Minister: Damien O'connor

New health support service now running in Paritutu

beehive.govt.nz — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:25:56 +1200

A new health support service for people historically exposed to dioxin from the former Ivon Watkins Dow factory in Paritutu, New Plymouth became available today.

Associate Minister of Health Damien O’Connor said the service was designed to support people to maintain healthy lifestyles, and was developed through community consultation.

“The government acknowledges that there is sufficient evidence that some people living in these areas have potentially been exposed to harm,” said Mr O’Connor.

"While the degree of harm is highly uncertain; it is better to act now to provide additional help to those who may have been affected. Dioxin exposure is an area which attracts intense debate and there are many conflicting views on the human consequences. That debate is likely to continue but it should not prevent us from doing what we can to help now, based on what we know now.

"Most people are interested in their health today, and what they can do to help stay healthy in the future. We are taking a very broad approach to eligibility - it's not based on levels of historic exposure, but on the length of time a person spent in the specified areas.

“We have also extended the catchment area for eligible people to include the port. This is consistent with the precautionary, inclusive approach based on natural boundaries that was applied to residents and other workers. It reflects that the scientific evidence to support inclusion may change as the science changes. This option is responsive to the community’s concerns about the inclusion of port workers,” he said.

The service will provide a free annual check-up with a GP or practice nurse. Individuals may also be referred to other health services like smoking cessation, physical activity and nutrition support and primary mental health care. Doctors may also refer people for genetic counselling or serum dioxin testing.

The service will be available to eligible workers and residents who have moved elsewhere in the country by October.

Details on how people can apply to be part of the service are available on the Ministry of Health website www.moh.govt.nz or by phoning 0800 288 588.

Tourism spend surpasses $20 billion for the first time

beehive.govt.nz — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:09:54 +1200

Tourism expenditure has surpassed $20 billion a year for the first time according to new figures out today, said Tourism Minister Damien O’Connor.

The Tourism Satellite Account: 2007, published today by Statistics New Zealand, shows tourism spend in New Zealand increased 4.7 percent ($896 million) in the year to March 2007 compared to the previous year.

The figures also show international tourism expenditure accounted for $8.8 billion, or 18.3 percent of New Zealand’s exports, compared with $8.4 billion the previous year, confirming tourism remains New Zealand’s number one export earner.

Mr O’Connor said the report demonstrates just how important tourism is to New Zealand’s economy, contributing 9.2 percent of GDP.

“The sheer size of the tourism industry and its potential to help transform our economy into one which is more sustainable and of higher value means it is extremely important to New Zealand,” said Mr O’Connor.

“These figures are a culmination of the huge amount of effort and innovation thousands of companies and individuals demonstrate on a daily basis.

“Tourism's future depends upon sustainability and delivering greater value from each and every visitor to this country. We need to continue to deliver on our world famous 100% Pure New Zealand brand and implement the outcomes of the New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2015 to ensure ongoing prosperity in the industry.

“While escalating oil prices will provide a challenge for tourism and every other industry in this country, it is a challenge faced across the globe. Our ability to compete will depend on delivering a better product than our competitors, ensuring we are environmentally, economically, socially and culturally sustainable.

“Operating sustainably is no longer optional. In today’s world it is essential for business success. Doing what we can to protect our environment will also reward us financially, ensuring the economic sustainability of the tourism industry and New Zealand as a whole,” said Mr O’Connor.

To view the Tourism Satellite Account: 2007 go to www.tourismresearch.govt.nz

Guides give sustainability tips to tourism businesses

beehive.govt.nz — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:21:34 +1200

New sector-specific guides to help tourism operators ensure their businesses are sustainable were launched today by Tourism Minister Damien O’Connor.

The new guides aim to help operators implement the recommendations of the New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2015 and outline ways businesses can help create a sustainable tourism industry – environmentally, economically, socially and culturally.

Mr O’Connor said operating sustainably is no longer optional.

“In today’s world, sustainability is essential to business success. Doing what we can to protect and enhance our natural environment will also reward us financially, ensuring the industry’s economic sustainability.

