Hopes more women can have breast cancer screening, leading to fewer deaths

The government's promising a multimillion dollar technology upgrade to the country's breast cancer screening programme.

It will also make changes so women are invited for a screening rather than their having to register, and they can opt out if they choose.

Breast Cancer Foundation NZ research manager Adele Gautier says they've been asking for something like this for a long time.

Ms Gautier says with regular screening the chances of dying are much lower, so just being in the system and going along every couple of years makes a huge difference.