Mr Robertson admitted to GP delegates at the New Zealand Medical Association's annual South General Practice Conference that despite nine years in office, Labour did not reduce the wealth gap, but steadied it.
One of five MPs presenting their party's take on health, Mr Robertson said Labour's planned economic and tax reforms would ensure the poorest New Zealanders could afford a higher standard of living, including decent food.
"There are significant inequities in society."
Good health did not start in hospitals or GP practices but in homes, schools and workplaces, he said.
He criticised National's emphasis on driving targets in areas such as elective surgery, labelling the approach as favouring "slogans and manufactured targets" over long-term benefit.
However, National MP Dr Paul Hutchison, chairman of the health select committee, reeled off a list of his Government's achievements.
These included a significant increase in elective surgery, higher vaccination rates, and shorter waits for radiation treatment and in emergency departments.
Rather than spread money too thinly on many projects, the Government had selected a small number of health promotion targets, including smoking and vaccination, to fund properly, he said.
The establishment of integrated family health centres was being encouraged so patients could receive many health services at the same site.
Health spending had increased despite serious fiscal hardship, he said. In countries such as the UK, Ireland and Canada, governments had dramatically cut health budgets but New Zealand health spending was still increasing.
May's Budget upped spending on maternity care, dementia care, GP subsidies, disability services and elective surgery, he said.
Green Party health spokesman Kevin Hague said he was deeply concerned by the loss of health-promotion spending under the National-led government.
"The destruction and dismantling of so much that has been achieved [in public health] is really distressing to me." The Government liked to emphasise gains in elective surgery but ignored the fact elective surgery accounted for just 5% of the health sector, he said.
Act New Zealand health spokeswoman Heather Roy implored delegates to embrace competition in the health sector, saying great gains were possible from using the private sector.
Health funds should be targeted at the most needy. It was wrong that poorer people paid tax to fund the wealthy to receive health care, she said.
United Future leader Peter Dunne, who is also associate health minister, said his party favoured tax rebates for those with private health insurance.
New Zealand faced serious health challenges, such as the obesity and diabetes epidemics, he said.
