National says it will cut foreign aid to boost Pharmac medicines budget
New Zealand's National Party has pledged to reduce foreign aid spending by 10% to fund a $604 million boost for Pharmac, the country's drug-buying agency. The policy aims to prioritize domestic healthcare, specifically cancer treatments, while maintaining current aid levels for Pacific nations.
Why it matters
This proposal reflects a shift in political priorities toward domestic social services at the expense of international development funding.
<p>National says it will reduce New Zealand's foreign aid spending to boost Pharmac’s medicines budget and cancer screening, if elected.</p> <p>The party announced today that it would invest $604 million to help Pharmac fund new medicines and expand access to those already funded. </p> <p>To pay for the boost, National said it would cut funding to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, reducing New Zealand’s foreign aid outside the Pacific by 10%. Aid to the Pacific would remain “fully protected”. </p> <p>"New Zealanders are generous people, and we'll continue to play our part in the world,” National health spokesperson Simeon Brown said.
Also covering this story
One other newsroom covered this event. We read that version too.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in