Labour the Cash Cow

The Labour-led Government has said that they are prepared to give Team NZ another $34 million for their next campaign to win the America's Cup.

I agree with DPF who is not overly happy about the decision, but also does not like inaccurate criticism. Some of the comments on his post as worthwhile as well.

I do feel that the money would be better put into other areas such as health care, where it could pay for a few more surgeries etc and just to prove a point here is a case of such:

A family friend was placed on the waiting list because she needed heart bypass, as she got sicker and sicker and was not allowed to stay in hospital because they did not have a bed, and she did not qualify for more points and therefore did not move up the waiting list. So her and her husband looked at their books and came to the conclusion that they would go private so she could get the surgery. She flew to Auckland to see a heart surgeon, on opening her up she was told she would have had a week left in her had she not been operated on - something which was missed due to unavailable resources both monetary and physical, $34 million could help this. Her surgery cost her $36,000 and she also had to pay for flights and accommodation in Auckland after she came out of hospital.

So whilst I do not think that $34 million is going to help keep doctors, nurses, teachers here, or recruit more cops, I do think it could be better used in helping buy much needed resourced in the health and educations systems.