Judith Collins visits Whanganui as she announces National's MySmile dental policy

Judith Collins exits an Air Ambulance at Whanganui Airport on Tuesday. Photo / Mike Tweed

National Party leader Judith Collins hit Whanganui on the campaign trail on Tuesday, where she launched her party's dental plan.

Collins began her visit by touring the Air Ambulance headquarters with Whanganui MP Harete Hipango and Air Wanganui chief executive officer Dean Martin before announcing her party's new $30 million dental healthcare plan at Cliff Dental.

Speaking to the Chronicle, Collins said Hipango had put a "big effort in" throughout the region and that she was confident Hipango would retain her seat.

"I actually think she's going to do fine," Collins said.

"I've certainly seen the amount of signs and hoardings that Harete and her team have managed to put up, so that's a great indication of the fact that people want to be connected to her and the National Party."

Collins said that the upcoming election was "the most important we've seen for generations".

"That's because the economy is going to be the number one issue.

"The Prime Minister wants it to be all about Covid, but, in my view, it's got to be all about the recovery from Covid.

"Its really important that we keep people in work, we keep jobs open, and we keep businesses open."

Collins said National would be focused on "putting more money in people's pockets" and that a failure to secure a better economy would be paid for by "our children and grandchildren".

"That's because of the massive levels of debt the Government has gone into, which any political party is going to have to manage.

"The wage subsidy costs half a billion dollars a week, that's like a new public hospital in Whanganui, and that's the amount of debt we're going into as a country.

"In my view, every single cent we spend should be about growing the economy and investing in people, as opposed to just paying out money."

Collins was joined at Cliff Dental by director Hadleigh Reid, along with National health spokesman Shane Reti, who said National's new medical policy MySmile was based on the Scottish Childsmile programme, which was introduced in the early 2000s.

"National believes that everyone should have the opportunity to access world-class healthcare regardless of income, background or postcode," Reti said.

"We're giving children who might have otherwise missed out an opportunity for quality dental care."

The policy builds on New Zealand's current policy of free dental care for children under 18 years old, and Collins announced that National would spend an additional $30 million a year on a children's dental programme because the existing children's dental policy was "underfunded and not comprehensive".

"There are currently 120,000 Kiwi kids on dental waiting lists," Collins said.

"We will provide the resources to ensure children most at need can get the access to quality dental care they deserve."

The National leader with Dean Martin, right, and Air Whanganui staff members. Photo / Mike Tweed

The additional funding would pay for every child in New Zealand to get a yearly dental pack, containing oral health information and a toothbrush and toothpaste, as well as covering the cost of a nationwide oral health education programme.

Funding for free targeted topical dental fluoride, in line with the Ministry of Health recommendation, would also be included in the bill.

The Gonville Medical Centre on Abbot St was the last stop on Collins' trip, where she held a meeting with staff and Whanganui Regional Health Network chief executive Judith MacDonald.