By FRANCESCA MOLD political reporter
Prime Minister Helen Clark has told her ministers and the heads of Government departments to sharpen up their act and make sure the cabinet is given the correct advice before it makes decisions.
Her edict follows the furore over changes to income limits for Community Services Cards, which have been restricted to superannuitants, sparking criticism that 48,000 low-income earners have been excluded.
The mishandling of the issue was discussed in the cabinet yesterday and Helen Clark told a post-cabinet press conference she had asked the head of the Prime Minister's Department, Mark Prebble, to tell chief executives that the Government needed "full advice" in the future.
When asked about a string of recent examples of incorrect advice provided by Government ministers, Helen Clark referred to an incident when she had to correct an answer given to Parliament in relation to payouts to Historic Places Trust employees.
"It's always of concern when you feel you don't have the full picture. I've been thoroughly dropped in it with an answer supplied to a question a few weeks ago," she said. "We can only urge everyone to do better."
The cabinet was advised of the need to increase pensions and benefits by 4 per cent in line with inflation on January 23. But it was not told what implications this decision would have for the Community Services Card, said Helen Clark.
"There were a number of points when it could have been drawn to our attention ... rather than waiting for the Opposition to wake up three weeks after the announcement and say there could be implications."
Helen Clark said there had also been discussion between Social Services Minister Steve Maharey, Health Minister Annette King and Senior Citizens Minister Lianne Dalziel about the decision's implications for superannuitants.
"My only request to them and everyone else in the future is to let the rest of the crowd in on the discussion so we can make a decision in full knowledge of what is going on," she said.
In an effort to deflect criticism over its decision to restrict the income limits for the card to superannuitants, the Government announced the card scheme would be reviewed within six months.
But by then the card is likely to be redundant under plans to change primary healthcare funding. These plans, due to be finalised in October, include a move to bulk-fund GPs and other primary healthcare providers through a formula geared to the health and socio-economic status of patients in their region.
Helen Clark said yesterday that the Government would "redouble" its efforts to redesign a decent primary healthcare payment strategy.
The Community Services Card was a "crude" way of funding healthcare and should be replaced with a more universal system.
She said changes would be phased in over three to five years, with funding in next year's Budget.
PM tells sidekicks to sharpen up
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.