Editorial: Shane Reti’s approach to New Zealanders’ health might be just what the doctor ordered

Minister of Health Shane Reti. Photo / Hagen Hopkins

EDITORIAL

Health Minister Shane Reti’s evidential approach to health - especially his vision of lifting poor Māori health metrics - is based on frontline experience, is outcomes-based and could be the injection New Zealand’s under-pressure health services need.

Reti’s dream to lift the appalling Māori health statistic to the same level as non-Māori is admirable and might be considered lofty. But at least he has an action plan ready to support his vision.

The good thing about Reti, National’s highest-ranking Māori, is he speaks from a medical background, from frontline experience and from real-life work experiences. He is a breath of fresh air in the health space, which is often entangled in medical rhetoric and bureaucracy.

Health is one of the most difficult portfolios to manage. The health budget for the 2022/2023 year was around $30 billion - about $5800 for every New Zealander. But someone or some groups will always miss out on life-saving medicines, because there′s never enough money to go around. Families will be left heartbroken and fingers will be pointed at drug buying agency Pharmac, Health New Zealand and ultimately even the Health Minister.

Reti says he’s up for the job and his work experience - something a number of career MPs lack - will keep him grounded. He worked as a GP for 17 years, and for seven of those years - three consecutive terms - was a member of the Northland District Health Board. Reti knows both ends of the medical spectrum.

Even as an MP - Reti entered parliament in 2014 - he continued practising medicine in Whangarei. In 2019 he was part of the team that vaccinated students at Hikurangi Primary School after there was a meningococcal outbreak. Two years later Reti travelled Northland administering Covid-19 vaccinations.

And this year Reti, researching issues within emergency departments, made 19 “unauthorised” visits to hospitals to gauge first-hand the problems. Health officials complained to then health minister Dr Ayesha Verrall that Reti’s visits blindsided them. Now those same officials report to Reti.

The 60-year-old slides between the medical, political and Māori words with apparent ease. He doesn’t play on his Māoriness. He is one.

He has whakapapa to Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Wai, Te Kapotai and Ngāti Maniapoto.

In the nine years he has been in Parliament, Reti has gone from a ranking of No 60 on the National list in 2014 to No 4 in 2023.

His rise mirrors that of the eighth health minister of New Zealand from 1923-1926, Sir Māui Wiremu Pita Naera Pōmare. Pomare, the first Māori health minister, was also a GP, and known for his efforts to improve Māori health and living conditions.

So while poor Māori health metrics is nothing new, turning those negative metrics to positive is the Mt Everest challenge facing Reti.