“These guides provide a useful checklist for businesses to tick off the actions they are already doing, and find out what else they can do to develop and strengthen their businesses. Advice is provided in four areas – providing a world-class visitor experience, running a profitable business, protecting and enhancing the environment, and working with local communities for mutual benefit.

“Our 100% Pure New Zealand promise means we have to do all we can to protect what New Zealanders and our overseas visitors have always enjoyed. To deliver on our 100% Pure image we need to take credible and visible steps to reduce our environmental impact and improve our environmental management, as well as ensuring we are economically, socially and culturally sustainable.

“The New Zealand Tourism Strategy seeks to create a sustainable tourism industry that delivers maximum benefit to New Zealand. It requires action from both the government and the private sector, including individual operators, to ensure that it is implemented successfully.

“The government, along with private sector agencies have agreed the roles they will play in an implementation plan for the Tourism Strategy. The plan sets out a lead agency and contributing agency for each of the Strategy’s 92 actions and will be available within the next month.”

So far, the four-page guides have been developed for three sectors – accommodation and hospitality, transport, and visitor activities. The next three to be completed over the next few weeks are: Maori tourism, distribution and cultural tourism.

The guides were developed in partnership by the government and the Tourism Industry Association. To download the guides visit www.nztourismstrategy.com

Holiday Accommodation Parks of New Zealand Conference

beehive.govt.nz — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:32:08 +1200

Kia ora.

Thank you for your invitation to once again open your annual conference, it’s great to be here.

I’d like to acknowledge Fergus, Steve and the HAPNZ Board for their hard work and commitment to the sector over the past year.

There has been some great progress made in the tourism industry since I spoke at your conference this time last year.

We launched the New Zealand Tourism Strategy to 2015 last year, which will guide how we develop the tourism industry over the next seven years. The Strategy makes sustainable business practices central to the future vision for our industry. Its actions and recommendations seek to ensure that, through to 2015 and beyond, New Zealand’s tourism sector delivers a world class visitor experience. Tourism will boost prosperity, attract ongoing investment and take a leading role in protecting and enhancing the environment. And increasingly, communities and regions will recognise and value the benefits of tourism. That is our strategic direction.

The Strategy also sets out what we need to do, together, to overcome the challenges ahead. And I emphasise the word ‘together’ because in the tourism industry, we cannot go out on our own. Our tourism product is 100% Pure New Zealand, our landscape, our people, our culture. For our strategy to succeed, we need buy-in right across the economy. We need each and every New Zealander to understand how important tourism is to this country.

I’m pleased to be able to say that we have huge support for the Strategy across government and from the private sector. In fact, Rod Oram said it was arguably the best industry strategy we have in New Zealand. The Ministry of Tourism, Tourism New Zealand and the Tourism Industry Association (the Royal we), have recently drafted a detailed plan to guide the implementation of the Strategy to 2015. The plan sets out the “who” and “when” for each of the Strategy’s 92 actions.

I’m pleased that you, the holiday parks sector, have recently developed your own Strategy to 2015 and it is great to see that it closely aligns with the Tourism Strategy at the national level.

Holiday parks are the first sub-sector to formally demonstrate commitment to the national-level goals and it’s great to have your strong support.

Both strategies are underpinned by two key values – kaitiakitanga and manaakitanga.

These concepts have been summarised as ‘guardianship’ and ‘hospitality’, however their full meanings have a wider range and depth.

Kaitiakitanga refers to our responsibility for the preservation and promotion of our environment, people and culture. Manaakitanga refers to the care, engagement and hospitality we show our guests, on the basis of mutual respect between host and visitor.

While these are traditional Maori values, they resonate globally. I don’t believe any other tourism industry in the world has embraced indigenous concepts in this way. They differentiate us in the world, and can inspire visitors. We want visitors to return to their home town and tell others about how they experienced these values first hand.

You might be wondering what it means on a practical, every day level, to implement kaitiakitanga and manaakitanga, and how you can work to achieve the vision set out for a sustainable and growing holiday park sector.

Sector-specific guides have been developed to help operators implement the recommendations of the New Zealand Tourism Strategy. The guides outline the ways you can support the shared aims of the Strategy and the New Zealand Holiday Parks Strategy of creating a sustainable tourism industry that delivers maximum benefit with as few unwanted effects as possible.

