Sir Collin quits top health roles due to ‘no confidence’ in new government

Veteran public health and medical academic Sir Collin Tukuitonga has resigned from several top health roles, saying he has "no confidence" in the new government.

Speaking with Levi Matautia-Morgan on 531pi's Pacific Mornings, Sir Collin says the weeks following the election were the final straw.

“I was watching the government in formation, and it didn’t really give me much confidence, and in the end I decided it wasn’t for me.

“People in power should use power appropriately, to benefit others. I hope they review their decision on the tobacco-free legislation, the fair pay issue will clearly impact our people more than others but that’s a done deal.

“I just worry that they tend to be dismantling things, stopping things, repealing things, but I don’t see anything new and interesting that’s new and different that’s going to benefit our communities, so I hope common sense prevails.”

Sir Collin quit as chair of Te Whatu Ora National Pacific Health Senate, calling the government’s moves to repeal smokefree legislation is a “step backwards” and “immoral”.

“How can you allow smokers to continue smoking so that you can find the money to cut taxes to the rich? It’s just totally unacceptable.”

Sir Collin Tukuitonga was knighted last year for his contribution to the Pacific and Public Health. Photo/Wikipedia

Sir Collin also resigned as chair of the Smokefree 2025 Pacific Assurance Group, which supported the Smokefree Act. He says reducing the amount of nicotine in tobacco products and other smokefree measures were set to have a major impact on Pacific communities and the next generation.

“Reduce the number of outlets selling cigarettes, they tend to be concentrated where our people live, and also young people born after 2008/2009 can’t buy cigarettes.

“These would have been world leading gamechangers, and some people say too harsh, but obviously I would have thought these measures in the legislation would have had a positive impact on our people.”

Sir Collin has previously worked as the chief executive for what was then the Ministry for Pacific Island Affairs, and had some thoughts for the new Minister, Dr Shane Reti, on the government’s smokefree changes.

“It’s a complex situation and we need to give Dr Reti a chance to prove what we can do for our communities.

“I can see he’s in a difficult place, on the one hand, he’s supposed to be our champion minister for our people, and on the other hand, he’s clearly involved in this decision of repealing, so I don’t know quite how he will reconcile that.

“Hopefully he’ll prioritise our people’s health and wellbeing over the tobacco industry.”

He says the feedback on his decision has been “mostly positive, people respecting the decision I’ve made on principle, the usual racists saying all kinds of stuff that I pretty much ignore.”

Prescription fees and possible charges for Covid vaccines

The National-led government is reintroducing $5 prescription fees, and hasn’t promised to keep Covid vaccines free after June next year. Sir Collin says this is worrying.

“Māori and Pacific people are at increased risk of Covid, and we need to absolutely make sure that there’s continuity of the vaccine and the anti-viral medication … to lobby to make sure that it’s available for our people who are high-risk.”

Figures on prescriptions before it was free show almost one in five Pacific people didn’t fill their prescription due to cost. Sir Collin says bringing back the fee could have major consequences in the long term.

“If you delay getting your medicine or you don’t get your medicine at all, you get sicker and end up in hospital, costing everyone more, that’s how dumb it is.

“The $5 fee is particularly problematic for Māori, for Pasifika people, for older New Zealanders, people who have low incomes, I think this is another of the new coalition government’s terrible decisions.”

More work to be done

Sir Collin will continue his day job at University of Auckland’s Māori and Pacific Admission Scheme (MAPAS), despite funding for this also in question under the new government.

“We need a medical workforce that reflects our community, Pacific doctors are 2 per cent of the 16,000 doctors in our country, and without the likes of MAPAS we won’t see the numbers that we need to see.”

He believes MAPAS has been made a scapegoat for the government’s move away from what they call “race-based funding”, and argues the diversity pathway into medicine needs more support.

“There’s plenty of affirmative action policies up and down the country, but they seem to have focused on this medical course.

“Why pick on, essentially, a programme that’s working, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in the number of Māori doctors from Auckland uni … if anything, we would want to see more opportunities for our young people to do medicine, not less.”

He’ll also continue working around data and information at the Ministry for Pacific Peoples, saying it’s important work that he believes in.

“Yes, there’s some missteps in the past but I think Geraldine and the new team deserve support.

“I would advise the Minister to keep them going, task them appropriately to do the right things, but keep them going.”

Sir Collin says advocacy on Pacific issues is more important than ever, and is encouraging colleagues, friends and leaders to all speak up.

“You can’t just have one person, you all have to share because we don’t have any MPs in the coalition … but we, all of us, need to step up and speak out on things that don’t make sense or put our people at risk.”