Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke with local business and community leaders at Breen Construction in Wānaka yesterday. PHOTO: EVIE SINCLAIR Prime Minister Christopher Luxon defended his government’s investment in primary healthcare during a visit to Wānaka yesterday. GP clinics in the town have recently been subject to a funding cut under Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora’s (HNZ) 2026-27 funding package. One local GP said her clinic would receive an 11% cut. Mr Luxon said the government has put more into GP funding than any other government in recent history. “Last year and this year we have put huge amounts of money in so GPs don’t have to increase rates to customers or patients. “In this case, Wānaka obviously has become a little bit more urban than rural ... driving some of that assessment, which is done independently of the government.” Mr Luxon said in general there had been “fantastic” levels of investment in GPs and capitation. The Prime Minister said his visit to the Upper Clutha was an opportunity to get vital information from those working on the front lines. “I always find there’s a lot of value in actually hearing straight from the front line of the community leaders, the business leaders, so that we can go back to Wellington and not just rely on our officials and the bureaucracy there, but actually how we can help make life better for people.” Mr Luxon also backed the controversial fast-track system, describing it as “outstanding”. “Fast track is working, because essentially the problem we’ve had in the country is it’s taking us too long and it’s too costly to get anything done or built, and we end up debating and discussing things forever and not making decisions,’’ he said. “Fast track means that you’ve got to present your case as a development project, that it generally would create economic opportunity regionally or nationally, create high-paying jobs in a region of New Zealand.’’ Mr Luxon said they were trying “to unlock the system”. “It’s been too hard to get anything done, there will be a whole range of projects, from mining and quarrying and renewables and housing and roading and all sorts of things. ‘‘But they’re assessed properly and there’s an expert panel that will make all of those decisions.” Mr Luxon was due to speak at a public meeting in Lake Hāwea yesterday evening.