I am pleased to be officially launching the guides here today, and I have copies of the accommodation guides for you to take away. In the interests of sustainability, we’ve also put them on the New Zealand Tourism Strategy website.

So far, the four-page guides have been developed for three sectors – accommodation and hospitality, transport, and visitor activities. I’m sure you’ll find them useful as a checklist to tick off the actions you are already doing, and find out what else you can do as you develop and strengthen your businesses.

Some of the tips are detailed and specific. Others will require you, either individually or as members of HAPNZ, to work out how best to implement them in your community, or within the holiday parks sector.

And because our strategies are so closely aligned, I am certain that implementing the tips given in the guides, will also help you to achieve the vision of your Strategy for the holiday parks sector too.

Operating sustainably is no longer optional. In today’s world, it is essential for business success. Doing what we can to protect, or preferably enhance, our natural environment, will also reward us financially, ensuring the industry’s economic sustainability too.

It is New Zealand’s natural environment that underpins one of the most successful country tourism brands in the world – ‘100% Pure New Zealand’.

But here in New Zealand, and around the world, there is much greater attention than ever before on human impacts on the environment. Our 100% Pure brand promise means we have to do all we can to protect our environment. International visitors will increasingly seek information to make sure their choices are ethical and sustainable. To deliver on this image and protect what New Zealand families have always enjoyed, we need to take credible and visible steps to reduce our environmental impact and improve our environmental management.

Some of you may have heard me talk at the national tourism conference last year about research which shows that around a third of New Zealanders have purposely avoided buying from companies because of that company’s impact on society or the environment. The research also showed that up to 1.4 million New Zealanders say they will pay a premium for products and services which have a positive social or environmental benefit.

What these results highlight is an increasing expectation by New Zealanders, as well as our international visitors, that businesses will act responsibly to address these issues. Thanks in part to the great work of the AA and Regional Tourism Organisations throughout the country, domestic tourism still makes up more than half of our tourism spending, and 70% of visitor nights at holiday parks, so we must listen to this feedback.

I know that in some ways I’m preaching to the converted today, as many of you are already leaders in environmental sustainability.

But there are always things we can do, every day, to make changes to the way we operate our business.

I would also like to briefly mention an idea that I am floating with industry at present around an environmental levy for overseas visitors coming to New Zealand. The money collected would go into environmental infrastructure and it would be focused on wider industry good projects. It would be an open and transparent fund that would be managed by an independent group including representatives from the industry and central government. Any such levy would also deserve promotion on the basis that we would be using money for environmental protection to underpin our 100% Pure New Zealand brand that is something to be proud of and marketed accordingly. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on such a levy.

I’d like to take this opportunity to endorse the HAPNZ data collection programme which I understand is being launched later today. Good data is vital to help make well-informed, strategic business decisions. And I know you’ll find the ability to benchmark against each other extremely valuable.

It’s great to see an industry group recognising its needs in this area, and getting a system up and running, while ensuring that there is alignment with other sectors and what is going on at the national level. I’d like to congratulate Fergus and the HAPNZ Board on this achievement.

I look forward to working with HAPNZ to help achieve our common goals.

I see the New Zealand Tourism Strategy to 2015, together with your Strategy 2015, as providing an excellent framework to help one another achieve this.

Our Strategies both seek outcomes of world-class experiences for our visitors, world-leading environmental best practice, and strong healthy relationships with our communities.

I’m sure that, together, we can achieve a truly sustainable nation that enjoys economic, environmental, social and cultural well-being.

While escalating oil prices will provide a challenge for tourism and every other industry in this country it is a challenge faced across the globe and our ability to compete will depend, as always, on delivering a better product than our competitors.

We are well positioned internationally with our 100% Pure NZ brand with very high levels of visitor satisfaction so the challenge is to continue to deliver an authentic, educational and inspiring visitor experience.

I note Dr Ian Yeoman, Victoria University’s incoming professor of tourism management, summarised authentic as an ethical, natural, honest, simple human experience.

Holiday parks are perfectly positioned to deliver on that authentic experience for both international visitors and Kiwis wanting to find out more about our wonderful country. I have no doubt you will continue to play a large part in our tourism industry’s future and reap the rewards of a decent return for your efforts.

