The following news release from the Labour government minister of health inspired me to make the following points:

1. It is good to see the government take some notice of men’s health needs. Without MENZ and the political action of many of those who contribute here, that almost certainly would not have happened. Well done one and all.

2. I believe that the presence of the Republic of NZ Party on the political scene has contributed significantly to forcing this feminist dominated government to realize that it is fast becoming politically unsafe to continue to take men for granted.

3. The current minister’s gesture of recognition of men’s needs now occurs about a month before the election. His government has shown appalling contempt for men until now. The gesture seems little more than another election bribe as are the cynical tax cuts that give some of us a bit more money just over a month before the election. In the unlikely event that Labour is re-elected, you can bet they will return to their normal policies of disempowering and disenfranchising men whilst enslaving them to feed the nation’s economic needs and in particular to fund the further ascendency of women.

4. Some pamphlets to help men decide if they will pay the full cost of tests for prostate cancer seems a rather humble gesture. A $3 million package for men’s health initiatives will amount to perhaps a few percent of the cost of the various health packages provided specifically for women’s health needs, many of which will require no expenditure at all by the female recipients. We should be grateful for the few crumbs, but remember, this will be as good as it gets under either of the two major deadbeat parties likely to make us their servants for the next few years.

29 September 2008 Media Statement

Prostate cancer resources will help men make choices

New resources going out to GPs and medical practices will provide better information to help men decide if they want to be tested for prostate cancer, said Associate Minister of Health Damien O’Connor.

Mr O’Connor said the resources — an information pamphlet for men and their families and resource cards for doctors to show their patients, will allow men to make informed decisions about their health.

“Prostate cancer is an important, complex health issue for men. Men and their families deserve to get the best possible advice to make choices about whether to be tested for prostate cancer. These resources will help men do just that.

“Men need to be able to have access to clear, concise and relevant information to be able to make decisions on testing,” said Mr O’Connor.

The resource card for health professionals highlights those potentially at risk, provides information on the benefits and harms of prostate testing and facts on the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test.

The pamphlet for men and their families includes similar information as well as providing contact numbers and links to useful websites if men want to find out more or speak to someone about prostate testing.

Mr O’Connor said the Labour-led government is committed to men’s health and the new prostate cancer guidelines were part of a $3 million package over the next year for men’s health initiatives.

“We have also announced that we are fast-tracking a bowel cancer screening programme, in an effort to better diagnose and treat New Zealand’s second-biggest cancer killer. This is important for men as they have a substantially higher mortality rate for colorectal cancer than women,” said Mr O’Connor.

To view the resources go to http://www.moh.govt.nz/cancercontrol

Contact: Kelly Gunn (Press Secretary), Phone (04) 471 9878 or 021 227 9878