Policy our lives depend on: Health research in election 2014
We all care about health – ours, our family’s, and even that of one or two politicians (perhaps). We also care that the 15 billion dollar annual health budget is spent on health care that works. I contend that both these cares are only as good as the health research that underpins the treatments we receive. Therefore, I have compiled what I could discover about health research policy from the policy documents available online of the political parties contending the current NZ general election. I have tried to focus on where health research in a particular area is promised or on health research infrastructure. In some places I’ve extracted from a more general science and/or innovation policy those policies I think likely to impact health research. Obviously some parties are still releasing policy. I invite them to send me any policies that they think relevant and I will update. I think you will be surprised at what is missing in the list below.
The parties are in reverse alphabetical order.
United Future*
Health Policy: http://www.unitedfuture.org.nz/policy/health
- Increase funding for health research to bring New Zealand’s funding up to at least the OECD average as a proportion of GDP;
- Establish a national register for Type 1 Diabetes, a diabetes research fund, and increase funding for Type 2 Diabetes testing;
- Make no change to the legal status of cannabis for medicinal use until a robust regulatory testing regime is developed that proves cannabis use causes minimal harm to an individual’s health
- Introduce a sabbatical scheme that would allow health professionals to take a year out of work every five years to update their skills and knowledge;
- Promote more research to address youth related health problems such as suicide, alcoholism, and bulimia.
Science Policy: http://www.unitedfuture.org.nz/policy/research-science-and-technology
Too long to put in detail, but policies such as “simplifying different funding mechanisms” and specifying biotech as one of half a dozen key research areas requiring focus are likely to impact on health research.
Health spokesperson (Associate Minister of Health): Peter Dunne MP peter.dunne@parliament.govt.nz
New Zealand First
Health Policy: http://nzfirst.org.nz/policy/health
- Ensure an on-going commitment to the funding of health research, research institutes, and for training.
Science Policy: None
RS&T Portfolio holder: Tracey Martin MP tracey.martin@parliament.govt.nz
Health Portfolio holder: Barbara Steward MP barbara.stewart@parliament.govt.nz
National
Health Policy: https://www.national.org.nz/news/features/health
No specific policy on any health research
Science Policy: None
Health spokesperson (Minister of Health): Tony Ryall tony.ryall@national.org.nz
Science spokesperson (Minister of Science and Innovation): Steven Joyce steven.joyce@national.org.nz
Maori Party
Policy: http://maoriparty.org/our-policies-kawanatanga/
- We will support: … Roadshows to promote educational pathways in areas where Māori are under-represented – ie health science academies (Te Kura Pūtaiao Hauora) or science camps.
Science Policy: No specific policy but some comments in the policy above about research and development include establishing an investment fund for Māori Research and Development which may impact on health research.
Health or Science spokespeople: Unknown
Contact: Teururoa Flavell MP teururoa.flavell@parliament.govt.nz
Mana
Health Policy: http://mana.net.nz/policy/policy-health/
No policy specifically dealing with health research
Science Policy: None
Contact: Hone Harawira MP hone.harawira@parliament.govt.nz
Labour
Health Policy: http://campaign.labour.org.nz/full_health_policy
- We need a health system that is based on evidence about what works – not fixated on manufactured targets or political slogans
Health spokesperson: Annette King annette.king@parliament.govt.nz
Science Policy: https://www.labour.org.nz/sites/default/files/issues/science_and_innovation_policy.pdf (UPDATE – released 25 August)
- Reinstate post-doctoral fellowships for recent PhD graduates (scaling up to %6m per year)
- Prioritise an increase in our public science spend to link New Zealand to the OECD average over time
-
review and reform the National Science Challenges, on the basis of advice from the science community and building on the success of respected funding bodies such as the Marsden Fund
provide integrated support for innovation across the Crown Research Institutes and tertiary institutions, and through private-sector research activities, and sectoral and regional initiatives
review the criteria of the Performance Based Research Fund to ensure that a broad range of research success is recognised
support research in universities, including through a continued commitment to Centres of Research Excellence
encourage closer association between business and university commercialisation centres to ensure ‘discoveries’ within the universities are most effectively brought to market and have the best chance for success
support and foster a collaborative university system, where each of our universities is enabled to focus on its areas of research and teaching strength.
- support research in universities, including through:
- a continued commitment to Centres of Research Excellence,
- ensuring the sustainability of the Marsden Fund and other research funds
- supporting the career pathways of graduates, to encourage our researchers to develop their careers and contribute to New Zealand.
Science Spokesperson: Moana Mackey MP moana.mackey@parliament.govt.nz
Internet
Health Policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1g4RY7Sh-vYZN1WAIx_A-AEZlYzNjMhzY81KnfKLMGp0/edit
Copyright and Open Research Policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Le3rY0wlh9tJaBzpxK5xrpeWID-j5FmeE4dqONdQATE/edit
- Mandate that all taxpayer-funded research be open access with the public able to freely access and re-use it.
