United Future outlines 2011 policies

File photo / Daily Post

United Future are calling for the outright ban of 1080 in the fight against possums and for the introduction of universal health insurance.

Party leader Peter Dunne outlined the party's policy priorities for next year's election at their annual conference in Wellington on Saturday.

Mr Dunne told Radio New Zealand this morning New Zealand had a "big problem with elective surgery waiting lists".

"I think we've got to have a complete rethink to our approach to the way in which we utilise all of our health resources to give people the quality of care that they need and a universal health insurance that would enable the best services to be provided at the best cost is a long term goal we've got to start talking seriously about," he said.

Mr Dunne said despite the country's "comprehensively provided service", not all needs were being met.

"We have a very good model on which you can build a health insurance scheme and it is called Accident Compensation, where you extend the model to cover effectively all forms of health care."

He said the move was the type of innovation required to meet New Zealand's increasing public and private health service needs.

The party will also run on the promise to ban the use of possum poison 1080. Mr Dunne told National Radio there is a "strong public trend" against 1080 and the logical step was to ban it completely.

"For a long time it's been our view that the indiscriminate aerial use of 1080 should be outlawed. I think we've moved beyond that now.

"There is enough concern in communities now up and down this country about the impact that 1080 has not just on the animals themselves but on the wider environment, the pollution of waterways, the risks imposed to public safety, the loss of birdlife, etcetera."

Mr Dunne said alternative poisons and trapping incentives would replace the controversial bait.

Although only around 40 to 50 turned out for Saturday's conference Mr Dunne said this was about par for a small party and was confident the party was still relevant and would remain in Parliament.

"We've probably achieved more than any small party as part of successive governments in terms of policy gains, policy wins, right from the very start right through to the announcement very recent on the abolition of gift duty."