The ACT Party wants to build New Zealand's first dedicated national cancer centre, turning a musing from new candidate Paul Henry into a campaign promise.
By Giles Dexter of RNZ
ACT would establish a philanthropic foundation to attract some of the funding, and get rid of a cap on donation tax credits - the same cap that put one National MP at odds with his party.
When he announced his candidacy in July, Henry said he wanted a world-class cancer hospital in New Zealand, but admitted it would cost "multiple billions" of dollars.
"I think you could easily get a group of wealthy New Zealanders to stump up with about 10 billion, easily. The rest of it we would borrow, but that would be an investment in New Zealand's future," he said at the time.
Now, the party has confirmed it is pressing ahead with the idea, unveiling a plan to build a "Starship for Cancer" with campuses in Auckland and Christchurch.
Watch: Moment protesters interrupt ACT leader David Seymour - Watch on TVNZ+
Henry mused about creating a world-class cancer hospital when he announced his candidacy. ACT is running with the idea. (Source: 1News)
"Starship showed what New Zealand can achieve when we concentrate talent, technology, generosity and national ambition around a single mission. ACT wants to do the same for cancer," Henry said.
The former broadcaster confessed he had announced the policy "on the fly" last month, and had expected to be pulled aside and discouraged.
"Instead I was told, 'we think you might be onto something'," he told an audience in Christchurch.
ACT expected around $2 billion of capital investment would be required.
"When I mentioned this out of the blue standing next to David Seymour at the press conference, I suggested we might be looking at a figure close to $10 billion, so ACT's involvement has already saved the country $8 billion," Henry said.
ACT would legislate to establish a not-for-profit, independent National Cancer Centre Foundation with charitable status.
To attract donations, ACT would remove the cap on donation tax credits.
The cap was criticised by National MP Greg Fleming on Thursday, who said work was underway to "fix" it, but revenue minister Simon Watts has insisted there are no plans to change it.
A policy document explained the centres would be funded through a combination of public-private partnership financing, charitable donations, existing Crown health investment, and other private capital "where appropriate".
The Department of Cancer Sciences at the University of Auckland and the Christchurch Cancer Foundation would work on business cases for the campuses.
Health New Zealand would be a "major customer" of the centre, with ACT expecting it would relocate its existing cancer services in Auckland and Christchurch to the new campuses.
The Crown's ongoing financial liability would come through Health New Zealand purchasing the clinical services and using the facilities.
"This expenditure, to a significant extent, would otherwise need to occur elsewhere in the health system. In the future, medical tourism from overseas could help subsidise the Centre's operations," the document said.
Henry said the campaign policy was "aspirational" but insisted it was realistic and practical.
"Comprehensive cancer centres are the gold standard internationally because they bring researchers, clinicians, universities, private providers and philanthropists together with world-class treatment, technology and clinical trials," he said.
"They also help attract and retain the best oncologists, surgeons and scientists. If New Zealand cannot offer that environment, Australia and other countries will."
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