Free bowel cancer screening has been expanded from ages 60- 74 to 58-74

The announcement repurposes funding set aside by the previous government to lower the eligibility age from 60 to 50 for Māori and Pacific Peoples

Every year, more than 3300 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer in New Zealand, and more than 1200 die from the disease.

Australia's current age of eligibility for bowel cancer screening tests is 45.

The government has announced plans to lower the age for free bowel cancer screening for all New Zealanders by "redirecting" money previously set aside to lower the age for Māori and Pacific people.

In December the government announced the end of a pilot programme that allowed Māori and Pacific people to access bowel cancer screening starting at age 50.

Health Minister Simeon Brown said the age of eligibility for free bowel screening would progressively drop from 60 to 58 from October, at a cost of $36m over four years.

"Lowering the age of eligibility from 60 to 58 will see 122,000 Kiwis eligible for free tests in the first year and save hundreds of lives over the coming decades.

"This is the first significant step we are taking to align our screening rate for bowel cancer with Australia as funding and access to additional colonoscopy resource becomes available."

Australia's current age of eligibility for bowel cancer screening tests is 45 years old.

Brown said the announcement "repurposed" funding set aside by the previous government to lower the eligibility age from 60 to 50-years-old for Māori and Pacific peoples.

"The changes announced today are projected to prevent an additional 771 bowel cancers and an additional 566 bowel cancer deaths over the next 25 years.

"Advice from the Ministry of Health clearly states that lowering the age to 58 for all New Zealanders will save even more lives than the previous government's approach to lower the age to 50 for Māori and Pacific Peoples only.

"Under our approach, we will be able to prevent 218 additional cancers and 176 additional deaths over 25 years in comparison to the settings proposed by the previous government.

"This also aligns with the government's policy of ensuring that healthcare is delivered on the basis of need."

During the election campaign Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis made clear that the National Party was committed to lowering the eligible starting age for free bowel cancer screening - "as workforce and fiscal conditions allowed".