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Aotearoa New Zealand Pre-Budget 2026 Statement

Wednesday 20 May 2026

As the lead standards body in women’s health in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) advocates for women’s health on behalf of our members and the patients they care for.

New Zealand’s Budget 2026 will be delivered on 28 May by Finance Minister Hon Nicola Willis. The final year of the three-year multi-year health funding arrangement established in Budget 2024 delivers a pre-committed increase of $1.370 billion per annum to Health New Zealand – bringing Vote Health to a forecast $31.089 billion for 2026/27. While this is a substantial figure, it must be understood in the context of relentlessly rising healthcare delivery costs, a growing and ageing population, and increasing clinical complexity: health experts have consistently noted that funding increases below five percent in the current economic environment amount to little more than standing still once inflation, demographic pressures, and workforce costs are accounted for. With the Government also signalling tight control of discretionary spending despite the election year context, RANZCOG is not expecting significant new investment in women’s health in Budget 2026.

Acknowledging commitment to address maternity ultrasound funding

RANZCOG warmly acknowledges the Government’s April 2026 announcement of a $12.9 million interim funding boost for community-delivered maternity ultrasound services, and the commitment to developing longer-term, sustainable funding arrangements. This reflects sustained advocacy from RANZCOG, the New Zealand College of Midwives, and the wider sector, and we are pleased to see the Government responding. However, it is important to be clear about what this announcement does and does not achieve. For providers who accept the funding contract, it caps patient copayments at $30 for Community Services Card holders and $90 for non-holders, but it does not remove copayments. For women with high-risk pregnancies requiring multiple scans, capped copayments can still represent a significant and cumulative cost burden. Interim measures are a relief, but they are not the finish line. Full review of maternity ultrasound funding is urgently required so that, as RANZCOG have stated clearly with NZCOM, copayments for clinically necessary maternity scans become a thing of the past.

RANZCOG hopes to see provision for full funding of all clinically necessary maternity ultrasound scans in Budget 2026.

Other priorities for election year 2026

Through a process of consultation with our membership Te Kāhui Oranga ō Nuku have developed clear advocacy priorities for this election year, that reflect the most pressing needs in women’s health right now. This includes full funding of all clinically necessary maternity ultrasound scans, and we also encourage all parties to commit to:

Fully fund cervical screening

New Zealand’s cervical screening programme has transformed outcomes for women, but inequities in access and participation persist – particularly for Māori and Pasifika women. Full public funding of cervical screening is not a luxury: it is a cornerstone of preventive women’s health care, a matter of equity, and an investment with clear economic returns. Cervical cancer is a disease that is almost entirely preventable with better uptake of screening and vaccination. We call on all parties to commit to full funding of cervical screening ahead of the election, and we call on the Government to act before it.

Invest in digital solutions to support quality, joined-up care

Our members are working in a system that too often asks clinicians to navigate fragmented, paper-based, or legacy digital environments. The rollout of digital maternity systems such as BadgerNet, and broader investment in health information infrastructure, are essential to improving safety, reducing duplication and alleviating workload burden. Smarter investment in digital infrastructure will free our workforce to focus on what they do best – caring for patients.

Establish a national pelvic pain service

Pelvic pain affects a significant proportion of women in Aotearoa, yet pathways to diagnosis and care remain inconsistent and, for too many are either inaccessible or very slow. Dedicated national multi-disciplinary pain services would transform the experience of women seeking help.

Beyond these four priorities, RANZCOG remains committed to advocating for the full range of women’s health needs in Aotearoa New Zealand – in particular, improving access to gynaecological care across our public health system, and ensuring our specialist obstetric and gynaecological workforce is well-supported and sustainable for quality women’s health care now and in the future. RANZCOG looks forward to working constructively with the Government and all parties to advance these priorities.