Hon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Health): Thirty thousand New Zealanders are not waiting for overdue hospital procedures; 13,500 people across the whole health system are waiting for treatment—a number which has been exacerbated by the global pandemic. This is why, in 2020, the Government allocated $282.5 million over three years to address the impacts of COVID-19 on waiting lists, and also provided an additional $90 million through Budget 2021. I can assure the member that this funding is achieving results as waiting times continue to reduce, and anyone whose treatment was delayed specifically because of the COVID level 4 lockdown has now been treated. In relation to the $486 million the member refers to, the Government has committed to producing a more equitable health system that better delivers the health services that New Zealanders need. This reform will have a material benefit on waiting lists by producing a more efficient system. There is a cost associated with change, but it is clear that the system must change.