Thanks again for your invitation to speak today.

World first Txt2Quit service targets young smokers

beehive.govt.nz — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 07:51:29 +1200

A new free interactive text message service to help smokers kick their habit has been welcomed by Associate Health Minister Damien O’Connor.

Txt2Quit, which kicks off today, is a world-first 26-week long support service run through the government funded national freephone Quitline. Participants receive regular, personalised text messages to help them through their quitting journey. The service is targeted at getting young people to quit smoking.

Mr O’Connor said trials of the service found that it more than doubled a young person’s chance of successfully quitting smoking six weeks into the programme.

“The Txt2Quit service is the latest in a long line of innovative projects recently introduced to combat smoking in our country,” Mr O’Connor said.

Other initiatives included banning smoking in indoor workplaces, including bars and restaurants and increasing access to subsidised nicotine replacement therapy products.

“The 2006/07 New Zealand Health Survey found smoking rates were highest amongst 15-34 year olds. This new Txt2Quit service is aimed at helping them to quit smoking.

“Other surveys have found that more than 70% of youth smokers would not smoke if they had their lives over again so we need to do all we can to help them quit,” Mr O’Connor said.

Results released last month from the Ministry of Health’s 2006/07 New Zealand Health Survey showed New Zealand’s smoking prevalence was at a record low of 19.9 per cent for current smokers (aged 15 years and over).

“This means our smoking rates are at their lowest level ever since monitoring of tobacco use began more than 30 years ago. However, I am determined to up the ante in our fight to further cut smoking rates.”

“Tobacco control is a high priority for this Labour-led government. In this year’s Budget we committed an additional $32 million over the next four years to support renewed efforts aimed at further reducing smoking rates and the number of teens taking up smoking.

“We can and will make even faster progress towards achieving our goal of a smokefree New Zealand,” said Mr O’Connor.

Smokers can register for the new Txt2Quit service by going to the website www.txt2quit.org.nz or by calling the Quitline on 0800 778 778.

$3 million funding for new men’s health programme

beehive.govt.nz — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 10:22:46 +1200

Associate Health Minister Damien O’Connor today kicked off Men’s Health Week by announcing government funding of almost $3 million over the next year to promote greater awareness of men's health.

"It’s no secret that Kiwi blokes can be reluctant patients. This new funding will go into programmes and initiatives aimed at encouraging men to be more aware of their health and access healthcare,” said Mr O’Connor.

“We are looking at a range of ways to accomplish this; from setting up clinics in male-dominated workplaces like freezing works and timber mills, to funding a social marketing campaign on men’s health.”

Initiatives and programmes in the package include:

providing targeted men’s health checks at convenient times and locations
supporting workplace based men’s health initiatives
establishing a men’s health innovation fund to support community based men’s health initiatives
developing a men’s health social marketing campaign
improving access to good quality men’s health information by supporting existing websites, telephone health services and a range of information pamphlets

“The government also recently announced that it is fast-tracking a colorectal (bowel) cancer screening programme, in an effort to better diagnose and treat New Zealand's second-biggest cancer killer. This is important for men as they have a substantially higher mortality rate for colorectal cancer than women,” said Mr O’Connor.

"The latest New Zealand Health Survey shows that men are going to the doctor more than they used to, which is a good start. However, the Survey also shows men smoke and drink more than women, are less likely to eat healthily and are more likely to be overweight or Class One obese. We want to encourage men to be proactive in seeking healthcare.

“Men’s health is a new delegation under the health portfolio and already we are making progress in this area. This funding is a start and shows that government is committed to improving access and raising awareness of men’s health. This week as Men’s Health Week is a perfect time to restate this commitment,” said Mr O’Connor.

LEARN Scholarships announced

beehive.govt.nz — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 08:23:58 +1200

The Government is to offer up to nine scholarships for scientists from developing countries working in animal greenhouse gas emissions research to work in New Zealand, Acting Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said today.

Mr O’Connor said that in November last year, New Zealand set up an international research network entitled the ‘Livestock Emissions & Abatement Research Network’ (LEARN). It is an international research network focused upon improving the understanding of greenhouse gas emissions from livestock agriculture.

