Tony RyallThursday 29 September 2011, 10:11AM
Media release from Tony Ryall
The Crown Entities Reform Bill has been introduced to the
House.
This omnibus Bill provides for structural changes to the way the
government is organised across the health and charitable sectors,
including:
- establishing a new Health Promotion Agency that will take over
the functions of the Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand
(ALAC), the Health Sponsorship Council (HSC) and relevant functions
of the Ministry of Health
- disestablishing the Crown Health Financing Agency, and
transferring some its functions to the Ministry of Health, while
others continue to be provided by Treasury's Debt Management
Office
- bringing forward the disestablishment of the Mental Health
Commission and transferring functions to the Office of the Health
and Disability Commissioner (HDC), and establishing a new Mental
Health Commissioner within the HDC
- disestablishing the Charities Commission and transferring its
functions to the Department of Internal Affairs, while providing
for independent registration and related functions through a
statutorily independent board.
State Services Minister Tony Ryall said "These changes are part
of the Government's overall programme to improve State sector
performance as a whole."
"These changes will reduce duplication of corporate and
governance overheads, and ensure that agencies can continue to
deliver the front line services that New Zealanders expect."
The changes are anticipated to save $19.6m in the four years
from 1 July 2012, with ongoing annual savings after that of
$4.1m. The expected transition costs of $1.3m will come from
existing budgets.