Editorial: Health care surprise

Finance Minister Bill English.

The commentators were predicting that there was a surprise up Finance Minister Bill English's sleeve.

And there was.

More than 13,000 Northland youngsters and their families are expected to benefit from yesterday's announcement of $90 million over three years from 2015, to extend free doctors' visits and prescriptions to all children under 13.

Currently, this is limited to children aged under 6.

In Northland, historically we have struggled with health issues linked to children that connect with social issues such as overcrowded housing. Those social issues aren't going away in a hurry.

But free healthcare for children, whichever side of the political fence you lean or stand on, is a huge step. Rheumatic fever is a problem in Northland, and with continued education around the symptoms, surely this will also tackle the issue.

As we've also reported today, it's not just the health of our kids that will benefit from Budget 2014.

The Government is to invest $15.8 million of operating funding and $10.7 million of capital funding over the next four years on protecting kauri forests from the dieback disease, Phytophthora taxon - Agathis. The disease has been found in Northland, Waitakere Ranges, Great Barrier Island and Coromandel Peninsula. There is no known cure.

Cynics may baulk at the size of the investment in the health of one of our national icons.

Perhaps it is representative of the fact that this is a surplus Budget in an election year, and there's a wee bit more leeway for National. Election year or not, let's take what's on offer and use it to Northland's benefit.