“The Government’s insistence that a new Select Committee be set up to consider the health care reforms because it wants greater Māori representation is divisive and sets a dangerous precedent,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.
“The Select Committee that considers this legislation should be focussed on ensuring there is good health care for all New Zealanders.
“Health Minister Andrew Little is effectively saying that if an MP is not Māori then they’re not qualified to consider the legislation.
“All people should be free and equal. According to this Government some are more equal than others and some are more able to consider how we get better health care based on who their grandparents were.
“The Health Select Committee considers every other health matter, so why not this?
“This will set a terrible precedent. It will mean that Parliament has bought into a belief system where membership of a group is more important than the common humanity that unites us.”