The Cancer Society of New Zealand is welcoming the new 2025 health budget, but says it has not delivered anything of significance for people with cancer and their families.
The Cancer Society of New Zealand is welcoming an increased Government investment in health infrastructure, improved access to afterhours care and practical access to prescriptions for long term medications but overall says Budget 2025 has not delivered anything of significance for people with cancer and their families.
Cancer Society Chief Executive Nicola Coom says she had predicted it would be a “quiet budget” for cancer; however, she was holding out hope that the Government would recognise the long-term impact of investing in cancer prevention, early detection and medicine access.
She notes that while the Government had signalled tight fiscal conditions and had last year announced a $604 million boost for medicines, which has already been allocated by Pharmac, there was hope this Budget would build on that momentum and show a commitment “to lift New Zealand from the bottom of the OECD for medicine access”.
Ms Coom says while she acknowledges there will always be strong demand on the health dollar, the Cancer Society believes New Zealand must “think differently, be bolder and act with greater urgency”.
“If this Government truly wants to take a long-term view, and act with future generations in mind as Finance Minister Nicola Willis stated, then it must start investing in what will make the biggest difference: prevention, early detection, and research. That’s how we will step towards a future free from cancer.”
For more information, please contact:
Maria De Cort
Senior Communications Advisor
Cancer Society of New Zealand
Email: maria@cancer.org.nz
Phone: 021 991 952