Bit of a stink as Wellington public hospitals attempt to free up maternity ward beds by the encouragement of food vouchers...

From the Libertarian Front blog...
News story: NZ Herald

I don't have much of a problem with this.

Free health care presents no incentive to conserve the resource. That's part of what makes socialised health care so destructive.
Private services are full of choices and incentives, that's their point of difference.
If Mums can stay in hospital at low, or no, cost why wouldn't they be wise to do so at a time like that?

This voucher incentive gives those dining out on socialised medical care a reason to push off, while hardly overwhelming the incentive for those who require the care to risk their health (and baby's) by remain in hospital.

It's economically sound. It's just not politically correct, that's why there's an outcry.
And why it has now been scrapped.