The objectives of the network are to improve the quantification of non-CO₂ greenhouse gas emissions from animal agriculture at all scales, and to facilitate the development of cost effective and practical greenhouse gas mitigation solutions.

Mr O’Connor said that as part of this, the Government would offer up to nine New Zealand LEARN Fellowships a year for scientists or technicians from developing countries to work in New Zealand in livestock emissions research.

“Successful candidates will have the opportunity to work alongside some of the world’s best researchers and develop links that they will keep throughout their careers,” said Mr O’Connor

The scholarships take two forms: a six-month programme for candidates who have completed a post-graduate qualification in their home country and who wish to gain work experience in New Zealand relevant to their field of study, with preference given to those applicants who are currently enrolled in a PhD in their home country; and a year-long Post-Doctoral for candidates who have preferably completed a PhD within five years of LEARN Fellowship application submission.

They must be either currently employed by, or sponsored by, a Research Institute or Government organisation in their home country.

Education NZ will administer the LEARN Fellowship programme. More information available at: www.newzealandeducated.com/scholarships or www.livestockemissions.net/

Obesity rates slowing but work needs to continue

beehive.govt.nz — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 11:34:16 +1200

Obesity rates among New Zealand children remain static and the increase in obesity among adults has slowed according to survey results released today, said Associate Minister of Health Damien O'Connor.

Results released today from A Portrait of Health: Key results of the 2006/07 New Zealand Health Survey show one in 12 children are obese and a quarter of all kiwi adults are obese.

Mr O’Connor said obesity rates are still too high and more work is needed to continue the inroads already being made.

“The government's investment in the Healthy Eating - Healthy Action project and related public health initiatives are having some effect on improving obesity rates and nutrition of New Zealanders, but we can't take our foot off the pedal just yet.

“These results confirm that reducing obesity, improving nutrition and increasing physical activity needs to remain a top government priority to improve the overall health of all New Zealanders. That’s why the Labour-led government committed $52 million over the next four years in this year’s Budget to several initiatives aimed at improving nutrition and fighting obesity.”

Mr O'Connor said the results from the Survey indicate that obesity rates are higher for Maori and Pacific communities than the total population so the focus must remain on improving health outcomes for these groups.

“Pacific peoples are two and a half times more likely to be obese than the total population and Māori are approximately one and a half times more likely. The government has an ongoing commitment to reducing health inequalities amongst Māori and Pacific populations."

Since the Health Eating Healthy Action (HEHA) Implementation Plan was launched in 2004, the government has progressively rolled out HEHA initiatives and related nutrition and physical activity initiatives over the past four years, significantly building the momentum over the last two years.

The Health Select Committee Inquiry into Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes released last year recommended that the government establish a HEHA Ministerial Committee, a HEHA Sector Steering Group and review the HEHA implementation plan.

“Much of this work is now underway and it will go a long way to ensuring we halt increasing obesity rates and ensuring we begin to see a decline over the next five to ten years,” said Mr O’Connor.

Hard hitting anti-smoking ads to strike chord with smokers

beehive.govt.nz — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 09:32:37 +1200

New hard-hitting television advertisements showing the devastating impact smoking has on the lives of real New Zealanders will screen from today said Associate Health Minister Damien O’Connor.

The series of six documentary style advertisements feature Adrian Pilkington, a 52-year-old from Auckland, who is dying of mouth cancer caused by smoking. He has only about six months to live.

Associate Health Minister Damien O'Connor meets with Adrian Pilkington, a mouth cancer sufferer who appears on the new anti-smoking ads

Adrian was a smoker for more than 30 years and had his entire tongue removed through surgery in March 2007 due to mouth cancer. The tongue was replaced by a flap of skin and muscle from his stomach but he has been unable to eat or drink anything since his operation. He also has a permanent tracheostomy to help him breath.

“It’s a courageous thing Adrian has done. He is passionate about making a difference and using the time he has left to help put a stop to other New Zealand families losing loved ones to smoking,” Mr O’Connor said.

“I hope his story will strike a chord with smokers and prompt them into quitting,” said Mr O’Connor.

