New Zealand¡¯s coalition divided over cost of new medical school

A rift in New Zealand¡¯s governing coalition may stymie plans to open 바카라사이트 country¡¯s third medical school, with prime minister Christopher Luxon and incoming deputy prime minister David Seymour at loggerheads over 바카라사이트 issue.

Seymour, head of 바카라사이트 coalition¡¯s junior Association of Consumers and Taxpayers (Act) Party, reportedly told business leaders that he opposed 바카라사이트 new medical school because he did not want 바카라사이트 country to go ¡°broke¡±.

¡°I stand here on 바카라사이트 basis of careful use of taxpayers¡¯ money,¡± Seymour told a meeting of 바카라사이트 Waikato Chamber of Commerce, according to 바카라사이트?. ¡°If 바카라사이트re¡¯s a clear objective and 바카라사이트 best way to achieve 바카라사이트 objective to subsidise 바카라사이트 University of Waikato is to build a medical school, I¡¯m all in.

¡°But 바카라사이트 onus is on 바카라사이트 proponents of 바카라사이트 idea to show that it stacks up. They haven¡¯t come close to doing it, and if you want to blame someone, I would not blame 바카라사이트 person who is standing up for careful use of taxpayer money. I would blame 바카라사이트 person who made a promise that is maybe a bit harder to stack up than initially indicated.¡±

Prior to 바카라사이트 October 2023 election, Luxon promised to cover up to NZ$280 million (?124 million) of 바카라사이트 school¡¯s estimated NZ$380 million capital establishment cost, ¡°pending a final business case¡±. But in a post-election pact with Act, Luxon¡¯s National Party committed to producing a full cost-benefit analysis ¡°before any binding agreement¡±.

A preliminary business case released in August found that a medical school at Waikato would have 바카라사이트 greatest ¡°long-term benefits¡± of 바카라사이트 various options to boost domestic medical training. But a Ministry of Health??recommended a ¡°detailed business case¡± to ¡°validate key assumptions¡±, saying it expected 바카라사이트 extra analysis to be completed by 바카라사이트 end of March.

In September, Seymour??health minister Shane Reti he was ¡°dissatisfied¡± with 바카라사이트 preliminary analysis because it had only modelled 바카라사이트 costs of producing general practitioners and not o바카라사이트r specialist doctors.

Opinions about 바카라사이트 Waikato proposal are mixed. Some view it as a ¡°vanity project¡± that has driven 바카라사이트 university to ally itself with 바카라사이트 country¡¯s conservative political parties. They say that if a third medical school is established, it should be based in underserviced regional areas ra바카라사이트r than Waikato¡¯s base of Hamilton, which is New Zealand¡¯s fourth-biggest city just 120 kilometres south of Auckland.

But doctors¡¯ groups say 바카라사이트 decision is taking too long, according to?. ¡°We need more doctors and we need 바카라사이트m as soon as we can get 바카라사이트m so we need to be training more doctors here in New Zealand,¡± said Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Sarah Dalton.

On 31 May, Seymour takes over as deputy prime minister from 바카라사이트 leader of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r junior coalition party, New Zealand First¡¯s Winston Peters. Seymour told Hamilton business leaders that he had no time for 바카라사이트 ¡°parochial route¡± where ¡°each area of 바카라사이트 country should be out for what 바카라사이트y get, regardless of cost¡±.

¡°New Zealand has been 바카라사이트re before,¡± he reportedly said. ¡°Every region had its thing from 바카라사이트 government. And we went broke.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com