PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Health
Cunliffe Shouldn't Be Running The Show
Libertarianz Health Spokesman Richard McGrath says the Health and Disability Commissioner's damning indictment of New
Zealand's public hospitals is the first nail in the coffin for David Cunliffe.
"After all, as David said in Parliament last November, he's running the show. He should therefore be accountable to the
families of those people who have died waiting for treatment in our ramshackle run-down state-run hospitals," said Dr
McGrath. "He should also be accountable for the system that has driven one district health board boss to take indefinite
sick leave."
"Ron Paterson said yesterday that government hospitals are not just unsafe, they are unacceptably unsafe, there is a
lack of national leadership and that the Minister should do more."
"To his credit, Ron advocates competition between hospitals as a way of improving services, and my party backs him on
that. But David, who runs the show, thinks central planning is the answer."
"David, we have had seventy years of central planning in health care, reinventing itself every time there is a change of
government. National are no better, also arrogantly believing that Nanny knows best when it comes to arranging health
cover for everyone."
Libertarianz, in its soon-to-be-released transitional health policy, advocates giving patients a choice between
attending public hospitals or using DHB funds to seek help in the private sector.
"I dare say I know which way most New Zealanders would go," said Dr McGrath.
"Under a Libertarianz government," he added, "the customer would be king and health industry consumers would be running
the show, not socialists who think they can count."
ENDS