Mr O’Connor said the aim of the ad campaign is to personalise the new graphic warnings on cigarette packets and to help prevent some of the 4,700 smoking related deaths each year.

“Some people may find the new campaign harrowing but the fact is that smoking causes many diseases other than just lung cancer. Research has shown most smokers are unaware of, or underestimate, the extent of the serious health consequences of smoking.

In 2004, mouth cancer killed more than 100 people and there were more than 290 new cases reported that year. More than 80 percent of cancers of the mouth, nose and throat occur in people who smoke cigarettes, cigars or pipes.

Mr Pilkington said he regrets smoking and would hate for anyone else to go through the agony he has endured since he was first diagnosed with mouth cancer last year.

“I absolutely didn’t realise I could get mouth cancer from smoking otherwise there’s no way I would have kept smoking. If I could turn the clock back I would never have started in the first place,” Mr Pilkington said.

Mr O’Connor said: “There’s no escaping the human toll that smoking takes. Sadly, Adrian is one of many New Zealanders whose smoking will have the most serious of consequences.”

For help to quit smoking, smokers can talk to their GP, dentist or pharmacist, call the Quitline on 0800 778 778 or visit www.quit.org.nz.

New Zealand smokefree rate at record low

beehive.govt.nz — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 13:30:19 +1200

New Zealand’s smoking rate has fallen to its lowest level since monitoring of tobacco use began more than thirty years ago, Prime Minister Helen Clark and Associate Health Minister Damien O’Connor announced today.

Results from the Ministry of Health’s 2006/07 New Zealand Health Survey - the largest survey of New Zealanders’ health ever completed - puts New Zealand’s smoking prevalence at a record low of 19.9 per cent for current smokers (aged 15 years and over).

“This is the first time any survey has shown our smoking rate heading below 20 per cent, since monitoring of tobacco use began more than three decades ago. This shows that initiatives over time like prohibiting smoking in indoor workplaces, including bars and restaurants, banning tobacco advertising and sponsorships, and subsidising nicotine replacement therapy do work,” Helen Clark said.

“I was Minister of Health and responsible for the first smokefree environments legislation passed through Parliament in 1990, and I am proud of what New Zealand has achieved.

The figures released show that daily smoking rates for adults have also experienced significant decreases. Since the last survey, the adult daily smoking rate has dropped by almost 5 percentage points - from 23.4 per cent of adults in 2002/03 to 18.7 per cent in 2006/07.

“Every one percentage point drop in smoking prevalence equates to about 30,000 fewer smokers,” Helen Clark said.

There have also been significant decreases among Māori in daily smoking rates between the two surveys. The rate for Maori men dropped from 42.9 per cent to 34.8 per cent and for Māori women it dropped from 51.0 per cent in 2002/03 to 40.1 per cent in 2006/07.

The rate among Pacific people dropped from 34.6 per cent in 2002/03 to 25.4 per cent.

Results from the 2007 Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Year 10 Survey also released today show a continued downward trend in smoking amongst teenagers in New Zealand.

“Under the Labour-led government, youth smoking rates have dropped from 28.6 per cent in 1999 to 12.8 per cent in 2007,” Helen Clark said.

The ASH survey also found that there had been a significant reduction in smoking initiation amongst Year 10 (aged 14-15 years) students. This is measured by the “never smoking” rate, which was 57.2 per cent.

“This result means that more than half our teenagers have never smoked cigarettes - not even one puff. That figure is well up from the 31.6 per cent in 1999,” Damien O’Connor said.

“I am determined to continue our momentum in the battle to combat smoking, which kills around 13 New Zealanders every day.

“There is still much work to be done. Tobacco control is a high priority for our Labour-led government. In this year’s Budget we committed an additional $32 million over the next four years to make even greater reductions in smoking rates and in the number of teens taking up smoking.

“We can and we must make even faster progress towards achieving our goal of a smokefree New Zealand and ensuring that more New Zealanders have the chance to live a healthy life,” Damien O’Connor said.

Ministry of Health’s 2006/07 New Zealand Health Survey: www.moh.govt.nz

2007 Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Year 10 Survey: www.ash.org.nz