Public-private health system focused on need, not ethnicity
ACT says it will make the health system faster and fairer by having the government pay private hospitals to treat more patients, cutting management costs, and making sure services are given based on medical need rather than a person's background. They also want hospitals to publicly report how well they are performing so people can see what is happening.
What they say they'll do
- Expand contracts with private hospitals for elective surgeries, diagnostics and specialist care
- Government to act as a purchaser of health services rather than a direct provider
- Remove remaining race-based health policies and deliver services based on patient need
- Publish regular, detailed performance reports for hospitals and health services
- Set measurable, trackable targets for Health NZ
- Focus health funding on frontline services rather than management
Who this affects
People on surgical waiting lists
ACT says contracting more private hospitals for elective procedures is intended to treat patients faster and reduce waiting times.
All patients
ACT says services would be allocated based on medical need and value for money, without preference based on ethnicity.
Taxpayers
ACT says it would redirect health spending away from management and administration toward frontline services.
General public
ACT says it would publish regular detailed performance reports so people can see how hospitals and health services are performing.
In their own words
“ACT wants the Government to be primarily a purchaser, not a provider, of health services, expanding contracts with private providers for diagnostics, specialist care and elective procedures so patients are treated faster.”
“Remove remaining race-based health policies, delivering services on the basis of patient need and value for money without preference based on ethnicity.”
“Focusing health funding on frontline services rather than management.”
Summarised neutrally from ACT’s own official policy (as at 2026-06-23) and checked by an editor — never paraphrased without the source linked, and never an endorsement. Read the original ↗ Arapono is non-partisan. Compare all parties on Health →
Coverage at a glance
Which party holds a published position on which topic.
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Published position∅ No stated position (verified) Not captured yet