Health or Science spokespeople: Unknown
Contact: hello@internet.org.nz
Green
Health Policy: No general health policy, but some on particular issues.
Update 25 Aug: I have been informed that the Greens have a health policy on a different web site https://home.greens.org.nz/policy/health-policy. Their election site http://www.greens.org has no health policy.
No policy specifically dealing with health research.
Green innovation Policy: https://www.greens.org.nz/policy/smarter-economy/smart-green-innovation
Some aspects of this policy may impact health research, in particular:
- $1 billion of new government funding over three years for research and development to kick-start a transformational shift in how our economy creates wealth;
- The Green Party will fund an additional 1,000 places at tertiary institutions for students of engineering, mathematics, computer science, and the physical sciences.
Health or Science spokespeople: Unknown
Contact greenparty@greens.org.nz
Conservatives
Health Policy: None
Science Policy: None
Health or Science spokespeople: Unknown
Contact: Office@conservativeparty.org.nz
ACT
Health Policy: http://www.act.org.nz/policies/health-0
No policy specifically dealing with health research
Science Policy: No science policy
Health or Science spokespeople: Unknown
Contact: info@act.org.nz
________________________________________________________________________________________________
*Disclaimer: I used to be a member of United Future and made submissions on the health and science policies in 2008. A few echoes of those submissions remain in the policies.
Tagged: ACT, Election, Greens, Health Policy, Internet Mana, Labour Party, Maori party, National Party, New Zealand First, politics, Research, Science, United Future 
One Response to “Policy our lives depend on: Health research in election 2014”
Yes, what a dismal situation, most parties have NO real science policy, and we learned some time ago from Professor Gluckman, actually the PM’s Chief Science Advisor, that there was a lack of science advice and input in policy making, at least in some areas of government.
https://sciblogs.co.nz/griffins-gadgets/2013/09/03/gluckmans-audit-finds-patchy-use-of-evidence-in-government/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciblogsnz+%28SciBlogs.co.nz%29
http://www.pmcsa.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/The-role-of-evidence-in-policy-formation-and-implementation-report.pdf
Yet the government did rush to bring in policies, some of which have raised eyebrows and concerns in those that deal a lot with social security policy. It is not just the lack of seriousness about global climate change and science policy as a whole, that is of concern when it comes to government.
Last year they brought in rather draconian welfare reforms, based on “findings” by UK “researchers” such as Professor Mansel Aylward, who worked for a Centre in Disability Research at Cardiff Uni, that was for years “sponsored” by a controversial health and disability insurer. UNUM was actually convicted in the US for questionable methods when assessing insured, with the aim to dis-entitle them from insurance claims.
No wonder the reports by Aylward and some of his colleagues have been controversial and disputed:
http://blacktrianglecampaign.org/2012/09/09/professor-mansel-aylward-my-what-a-very-tangled/
http://blacktrianglecampaign.org/2012/09/15/british-government-uses-might-of-u-s-insurance-giant-unum-to-destroy-u-k-safety-net-report-by-mo-stewart-wraf-rtd-14912/
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/mar/17/epluribusunum
Yet in New Zealand, the present government, apparently not too fussed about scientific evidence, grabbed the opportunity to rely on Aylward and others’ “findings” and approaches, and have stepped up to challenge many sick and disabled on welfare benefits, to try and prove that work on the open market is the “best medicine” to get well again:
http://accforum.org/forums/index.php?/topic/15188-medical-and-work-capability-assessments-based-on-the-bps-model-aimed-at-disentiteling-affected-from-welfare-benefits-and-acc-compo/
http://accforum.org/forums/index.php?/topic/16092-work-ability-assessments-done-for-work-and-income-%E2%80%93-partly-following-acc%E2%80%99s-approach-a-revealing-fact-study/
Bizarrely, even the AFOEM has adopted Aylward’s “findings”, but does it surprise, when their President Elect (Dr Beaumont) is a former ATOS employee:
http://www.racp.org.nz/page/racp-faculties/australasian-faculty-of-occupational-and-environmental-medicine/realising-the-health-benefits-of-work/may-2010-video-presentation-professor-sir-mansel-aylward
http://www.pathwaystowork.co.nz/contact-us
http://nz.linkedin.com/pub/david-beaumont/2a/780/943
Yet there is little in the way of evaluation made available on the supposed “success” of the reforms, and how they actually work:
http://publicaddress.net/speaker/how-is-government-evaluating-its-welfare/
So perhaps a stronger focus on SCIENCE and research, and on a REAL science policy, that invests more in science, may be worth to consider for our various parties contesting for votes. I at least want a government that uses science when developing, bringing in and implementing new policy, no matter what area.
It is time for politicians to take science more seriously, and for parties to include science in policy, and for governments to check on what science they use for advice, as some of it may be out of date, or not quite up to scratch.
Politicians that are ignorant of science, and governments that are not clued up enough on science, are bound to make poor decisions, and bring in policies that may even prove to be more harmful than useful, no matter how good and sincere the intentions.