INDEPENDENT NEWS

New Health Boards used to pay back party stalwarts

Published: Thu 24 Aug 2000 08:43 AM
Wyatt Creech
National Health Spokesperson
Wednesday 23 August 2000
New Health Boards used to pay back party stalwarts
A first look at the new health appointments reveals the Government has brought in union mates and party stalwarts to run the new District Health Boards, National's Health spokesperson Wyatt Creech said today.
"This Government has tried to sell its radical health reforms as a means of getting the community involved in health decisions.
"The Board appointments finally released today - five months after they were promised - tell a different story revealing they are more about a pay-back to party supporters than getting the community involved.
"Nurses Union organiser and long-time Labour Party worker James Ritchie and Alliance candidate Dave McPherson are the new appointments to Health Waikato.
"Failed leading member of the former Auckland Hospital Board Gary Taylor has been dusted off and brought back to join Auckland Healthcare.
"Staunch unionist Dave Morgan has been brought onto the Wairarapa Health Board and Hutt Valley Health will now have union health clinic activist Peter Glensor and former Labour Minister Margaret Shields around its Board table.
"This Government has re-appointed Labour Party activist Louise Rosson to Healthcare Otago - even though she is in trouble with Local Government New Zealand and big question marks have been raised over her credibility.
"While it is encouraging the Government has recognised that not everything about National's health boards were bad by keeping a number of existing members and Chair people, it is concerning that a number of the new appointments look more like being 'jobs for the boys'."
Ends

Next in New Zealand politics

Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
By: New Zealand Government
GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan
By: New Zealand Government
New Zealand Provides Further Humanitarian Support To Gaza And The West Bank
By: New Zealand Government
High Court Judge Appointed
By: New Zealand Government
Parliamentary Network Breached By The PRC
By: New Zealand Government
Tax Cuts Now Even More Irresponsible
By: New Zealand Labour Party
View as: DESKTOP | MOBILE © Scoop Media