicines for their citizens without blowing the health budget," he said.
"As part of United Future's confidence and supply agreement with Labour, we undertook to develop a comprehensive
medicines strategy that would improve New Zealanders' access to top-quality medicines.
"We are now at the stage of gathering information from around the globe with a view to going to Cabinet later in the
year with a well-informed discussion document that will lead to a robust strategy.
"During my talks in Sydney and Canberra, I will be meeting the Federal Minister for Health and Ageing, Tony Abbott, as
well as officials and health professionals who are all grappling with the same issues," said Mr Dunne.
He returns to Wellington on Saturday.
ENDS