David Carter National MP

Sunday 26 August 2001

South Island must fight for its hospitals

South Island MPs must act urgently to stop $30 million of health funding being stripped from southern hospitals to fund those in the North Island, National MP David Carter said today.

"It's a shocking revelation that the Government's considering transferring this funding when South Island district health boards are struggling enough as it is.

"In the last Parliament, there was a great deal of enthusiasm for South Island issues from all the South Island MPs. Meetings were held in Wellington on a regular basis.

"But now there is just silence from Labour, Alliance and Green MPs. Are they content to just sit on their hands while health dollars are ripped out of the South Island to silence North Islanders?" asked David Carter.

Mr Carter said he would initiate action to reconvene this forum when Parliament resumes on Tuesday.

Ends

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