Public Health Care

New Zealand’s health care system is widely regarded as one of the best in the OECD countries.

New Zealand citizens are entitled to a wide range of free and government-subsidised health care, including hospital and doctor service, free public hospital treatment, and free 24-hour accident and emergency clinics. The government also subsidises visits to the doctor, prescriptions, and out-patient health care for the chronically ill and those on low incomes.

Private health insurance

Many New Zealanders also choose to have health insurance in addition to their free health care as there are waiting lists for elective surgery in the public health system.

Accidents do happen

The government-legislated accident compensation scheme (ACC) helps pay for hospital care, doctor visits, physiotherapy or other types of specialist care for accidents that occur at home, work, in the car, playing sport or doing any other activity. If the injury is serious, ACC will also make payments to offset the loss of wages. ACC removes the need to seek redress through the courts for accident or injury.

Education

The government-funded schooling system provides a comprehensive curriculum of academic, sporting and skills-based learning.

New Zealand is considered a world leader in reading literacy, and programmes developed in New Zealand have been adopted as benchmarks internationally. In a 2003 OECD study of reading, mathematics and science, New Zealand placed within the group of second highest performing countries for each subject area, along with countries such as Australia, Canada and Japan.

Early childhood

Parents can provide home-based care or enrol their child full-time or part-time in kindergarten child care centre (crèche) or playcentre. Fees may apply. Under a government initiative introduced in July 2007, three and four-year-olds enrolled in a teacher-led early childhood centre qualify for free early childhood education up to 6 hours a day, up to 20 hours per week.

Primary and secondary school

With few exceptions, all children in New Zealand must attend school between the ages of five and 16. State schools (government-funded) must provide for children’s individual learning styles and for different philosophies of education.

Private schools are required to follow the New Zealand educational curriculum but keep their own special character, usually based on a philosophical or religious perspective.

Tertiary education

New Zealand’s tertiary (higher) education system includes universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, private training establishments and industry-training organisations. Each of these institutions provide a high level of tertiary education and internationally recognised degrees and diplomas.

All universities receive around 70% of their funding from the government. The balance is charged to students by way of course fees and student association fees.